DEAR EDITOR:
Last year was my first year volunteering as manager of my
9-year-old daughter’s Little League softball team.
There weren’t a lot of expectations so I was thrilled when our
team ended the regular season in first place.
DEAR EDITOR:
Last year was my first year volunteering as manager of my 9-year-old daughter’s Little League softball team.
There weren’t a lot of expectations so I was thrilled when our team ended the regular season in first place. We eventually wound up in second place after the playoffs but, more importantly, the girls had fun.
I attribute a large part of the team’s success to the fact that we focused on enjoying the game and working as a team.
In addition to drills, we had fun exercises to learn each other’s names. Every girl had the opportunity to try field positions that interested her at some point in the season.
When parents or fans would stress the pitchers out, I’d go to the mound and ask the pitcher what her favorite ice cream flavor was. She’d smile, forget about the pressure, and normally return to the mound throwing better pitches.
I thought it was important to remind the coaches, managers and parents for the upcoming season that when kids enjoy baseball and softball, everyone wins regardless of the score.
I won’t be able to tell the kids directly. I was told I couldn’t manage this year because I didn’t work the team hard enough last year. Greater than the disappointment for myself is the knowledge that more children will learn that baseball and softball are hard labor — not a fun American past time.
Patrick Glynn, Gilroy
Submitted Thursday, Jan. 8 to ed****@****ic.com
