7-Year Old Girl Cut From Baseball Team, Your Opinions? Options

[iamshack]

Kids aren't cut from school and parents generally don't get into fist fights over 2nd grade math tests.

Kids flunk out of school and are held back a grade.

Kids get split into separate groups based on their aptitude.

Ask teachers how angry parents get about their kids' grades.

This post has been edited by iamshack: Jan 31, 2012 -> 11:17 AM

[GoodAsGould]

My first reaction is every sports program up to high school schould be about skill development, sportsmanship, and learning how to be a team mate. Keep score if you like, but winning and losing should not be the goal until high school.

Fortunately my school district shares this philosophy.

I don't think kids should be cut from sports teams, at least not until jr high but I hate the idea of completely disregarding winning/losing. I was a kid not too long ago and I wanted to win and hated losing and the sport would be very dull if those werent important factors. I was only in the town public leagues but end of year we still had a playoffs and whatnot once we got probably in 4th or 5th grade.

[Steve9347]

I don't think kids should be cut from sports teams, at least not until jr high but I hate the idea of completely disregarding winning/losing.

So you just limit registration? In many of these areas there are more interested in playing than can conceivably be deployed on a team.

[iamshack]

So you just limit registration? In many of these areas there are more interested in playing than can conceivably be deployed on a team.

It's not like the s***ty kids aren't very aware that they suck...it's just as embarrassing to suck ass and still be on the team as it is to be cut or redeployed into a weaker league.

It's an unavoidable fact of life, and sheltering kids from it until 12 years old only makes it more difficult for them to adjust later in life.

[GoodAsGould]

So you just limit registration? In many of these areas there are more interested in playing than can conceivably be deployed on a team.

Well in my town there was a limited registration, pretty much if you didn't get in at a very young age it was hard to get in, it's tough luck for some kids but can only do so much. If a kid is truly talented at the sport obviously he can catch on a travel team somewhere.

[pittshoganerkoff]

So you just limit registration? In many of these areas there are more interested in playing than can conceivably be deployed on a team.

Good point. And yes, many leagues limit registration. Right now I think some leagues are hurting for players, and they keep their registration open a lot later. But most have a set TIME for registration, and if someone doesn't sign up in time they're out of luck.

Then there's the option of travel ball (speaking about baseball still) where kids can try out. There will certainly be some kids who don't make it. But, again, depending on the number of kids who try out, it might be a matter of only having room for 12 kids per team.

[pittshoganerkoff]

It's not like the s***ty kids aren't very aware that they suck...it's just as embarrassing to suck ass and still be on the team as it is to be cut or redeployed into a weaker league.

It's an unavoidable fact of life, and sheltering kids from it until 12 years old only makes it more difficult for them to adjust later in life.

I agree with your last sentence...for the most part anyway. I've seen my share of bad players, and haven't we all secretly wished the kid was on another team? I don't have experience outside of the league where my son plays, but they don't cut anyone. If someone registers, they get to play. They do, however, hold a draft. So, the better players go first. But each team ends up with those that can't play well, or worse are being pushed into it by their parents.

[Milkman delivers]

The fact that things like this are even news just shows how big of p*****s we are anymore.

[Steve9347]

The fact that things like this are even news just shows how big of p*****s we are anymore.

This.

[ChiSox_Sonix]

The fact that things like this are even news just shows how big of p*****s we are anymore.

The pussification of america has been in full force for years

[NorthSideSox72]

The fact that things like this are even news just shows how big of p*****s we are anymore.

LOL, the seagull posting in here is awesome.

Let's see how you feel after you have kids. No one is saying they shouldn't keep score. They are saying that maybe 1st graders shouldn't have to worry yet about being cut from their f***ing little league team.

[Steve9347]

LOL, the seagull posting in here is awesome.

Let's see how you feel after you have kids. No one is saying they shouldn't keep score. They are saying that maybe 1st graders shouldn't have to worry yet about being cut from their f***ing little league team.

You're right. They shouldn't have to worry about it. They likely aren't worried about it, but I'm sure their parents are... sitting on the bench and never playing is way worse than being cut and trying something else.

[pittshoganerkoff]

You're right. They shouldn't have to worry about it. They likely aren't worried about it, but I'm sure their parents are... sitting on the bench and never playing is way worse than being cut and trying something else.

That's true. But when we're talking about 1st and 2nd graders, no one should be sitting on the bench. Everyone at that age should have an opportunity to play. Once the kids get to jr high it's a different story. Teams will have bench players.

[NorthSideSox72]

That's true. But when we're talking about 1st and 2nd graders, no one should be sitting on the bench. Everyone at that age should have an opportunity to play. Once the kids get to jr high it's a different story. Teams will have bench players.

And that's the way it usually is. At those first levels of play, everyone gets more or less equal time. As they get older, it starts to change. It is a gradual process (usually), as it should be.

Besides, the players who are the best in 1st and 2nd grade are often not the ones who end up star players later. I've coached and umped litte league, and I've played of course, and seen all this myself. So even if you feel this is somehow lame in terms of worrying about kids, well, even if you want the best players, it only makes sense to spend a few years seeing how they shake out.

[southsider2k5]

Right, I don't have a problem with any of this. I'm referring more to the comments about not keeping score until the kids reach high school.

Kids are graded throughout school on EVERYTHING. Why should athletics be any different?

Athletics aren't required. Education is required.