9yo pitcher banned from baseball league

[jimsig]

I think this is pretty telling:
"Jericho's coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league's administrators.
Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching."

Something tells me if he had joined the other club or his team was not so good this would not be an issue.

When I was younger I played Little League. When I was in the 12-13 yo or so league our coach was 17. The first year we finished second both in the regular season and in the playoffs. The second year we had the best record and won the championship. Most of the other coaches, who were in their 30's and 40's, were p*** that an 18 yo had shown them up. A few years later when I was 18 I was interested in coaching and I was basically told that they would not allow you to be a coach if you did not have a child in the league. My mom knew the league commissioner and asked that if they were so desperate for coaches why was I turned down. She was told that after what had happed with our coach winning it all, the fathers (coaches) did not think it was fair having such a young coach as they did not want to be shown up and other BS excuses.

[flyboy55]

The burden of talent - I know how the kid feels.

[TheSecretsInTheCrust]

"League officials suggested that Jericho play other positions, or pitch against older players or in a different league."

My first thought was for him to pitch against older players, or a different league too... just move him up.

If it's a developmental league, and there are beginner 9 year olds on the other teams, it doesn't do anyone any good to have him pitching against them. It just seems there should be other, better, options for his escalated talent to me.

However, it seems that this can be identified before the season starts... I I think they're wrong to ban him at this point in the season. If it has anything to do with the political bs that he chose one team over another, that's just stupid IMO!

Thats sending such a bad message. That quitting for yelling no fair is ok in life. One of the things that makes baseball great (at all levels) is that the game by its very nature is NOT POLITICALLY CORRECT. The cream will rise to the top and others will follow. Also to the discust of the millions of the "everyone must be equal" crowd, some teams are gonna win and some teams are gonna lose. If he continues in this league, maybe, just maybe, it will force the other kids to get....gulp.....BETTER!
By this menatality the NY Yankees or Babe Ruth would have been a distant memory or trivia question.

I once heard Tommy Lasorda speak. He claims that in every little league in the nation there is one kid you can't seem to get out or you can't hit. Then in PONY or Babe Ruth league there are a cpl more kids like that, High School brings on yet even more of those players. By College and the minors about 50% of those players were those kids. and in the Majors everyone was that kid. However they all had one thing in common. they worked harder than the rest to be that kid.

Most of us are oysters while some become pearls

[chippewa]

He should be playing, but don't most kid leagues now have limits on pitches/innings so he couldn't be pitching every game?

[Frank4]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

First game, first pitch of the season. Fastball down the middle for a strike. Opposing manager walks out and stops the game. Says that my daughter should not being throwing that fast, because "she needs to give the other kids a chance to hit". I shake my head.

I wish it was the only incident that happened this summer but it wasn't. Parents and coaches complained, but there was nothing anyone could do. She was not doing anything wrong. She was just doing something she loved.

The people that run that 9 year olds league-need to get a freaking life and let the kid play

[Brown Eyed Girl]

He should be playing, but don't most kid leagues now have limits on pitches/innings so he couldn't be pitching every game?

From what I am hearing on the radio discussion, that was the issue...they were pulling him into every game. That's not good for the kid, physically or mentally.

There really are a lot of unanswered questions here. I'd love to get a bead on Jericho's personality...and his parents' too.

[Tiki Bar]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

[Frank4]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

She played on a team where the coaches daughters ruled. She wanted to pitch more and was told by the pitching coach-who's daughter was the #1 starter. That she was not tough enough. His daughter pitched every inning of nearly every game. My daughter would get an inning at most and it was mop up duty when they were either really ahead or really behind. Then the manager told me, that if I wanted her to play more, I should do what a lot of the parents were doing and getting their kids personal trainers. I shook my head. My daughter was 12. Last I checked-it was not the US National team. It was a 12 under travel team.

My daughter loves softball. It's what's in her heart and in her soul. She loves to pitch and works really hard at her craft. All she wanted was a chance and these coaches were not going to give it to her. Now she's in a league where she is playing all the time. Maybe not against the best compettion. But she's happy.

[RinglingRingling]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

She played on a team where the coaches daughters ruled. She wanted to pitch more and was told by the pitching coach-who's daughter was the #1 starter. That she was not tough enough. His daughter pitched every inning of nearly every game. My daughter would get an inning at most and it was mop up duty when they were either really ahead or really behind. Then the manager told me, that if I wanted her to play more, I should do what a lot of the parents were doing and getting their kids personal trainers. I shook my head. My daughter was 12. Last I checked-it was not the US National team. It was a 12 under travel team.

My daughter loves softball. It's what's in her heart and in her soul. She loves to pitch and works really hard at her craft. All she wanted was a chance and these coaches were not going to give it to her. Now she's in a league where she is playing all the time. Maybe not against the best compettion. But she's happy.

so did she slip a roll of quarters into her fist and cold-cock the little witch? hard to argue with "tough enough to drop you like a hot rock" when laying there seeing stars

[Frank4]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

She played on a team where the coaches daughters ruled. She wanted to pitch more and was told by the pitching coach-who's daughter was the #1 starter. That she was not tough enough. His daughter pitched every inning of nearly every game. My daughter would get an inning at most and it was mop up duty when they were either really ahead or really behind. Then the manager told me, that if I wanted her to play more, I should do what a lot of the parents were doing and getting their kids personal trainers. I shook my head. My daughter was 12. Last I checked-it was not the US National team. It was a 12 under travel team.

My daughter loves softball. It's what's in her heart and in her soul. She loves to pitch and works really hard at her craft. All she wanted was a chance and these coaches were not going to give it to her. Now she's in a league where she is playing all the time. Maybe not against the best compettion. But she's happy.

so did she slip a roll of quarters into her fist and cold-cock the little witch? hard to argue with "tough enough to drop you like a hot rock" when laying there seeing stars

I wish she had done that to the kid's dad. He was a nut. When I said I was pulling her and taking her home for the season. He challenged me to a fight. Got up in my face. I simply walked away.

Keep in mind he's was about 5'7 and 140 pounds soaking wet. I am 6'3 and about 230....

[Tiki Bar]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

She played on a team where the coaches daughters ruled. She wanted to pitch more and was told by the pitching coach-who's daughter was the #1 starter. That she was not tough enough. His daughter pitched every inning of nearly every game. My daughter would get an inning at most and it was mop up duty when they were either really ahead or really behind. Then the manager told me, that if I wanted her to play more, I should do what a lot of the parents were doing and getting their kids personal trainers. I shook my head. My daughter was 12. Last I checked-it was not the US National team. It was a 12 under travel team.

My daughter loves softball. It's what's in her heart and in her soul. She loves to pitch and works really hard at her craft. All she wanted was a chance and these coaches were not going to give it to her. Now she's in a league where she is playing all the time. Maybe not against the best competition. But she's happy.

Nothing personal, but playing devil's advocate, this seems hypocritical to me...

Rather than your daughter rising to the challenge, working harder, and knocking the coach's daughter out of the #1 spot, she / you "took her ball and went home". She didn't get her way, and opted for coasting in the lesser league just so she could play / dominate. Happy is one thing, but the easy road isn't much of a life lesson.

[Frank4]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

She played on a team where the coaches daughters ruled. She wanted to pitch more and was told by the pitching coach-who's daughter was the #1 starter. That she was not tough enough. His daughter pitched every inning of nearly every game. My daughter would get an inning at most and it was mop up duty when they were either really ahead or really behind. Then the manager told me, that if I wanted her to play more, I should do what a lot of the parents were doing and getting their kids personal trainers. I shook my head. My daughter was 12. Last I checked-it was not the US National team. It was a 12 under travel team.

My daughter loves softball. It's what's in her heart and in her soul. She loves to pitch and works really hard at her craft. All she wanted was a chance and these coaches were not going to give it to her. Now she's in a league where she is playing all the time. Maybe not against the best competition. But she's happy.

Nothing personal, but playing devil's advocate, this seems hypocritical to me...

Rather than your daughter rising to the challenge, working harder, and knocking the coach's daughter out of the #1 spot, she / you "took her ball and went home". She didn't get her way, and opted for coasting in the lesser league just so she could play / dominate. Happy is one thing, but the easy road isn't much of a life lesson.

With all do respects, I could not disagree with you more. She deserved a level playing field and she was not getting that! It was wrong what those coaches were doing to her, she was miserable. Why should she suffer because some coach is not going to give her a fair shake.

[RinglingRingling]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

She played on a team where the coaches daughters ruled. She wanted to pitch more and was told by the pitching coach-who's daughter was the #1 starter. That she was not tough enough. His daughter pitched every inning of nearly every game. My daughter would get an inning at most and it was mop up duty when they were either really ahead or really behind. Then the manager told me, that if I wanted her to play more, I should do what a lot of the parents were doing and getting their kids personal trainers. I shook my head. My daughter was 12. Last I checked-it was not the US National team. It was a 12 under travel team.

My daughter loves softball. It's what's in her heart and in her soul. She loves to pitch and works really hard at her craft. All she wanted was a chance and these coaches were not going to give it to her. Now she's in a league where she is playing all the time. Maybe not against the best compettion. But she's happy.

so did she slip a roll of quarters into her fist and cold-cock the little witch? hard to argue with "tough enough to drop you like a hot rock" when laying there seeing stars

I wish she had done that to the kid's dad. He was a nut. When I said I was pulling her and taking her home for the season. He challenged me to a fight. Got up in my face. I simply walked away.

Keep in mind he's was about 5'7 and 140 pounds soaking wet. I am 6'3 and about 230....

time to try Timmy Taser, terrific tale to tell then

[Tiki Bar]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

She played on a team where the coaches daughters ruled. She wanted to pitch more and was told by the pitching coach-who's daughter was the #1 starter. That she was not tough enough. His daughter pitched every inning of nearly every game. My daughter would get an inning at most and it was mop up duty when they were either really ahead or really behind. Then the manager told me, that if I wanted her to play more, I should do what a lot of the parents were doing and getting their kids personal trainers. I shook my head. My daughter was 12. Last I checked-it was not the US National team. It was a 12 under travel team.

My daughter loves softball. It's what's in her heart and in her soul. She loves to pitch and works really hard at her craft. All she wanted was a chance and these coaches were not going to give it to her. Now she's in a league where she is playing all the time. Maybe not against the best competition. But she's happy.

Nothing personal, but playing devil's advocate, this seems hypocritical to me...

Rather than your daughter rising to the challenge, working harder, and knocking the coach's daughter out of the #1 spot, she / you "took her ball and went home". She didn't get her way, and opted for coasting in the lesser league just so she could play / dominate. Happy is one thing, but the easy road isn't much of a life lesson.

With all do respects, I could not disagree with you more. She deserved a level playing field and she was not getting that! It was wrong what those coaches were doing to her, she was miserable. Why should she suffer because some coach is not going to give her a fair shake.

Maybe she really was not as good as the coach's daughter though? It used to be common back in the day when I played fast pitch, that the best pitcher pitched almost all of the time, and it sounds like it might still be the case. Is the coach's daughter good enough that the team usually wins? If so, why should she be penalized just because she's the coach's daughter, and it's not fair to the other girls who want a chance?



Arguing for the sake of arguing... this stuff gets touchy to me. 'This stuff' being the fair equal treatment to all players, and not favoritism toward coach's kids, or kids of more supportive parents, which was my case, in my opinion. The girls who had parents in the stands all of the time in high school and who were also in the 'booster club', got the preferential treatment. (I was not one of those kids - never had family in the stands.)

Should parents be allowed to coach their own kids?

[Frank4]

My 13 year old daughter is a fast pitch softball player. She pitches in the mid 50's (what speed high school sophmores hit). She's played travel and hated it. So this past summer we put her in the local house league.

Why did she hate it?

She played on a team where the coaches daughters ruled. She wanted to pitch more and was told by the pitching coach-who's daughter was the #1 starter. That she was not tough enough. His daughter pitched every inning of nearly every game. My daughter would get an inning at most and it was mop up duty when they were either really ahead or really behind. Then the manager told me, that if I wanted her to play more, I should do what a lot of the parents were doing and getting their kids personal trainers. I shook my head. My daughter was 12. Last I checked-it was not the US National team. It was a 12 under travel team.

My daughter loves softball. It's what's in her heart and in her soul. She loves to pitch and works really hard at her craft. All she wanted was a chance and these coaches were not going to give it to her. Now she's in a league where she is playing all the time. Maybe not against the best competition. But she's happy.

Nothing personal, but playing devil's advocate, this seems hypocritical to me...

Rather than your daughter rising to the challenge, working harder, and knocking the coach's daughter out of the #1 spot, she / you "took her ball and went home". She didn't get her way, and opted for coasting in the lesser league just so she could play / dominate. Happy is one thing, but the easy road isn't much of a life lesson.

With all do respects, I could not disagree with you more. She deserved a level playing field and she was not getting that! It was wrong what those coaches were doing to her, she was miserable. Why should she suffer because some coach is not going to give her a fair shake.

Maybe she really was not as good as the coach's daughter though? It used to be common back in the day when I played fast pitch, that the best pitcher pitched almost all of the time, and it sounds like it might still be the case. Is the coach's daughter good enough that the team usually wins? If so, why should she be penalized just because she's the coach's daughter, and it's not fair to the other girls who want a chance?



Arguing for the sake of arguing... this stuff gets touchy to me. 'This stuff' being the fair equal treatment to all players, and not favoritism toward coach's kids, or kids of more supportive parents, which was my case, in my opinion. The girls who had parents in the stands all of the time in high school and who were also in the 'booster club', got the preferential treatment. (I was not one of those kids - never had family in the stands.)

Should parents be allowed to coach their own kids?

This is one of those stories that would require hours to tell and many beverages consumed. At the end I still shake my head again. I've said it many a time since then-sports was not like this when I was a kid.

I think for every goofball out there that is a pyscho coach and parent. There are probablly 20 parents that will give a kid a fair chance. It's a crap shoot-you never know what you will get. I saw goofballs this summer coaching, that had no business doing that. Screaming and yelling at kids. Stupid stuff.

Softball is the sport in my town for girls. The older they get, the more political it gets with coaches, parents, and what not. The high school scene is completely crazed because all these forces collide and people calling coaches and adminstrators. Keep in mind the local high school has never won a state title in it's 52 years of existance.

[Tiki Bar]

This is one of those stories that would require hours to tell and many beverages consumed.

Deal! Meet me at the Cheeseburger in Paradise in Downers Grove Saturday night for the Beach Bum Band! (and bring the wife - I'm not hittin' on ya, just drinkin' with ya! )

[Brown Eyed Girl]

Maybe she really was not as good as the coach's daughter though? It used to be common back in the day when I played fast pitch, that the best pitcher pitched almost all of the time, and it sounds like it might still be the case. Is the coach's daughter good enough that the team usually wins? If so, why should she be penalized just because she's the coach's daughter, and it's not fair to the other girls who want a chance?

If that's the case, why have a team? Just have a pitcher, if that's who's winning all the games. How would anyone know if they are better than the coach's kid (or Jericho) if they never get a chance to prove themselves? These are supposed to be developmental leagues. How on earth are kids going to ever have a chance at equal footing if they never get a chance to play, or learn the skills...or learn how to win AND lose?

If there are indeed rules saying a kid can only pitch a certain number of games/innings, why isn't that being enforced?

I'm really starting to support the idea that parents shouldn't be allowed anywhere near little league or other sports, especially after seeing way too many elementary school parents put those games ahead of schoolwork, and watching the kids drag themselves through the school day barely able to stay awake.

[Tiki Bar]

Maybe she really was not as good as the coach's daughter though? It used to be common back in the day when I played fast pitch, that the best pitcher pitched almost all of the time, and it sounds like it might still be the case. Is the coach's daughter good enough that the team usually wins? If so, why should she be penalized just because she's the coach's daughter, and it's not fair to the other girls who want a chance?

If that's the case, why have a team? Just have a pitcher, if that's who's winning all the games. How would anyone know if they are better than the coach's kid (or Jericho) if they never get a chance to prove themselves? These are supposed to be developmental leagues. How on earth are kids going to ever have a chance at equal footing if they never get a chance to play, or learn the skills...or learn how to win AND lose?

Traveling teams aren't usually developmental... they're competitive, and usually require making the team via try-outs.

And they do get a chance to prove themselves in practice... sometimes the coach's kids really are better.

[Frank4]

Maybe she really was not as good as the coach's daughter though? It used to be common back in the day when I played fast pitch, that the best pitcher pitched almost all of the time, and it sounds like it might still be the case. Is the coach's daughter good enough that the team usually wins? If so, why should she be penalized just because she's the coach's daughter, and it's not fair to the other girls who want a chance?

If that's the case, why have a team? Just have a pitcher, if that's who's winning all the games. How would anyone know if they are better than the coach's kid (or Jericho) if they never get a chance to prove themselves? These are supposed to be developmental leagues. How on earth are kids going to ever have a chance at equal footing if they never get a chance to play, or learn the skills...or learn how to win AND lose?

Traveling teams aren't usually developmental... they're competitive, and usually require making the team via try-outs.

And they do get a chance to prove themselves in practice... sometimes the coach's kids really are better.

Very well said...funny thing about this team. We were told they were going to develop talent over the season and grow for a year before they really dove in and were competitive.

The coaches daughter's were good. Where they the cream de la creme-absolutely not. My whole point is my daughter deserved an opportunity-one that never came

[Brown Eyed Girl]

Maybe she really was not as good as the coach's daughter though? It used to be common back in the day when I played fast pitch, that the best pitcher pitched almost all of the time, and it sounds like it might still be the case. Is the coach's daughter good enough that the team usually wins? If so, why should she be penalized just because she's the coach's daughter, and it's not fair to the other girls who want a chance?

If that's the case, why have a team? Just have a pitcher, if that's who's winning all the games. How would anyone know if they are better than the coach's kid (or Jericho) if they never get a chance to prove themselves? These are supposed to be developmental leagues. How on earth are kids going to ever have a chance at equal footing if they never get a chance to play, or learn the skills...or learn how to win AND lose?

Traveling teams aren't usually developmental... they're competitive, and usually require making the team via try-outs.

And they do get a chance to prove themselves in practice... sometimes the coach's kids really are better.

And sometimes the coaches and their kids are full of crap.

I wasn't just referring to traveling teams, but back to the thread topic. And it still doesn't answer the question of why the rules aren't being enforced.

Bottom line: parents need to STOP living vicariously through their kids and just let the kids be kids...winning and losing.