Little League Parents Suck
Ah, the Little League parent. You know the type. They yell for their kid to win at all costs. They scream at the coach when things aren’t going right. And they pepper the referee or umpire at every bad call.
In short, they are assholes.
This past weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing an entire stadium of soccer parents turn into Little League parents. (Okay, I’m generalizing. Not everyone in the stadium got out of control. In fact, we weren’t all that bad. But for a bunch of parents who usually keep our mouths shut, we had our moments.)
My teen daughter’s soccer team was in a playoff match. The other team had a few players who could keep pace with our athletes (we’re quick, and we were nationally ranked for a time, and we kicked butt in league play. Yeah, I just said “we” even though it’s a girls team and I’m a lowly parent. Woo-hoo!)
But several of the other team’s players were too slow. In order to compete, they threw elbows.
At first, we didn’t say a thing. But when one girl threw an elbow a third time, this one at my daughter’s neck, I spoke up. “Hey, watch the elbows!”
There were chuckles in the stands. As the game progressed, though, more and more elbows were thrown. Other players were getting hurt. One girl went down on the turf, and another left with a bloody nose.
“Hey ref,” one mom said. “A bloody nose comes from elbows being thrown.”
The ref ignored us. As more and more dirty plays went down on the pitch, we became more and more vocal. We simply wanted the ref to stop any dangerous play.
In the second half, the ref called things more fairly, and started calling penalties on the dangerous play. The other team’s parents started complaining.
“Booooooooooo,” one whole section said.
After the game, my daughter gave me the skinny. “The players on the other team kept saying, ‘can’t you get your parents to shut up? They’re so annoying!’” To which my daughter said, “can’t you get your teammates to stop throwing elbows? They’re so annoying!”
I asked her about the ref. Didn’t he hear us? At some point, the ref needs to call infractions in order to protect the players on the pitch.
“He probably heard you guys,” my daughter said. “But he didn’t speak English.”
Doh!
Or should I say, Ay Carumba!
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Comment by Nicki
| March 1st, 2010
Ah, the language barrier is alive and well. Your daughter rocks, by the way. Very cool kid. Nice job, dad!
Nicki´s last blog ..So far…
Comment by mama llama
| March 1st, 2010
Does help to be bilingual. Maybe I can use that example in my ads! LOL
I like coaching because then I have a valid excuse to yell. Sometimes it’s all in finding the appropriate outlet!
Be well, Dads. And congratulations to your daughter and her team!
mama llama´s last blog ..Using Botox
Comment by Cece
| March 1st, 2010
But did she win? I was all into the game!
Cece
Cece´s last blog ..Beautiful Humanity: Gander, Newfoundland and 911
Comment by Laura
| March 1st, 2010
Rough lot your girls are there hey :-p
My son is in the swim team and so every friday he swims a gala and there are some of your “Little League” parents there. They scare me to be honest :-p
Laura´s last blog ..Oh Mondays how I love thee
Comment by BigSis
| March 1st, 2010
I totally agree with you. It’s embarrassing to read the emails that come out telling adults how they need to act at games. I’ve found some of the coaches to be terrible examples as well!
BigSis´s last blog ..Memoir Monday a la My Big Fat Greek Life
Comment by LesleyG
| March 1st, 2010
There were times, as a kid, that I wished they just wouldn’t let parents in the games. My parents weren’t bad (thank GOD) but some were and it was just ridiculous.
But a non-English-speaking ref? That’s a new one.
Comment by Elizabeth
| March 1st, 2010
Actually, the parents in my son’s Little League games have been wonderful. I have only seen one dad be criticial and that was of his son. The only exceptions have been volunteer, refs, who generally favor their teams when it comes to calling strikes.
Elizabeth´s last blog ..
Comment by Mindy@SingleMomSays
| March 1st, 2010
At least you all were yelling for the right reasons. Worse are the parents who encourage their kids to play rough or “do whatever it takes” to win.
And dont even get me started on stage moms!
Mindy@SingleMomSays´s last blog ..Getting to Know Each Other
Comment by mags
| March 1st, 2010
Always makes the games so much less enjoyable! Never understood it. Wish those parents would realize they are what makes it hard for leagues to recruit good coaches and Refs!
Comment by Sandra
| March 1st, 2010
Sounds like kids these days are getting more violent. Yikes !
If I have kids I am signing them up for martial arts or self defense lessons.
But that’s IF I have kids. Dealing with other “soccer moms” like that is a form of birth control.
Sandra´s last blog ..I can check one off my bucket list !
Comment by Pippi
| March 1st, 2010
Oh I so wish my boys liked soccer. I have an indoor rock climber and a wrestler (want to be). Ditto Cece, did she win?
Pippi´s last blog ..My Sweet 8
Comment by West Coast Guy
| March 1st, 2010
Women’s soccer can get pretty rough. I must admit I’m proud of my 16 year old daughters’ (who are small for their level of play) when they are able to hip-check a player off the ball. And they enjoy a physical game. Elbows the face though…. not so good. In my experience, it is generally not effective to yell at the refs. Sometimes they’re competent and the parents don’t see what they see and the ref gets miffed at the parents – not good for your team! When the ref is not good….. it doesn’t matter. They are simply not good. Hope your daughter’s team did well.
Comment by AngryDad
| March 1st, 2010
not looking forward to my daughter reaching the age of playing sports. in the meantime, i’ll teach her to throw them bows and to trash talk. if nothing else, it will prepare her for growing up with her mother.
AngryDad´s last blog ..Fatty versus Fire
Comment by dadshouse
| March 1st, 2010
Mindy – one mom for the other team yelled out “great play, Mary!” after a girl on her team flattened one of our players, and our player didn’t get up. That sort of parent cheering is ugly and mean.
West Coast Guy – I agree, yelling at the ref usually does no good. It can even backfire, and he might start calling things against your team to spite the parents. There was an elbow thrown to the neck in a recent European Champions league game (Fiorentina vs. Bayern Munich, I think?). The elbow thrower was immediately red-carded and sent off the pitch.
Cece and Pippi – yes, they won! On to the playoffs next round.
Comment by Danielle
| March 1st, 2010
When it gets dirty on our field, we send our biggest player at the culprits to send a message! :)
Danielle´s last blog ..Ca Ching!
Comment by Kelloggsville
| March 1st, 2010
Blimey, you and the other parents all sound remarkably polite! (hey ref and boos) You should hear the side line shouts from parents in this country. Mothers that look like they wouldn’t say boo to a goose yelling in a way that would put the fear of god into the All Blacks rugby team. And it’s not just the football, the netball matches seem to be only one step away!!!
Kelloggsville´s last blog ..Mudski – Menacing
Comment by BigLittleWolf
| March 1st, 2010
Loved your daughter’s comeback! (Wonder where she gets that from… )
BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Serendipity (or, why you need to get off the island)
Comment by Nicole Pelton
| March 1st, 2010
I hear tell soccer parents now surpass little league in their behaviour, we should not be proud :) I can totally understand your yelling, but I always wonder what goes through people’s heads when they yell at the ref…do they really think a ref would ever change a call just because a parent, coach or player yelled at them? I just joined a team and we are all pretty low key, but once in a while…I remember a high school boys team and a few players fell down..the parents were chatting about how the coach trained them to knock players down and also to fake being hurt. The coach was actually my husband, they were a tad off in their assessment :)
Comment by Nicole Pelton
| March 1st, 2010
oops, wrong website :)
Nicole Pelton´s last blog ..Apartment for sale, Americans need not apply
Comment by Just Me...
| March 1st, 2010
This is probably the reason I’m lucky mine does dance and karate.. This sort of thing makes me crazy.. Grown people encouraging their kids to be thugs.. Sheesh..
Just Me…´s last blog ..Long days…
Comment by dadshouse
| March 1st, 2010
Nicole, that’s hilarious. We often wonder if some coaches teach the elbow throwing and dives, or if they just put up with it. A parent on one of our rival teams said they actually are embarrassed by the two players on their team who do stuff like that.
Comment by Vinomom
| March 1st, 2010
I’ve heard crazy shit about girls soccer – a lot of violence and illegal play. Sounds like your daughter held her own out there though!
Vinomom´s last blog ..I Didn’t Win any Medals but this is Almost as Good
Comment by dadshouse
| March 1st, 2010
Almost forgot – my daughter ref’d for a while, until the sideline parents got out of control. But then she needed gas money, and did the refereeing thing again. http://dadshouseblog.com/2008/08/21/will-ref-for-gas/ (A nationally syndicated post!)
Comment by Kat Wilder
| March 2nd, 2010
Hey, don’t pick on LL parents. That phenomenon knows no sport — basketball, lacrosse, soccer …
I miss the days when kids took a ball to the park and played by themselves, and then got a popsicle from the Good Humour truck.
Parents seemed to be less assholeish back then …
Kat Wilder´s last blog ..Your cheating heart
Comment by crayola maker
| March 2nd, 2010
A little parent pep-squad would more or less heighten up the adrenaline.
Well as for the foul play, oh come on ! those girls are playing football not MMA.. lol
and as for the ref, in all fairness to him, refs do know more than we do when to make a call, and sometimes they may get annoyed by the ringside or shall i say bleacher refs that we are and eventually decide not to make the call.
but hey,on second thought, that’s your daughter being elbowed.. You just gotta do what you have to do..
Peace y’all !
Comment by Aidan Donnelley Rowley @ Ivy League Insecurities
| March 2nd, 2010
This brings me back to my days as a high school athlete. (I played soccer, basketball, and softball. Not that you care.) There were two fathers in particular who were so rabidly out of control that it literally affected the entire experience of the game. I can still hear their voices echoing now! In all seriousness though, I’ve got to imagine that this is a real struggle to watch your kids play and come close to getting hurt… I am not sure how exactly I will handle these situations down the line. (Not that there is any pressure for my girls to play sports like mommy and daddy did. Nope, no pressure at all.)
Comment by oshea12566
| March 3rd, 2010
Best way to stop elbows is with an elbow. Single one their players out and elbow the hell out of her. Too bad so sad. When she gets back to the bench, she’ll start complaining about the elbows too.
Dear lord,
please help me not become a little league parent when Madaghan gets old to play sports.
oshea12566´s last blog ..Snowicane 2010, Broken Saturn
Comment by Bo
| March 3rd, 2010
Somehow, I want to look at the other side of this equation. Today’s world is so much more competitive for our kids than it was for us. Could it be that these “blood and guts” moments on the field are exactly the lessons that our kids need to learn to thrive and survive in this new world?
I have 3 little ones and the instinct to protect them is very powerful. But, what if I backed off just a little, allowed the rough play to continue? My kids would eventually learn to protect themselves. It might be an important lesson that they would not learn had I stepped in and rescued them.
It’s very fine line, but I’m interested in seeing who those kids (lessons learned) turn out to be.
Bo´s last blog ..Blog Post One
Comment by dadshouse
| March 3rd, 2010
Bo – that’s an excellent point. And as someone who played in the NFL, you would know a thing or two about hitting. Honestly, when my son plays lacrosse or soccer, I love seeing him lay a good hit on another kid. I feel different about my daughter, though. While she’s plenty tough, confident, and strong, I still cringe if she gets whacked. I insinctively want to protect my girl, and let my son be a man. Sexist, I know. But it’s instinctual for me.
Comment by Steve
| March 5th, 2010
Bo I agree that as parents we do need to let our kids find their “own way.” But in all sports there are rules of the game and when refs consistently allow opposing teams the ability to disregard those rules and succeed, what lesson is being learned?
I tell my kids to play hard, have fun and be good sports. It is sometimes tough to continue to beleive those ideologies when a lesser skilled team wins a game through shear brutality and poor sportsmanship. That is when I beleive the referees need to protect the rules of the game and players on the field. But too many times Referees could not be bothered or lack the confidence to make the “tough calls” And more times then not that is when the game gets out of hand and the “Little League Parents” begin to chant and scream and …
Comment by marti
| March 12th, 2010
I understnad this some of the parents at my daughters sporting events get way to carried away. Softball they loose there minds it’s just a game. Fieldhockey is crazy also and those dam cowbells I wanted to tell them to shove them since you couldn’t hear the girls on the field. soccer is also crazy and they do get elbows and tripped and the refs don’t always call it. when did it become more than just having fun some girls are so pressured to win by the parent its sad. I have seen many of girls crying after bad plays now that is sad and the parents should be ashamed of the way they act. I done the team mom and parents treat them awful also and all they are doing id trying to help the kids out the best they can so you could give them respect also.