I am a district administrator for Little League Baseball in the south metro Atlanta area. I read David Chancey’s article, “Hey, sports parents, let’s remember — it’s all about the kids,” in the April 11 Citizen.
I totally agree with the concept and the ideas. Many sports parents are out of control and need re-direction. They take sports for their children way too seriously. However, the problem comes in calling all youth baseball and/or softball “Little League.”
Little League is a national organization (www.littleleague.org). There are many brands of youth baseball: AABC, USSSA, Cal Ripken, Dizzy Dean, Dixie Youth, Pony, PAL, etc.
Unfortunately many people, and that includes media folks as well as readers, tend to lump everything into “little league” because it is the most widely known youth sports organization and it seems to differentiate youth baseball from adult baseball in many people’s minds.
I checked out a few things from the article. The Castle Rock article I read made no reference to the organization being “Little League.” I checked the national Little League website for a league in Colorado called Castle Rock and could not find one. The only way we could confirm the affiliation would be through contact with the national Little League office.
The West St. Paul incident used the term “Little League” in the article, but my checking left me with the feeling that it is not a “Little League” affiliation, but a “Youth Athletic Association.” I could find no reference to West St. Paul or Mendota Heights on the Little League website.
The New York incident is a Little League: East Meadows Little League.
The Fletcher, N.C., article referred to “little league.” However, going to the Internet I found Fletcher Youth Baseball and Softball in Fletcher, N.C., is a Cal Ripken affiliate.
As I said, the concepts presented were right on target. But unfortunately Little League International and all the local Little League programs take an unwarranted hit for many of the bad things that happen in youth baseball and softball.
I have local Little League programs in Brooks, Peachtree City, Senoia, Spalding, College Park, West Point, Grantville, and Fairburn, and unfortunately they compete for players from AABC, USSSA and many other programs.
Unsubstantiated references to “Little League” makes them look bad and drives parents away from the real “Little League” programs and into the arms of other organizations.
My leagues try hard to keep bad behavior out of their parks. These leagues are run by elected boards who have the authority to discipline players, coaches and parents for bad behavior — and they do so when appropriate.
We cannot stop some of the behavior from happening, but we can take action to see that that person will not be a member of the league and do it again.
Most of my leagues use the Code of Conduct that Mr. Chancey refers to in the article, or one very similar. Our leagues are also big proponents of Positive Coaching Alliance, an organization that teaches that Winning is Important, but Teaching Life Lessons is more important (www.positivecoach.org).
Unless the writer is very sure of his information, it would be much safer to use the term “youth baseball and/or softball” in most cases.
Linda North, DA GA 4
Little League Baseball, Softball & Challenger
Peachtree City, Ga.
