Imagine if Shaq was told he couldn't play basketball because he's too big? Sounds crazy doesn't it? Well that's sort of what has happen to 9 year old Jericho Scott, the kid pitcher that plays in a Youth Baseball League in Connecticut. Apparently the kid has a 40 mph fast ball which would be amazing for a 12 year old. Even though he's playing with kids his age, inexplicably the young fella has been told that he can no longer pitch in the league and if his coach pitches him they'll disban his team. They even went as far as to begin to spread the remaining team members amongst other teams in the league. Of course the kid doesn't understand and thinks everything is his fault.
The parents of the kids on Jericho's team are crying "ball" and of course the parents of the kids who are getting dominating are yelling "strike." Lawyers are getting involved and of course potential civil rights issues are being discussed. It doesn't take much thought to understand that this is just wrong from whatever angle you try and look at it.
My biggest problem with this is the message that's being sent to children. Things have long changed from the days when there was simply a winner and a loser, the good and the bad. You know, whether you worked on Wall Street or played Little League baseball you had to earn your keep. The so-called adults who think that Jerico Scott should be banned from the league because their little Johnny can't get a hit when he's pitching, need to get a grip on reality. This type of nonsense is running rampant these days and comes from how these kids are being raised today. They coddle these kids and try to convince them that everyone is a winner, everyone can play, and there are no losers - pizza for everyone! Essentailly, what they're saying is we're going to stunt the growth of a kid that's really good at something because the other kids are just average. With this type of stupid logic how about the other kids parents just tell Jericho how many strikes he's allow to throw because a no-hitter is definitely unacceptable.
This goes against everything sports and this country for that matter, is suppose to be about, which is dog eat dog competition. Since they're just setting these kids up for failure, how can these kids ever have the drive to succeed in life if they don't understand that concept of failure? What's wrong with having these kids realize that someone is better than them in something? or they need to work to improve to reach a higher level instead of just forfeiting as the opposing team did when they seen Jericho take the mound? And what are we saying to Jericho? Are we telling him you can't be like Nolan Ryan, you have pitch slower and be like Jamie Moyer? That's a travesty.
What I say to these parents who are enablers and allow their kids to grow up and feel entitled? To the dad who starts a fight because his kid doesn't get any playing time or the mom that hates on the little girl that beat her daughter in the beaty pageant: No your kid can't be a starter if he doesn't know the rules, no everyone is not the same, stop crying and accept the fact that your kid is not yet good enough. Besides, there's no crying in baseball.
Parents to blame
They might as well send the kid to the Yankees b/c he'll probably throw more pitches for strikes than anyone else they have right now lol.
As a teacher, I deal with this coddling and exemption from reality on a regular basis.
Well said, Omar!
VERY WELL SAID OMAR!!!