RANT.

I just had my first "experience" with a problem parent.

I coach a Coach Pitch baseball team of 6 year olds. As you know, 15 six year olds (all new faces) is like herding rabbits. All the coaches are volunteers. Now I know why they have trouble keeping coaches. The parents are just plain awful.

Anyway, seems old Dad was having a big problem that we were not playing his boy enough. Nice child but needs some work. They all need some work. Most aren't sure where 2nd base is.

He became really obnoxious and kept pulling on each of us (there's three coaches to a team) to give his word. He got really in my face because the batting order got screwed up and someone batted before his boy. He told me "If your going to do this, get your act together pal" It happens always during the first game of the season when you're trying hard to put a name with a face, get them a bat, helmet and on deck while you've got other six year olds throwing grass at each other, losing their mitt or one has to go to the bathroom.

I guess he is betting on his son to make the majors so he can retire early.

What the hell is it with these "parents"? Cripes, I never saw this stuff when I played ball in the mid sixties. Another coach I know had a lawn chair tossed at him during a game. Most guys who umpired have quit.

It's the first time in a long time that I wanted to run somebody over with my car...lol.

Sorry guys, rant mode off.

It's a great thing you are doing for the kids, and you are to be commended for it. The parents are the major problem everywhere. I always carried an extra team t-shirt to offer to the parents who wanted to "help". Either put it on or sit down. Worked every time!!
Don't let them get you down...fullclip

There are just too many parents that think their kid is the best and must win at all cost.They really take the fun out of the sport for everyone.Going to a little league game is a more dangerous than going a shooting event.

Two words:  OPEN CARRY

Ramjet don't feel like the Lone Ranger this is becoming a problem everywhere and it seems to get worse. I have coached T-Ball for two years and now I am coaching a machine pitch team of 7 and 8 year olds. Let me tell you some crap I encountered. I stressed team work and working together. I had one parent a young mother that made it obvious to everyone that she and her family were a little better than everyone else. The boy only showed up for two practices and then the last practice before the last game of the year. She got mad because I wouldn't let him play in the game. She said it would make him feel good. I guess she did not care how it would make the other kids feel that made all of the practices or the lessons that would have been learned by the other kids and her son. I had a different young mother accuse me of being abusive because I had the kids practice twice a week. She does not understand that her son while playing T-Ball got a double play and almost got a second one because of the coaching I gave him and the team. She also did not understand how it made her son feel getting the double play. But this is the same mother that held this boy out of kindergarten a year because she did not think he was ready for it because he wet the bed at night! I wonder how that makes the boy feel and think about himself now and in future. This boys dad never made any of the practices and only a few of the games. When I asked if he could coach one of the games because I could not make it, the answer was no way! Sound familiar? Several years ago I stopped by a game that a co-workers (Deputy Sheriff)son was playing in. We ended up arresting a dad from the other team because he was mad his son did not get to bat enough. This happened in front of all of the kids and other parents.

Fullclip is right on, tell the know-it all if he wants to coach he can get a team next year. This year our league has a very good code of conduct that the parents must sign. This code of conduct applies to the parents conduct at the games. It is being enforced! Whatever you do do not let these idiot's wear you down. Remember most of these people have problems and issues of their own that they have not dealt with. What your doing for these kids is very important. It is getting very hard to find coaches and ref's these days everywhere because of these types of people. Only the strong survive I guess. I set the law down with the parents the first practice this year and let them know that I was not going to put up with any crap from the parents. It has paid off well already. One dad that I thought I was going to have problems with quit coming to practices, at another practice I had a kid leave the field to get some bubble gum when I got on him, his mom did not like it but she kept her mouth closed. There are some very good sites on the internet about coaching and dealing with these rogue parents. Keep up the good work Ramjet and enjoy your kid and the team someday it will be a great memory. Batter UP!!!  

Been there done that! Volunteered to coach my sons lil league team ONCE! Everyone wanted their son to pitch or catch and if they couldn't then why not?[;D] The ones(parents) that were the most percistant outfitted their future pros with the sh!ttiest equipment! Had several with PLASTIC gloves! Would have done better using a garbage can lid but couldn't catch using the can itself! I apparently was the only one who ever practiced with them! I left it the following years for guys that had more patients.I did volunteer to help out when needed though.

I made the mistake of umpiring one year in a coach pitch league. Amazing. One coach thought he was Billy Martin & would sweep all the games & go on to the league championship undefeated. Guess who was the umpire in his first loss? >gg<

When I had coaches going beserk on me I would ask them, "Isn't this JUST a GAME for children?" The looks on their faces told it all: bewilderment, disgust, amazement, etc.

What was my biggest disappointment was the fact that I could not get one of these jackasses out behind the barn & just wear their ass out myself. But probably most/all of them are cowards & would refuse the invite.  >gg<