Complaints about Little League?

Question

SHARE stories. Have you or your child been mistreated, abused, slighted, or excluded by Little League officials or coaches? I see an interesting post about this. I have another. The LL does not lot my son play and the officials call us abusive names. We wish to collect examples. LL officials are widely believed to give preferential treatment to their own kids, to force you to bow to their authority even if it is unfair (like the Bush administration), and to not be hospitable to African-American minorities (to judge from the fact they are not playing in LL as much).

Answer 1

I resolved a lot of my concerns about these issues, because my kids were only average players, by becoming a league official. There are always going to be a certain number of coaches who are in it just to promote their own child. That's why the leagues have by-laws about playing time and positions. Usually, it's a minimum of 3 innings played per 7 inning game, and everybody has to sit at least one inning before anybody sits for 2.
Another thing some leagues do is to split into 2 divisions; a competitive and a recreational bracket. The competitive teams are based on merit, and the recreational teams are based on enthusiasm. This helped a lot in weeding out the gung ho types, and made sure that the marginal players still get to play.
I don't think the problem is race based, so much as it is economics and parental instincts run amok. Sports that cost alot of money to learn, like hockey, golf, and baseball, do not draw alot from middle class and lower families, regardless of race, because they can't afford it. However, in these same groups, sports like soccer, basketball, and boxing, which are dirt cheap to learn and play, do quite well.
The quality and fairness of the coaches is something that is happening on a much more personal level. The problems weren't just with the coaches and players, but also with the umpires and parents in the stands. We started a screening process with background checks and references for coaches. Just the existence of a background check scared away a lot of the problem candidates. We also implemented a code of conduct which managers were responsible for following. Otherwise they don't coach next year.
It is true that there are not as many coaches out there who are putting the kids first, but there are some out there. Find out who the better coaches are in your league and request them next year. As a parent, you should have a league grievance procedure that you can persue about the problems you're experiencing this year.

BTW, Bush used to own a baseball team, so I doubt he's part of the problem. :-)

Answer 2

My son played Little League for 2 years. He was not very good at it but enjoyed being in the team atmosphere. We pulled him out after 2 painful seasons because he only got to play a couple innings and when he was up to bat the kids on the team would say bad things about him and so would the PARENTS! It was a horrible experience. The only way boys can play Little League now is if they are good at it. If they are average (or maybe a little below average) forget about it. It only shatters their self-esteem. The parents were even talking smack about him at the team party. It made me so sad. He now plays soccer (has been for about 6 years) and while he's not the best on the team (and sometimes close to the bottom) the kids, coaches and parents are much more supportive and he always feels good after the games.

I think Little League in particular is very competitive and if your kid isn't a star no one wants him. We are white, and live in a mostly white community, so I can't comment to the African-American part of your question. I would hope in this day and age race wouldn't make a difference but, unfortunately, I'm sure it does. I think Little League, and the psycho parents, coaches, and nasty little kids, are going to ruin "America's Sport" in the future.

Answer 3

Official Little League rules require that all team members play six defensive outs and have one at bat per game.
Quite honestly I wish that you hadn't pulled out the race card on this issue because I know that in doing.so you alienated a lot of good people that otherwise would have been glad to help you.Too bad
Racism is not the way to solve racism in this country.

Answer 4

I remember when I was a kid I played little league. My mom (single parent) was always working and didn't have time to help with fun raisers so to get back at her they put me last on the batting list and kept me on the bench. Even though I was a damn good ball player I couldn't play because of their childish bullsh*t. Also one time a coaches kid was trying to make fun of one of my friends for striking out, so I said "Who are you to make fun of people you haven't hit a baseball in two games." Then his dad (the coach) starting screaming in my face saying thing like (Shut the f*ck up) ect. So I grabbed a baseball bat and slammed him in his knee cap. That was the end of me playing little league.

Answer 5

Tcll Baseball

Answer 6

There's a child in our little league being victimized by the board. I've changed the kids name to protect him. He's not my child but I feel someone has to defend him. The board stands in his way of playing baseball because the board uses "selective enforcement" of the little league rules.

1. "Johnny" loves baseball. He like many kids who do, usually plays on two teams at a time. In the beginning of this season, "Johnny" & his parents had to make a choice to be only on one team because of his grades. They chose travel ball over TCLL because of the bullying & politics endured on his team for the last 2 seasons. The "Jone's" are content with their decision and happily go about their life.

2. Early in the season, Angels need a player. I told them about "Johnny's" situation. Angel’s coach call "Johnny's" parents asking if he would consider coming back to TCLL hopefully to play for the Angels. "Johnny’s" grades have improved and his parents decide sure, why not.

3. Player agents are contacted; "Johnny" is placed on a “list.” 3 players are ahead of him. Angels call the 3 players, the first 2 decline, the 3rd one accepts. Sadly for "Johnny", the Angels could not pick him up. Now he is the only one on the “list.”

4. Days & weeks pass. No contact from the league. His mom goes to the ball field to talk to a player agent, to get an update. She’s told the A’s now need a player. His mom wonders why "Johnny" hasn’t been called. This is when it starts to get ugly! Now that it’s the A’s that need a player instead of the Angels, accusations are made at parents for not following proper procedure and for “team shopping!” The "Jones" followed the procedure given to them by TCLL player agents. Why are the "Jones" being blamed instead of TCLL? How are they to know the rules they were being given to follow by TCLL player agents were wrong?

5. Meanwhile the Yankees Manager recruits a kid by talking to the parents directly, COMPLETELY AGAINST THE RULES, yet the league takes no action against him and allows the kid to play for the Yankees. I believe the Yankee’s manager innocently made a mistake, he didn’t mean any harm, but nevertheless, why the double standard? This is why the "Johnny Jones" situation is political.

Dick Gold gets involved and cites the real reason behind why Kalani is not allowed to play for the A’s. Dick states it’s because the A’s are the best team in the division and "Johnny" is a good player. Dick never bothered to ask if the kid needing to be replaced on the A’s might also be a good player.

Facts: "Ricky" loves baseball; "Johny" loves baseball. "Ricky" is 11; "Johnny" is 11. "Ricky" is a very good player; "Johnny" is a very good player. "Ricky" broke his arm. The A’s need a ball player; "Johnny" wants to play. It's that simple, but the Tri-City board punished "Johnny" by not letting him play ball because of some technicality, yet when managers and coaches violate the rules they are not held accountable. Isn't LL for the kids. Clearly not in this case. In this case it's for the "good ole' boys" covering for each other's mistakes. Shame on the Little League Organization for allowing this to happen to a kid!!

The A’s already tried to get another player from the minor division. No one wanted to come up. The A’s did nothing wrong and as much as TCLL, District & Division would like to blame the "Jone's" for all this, in reality, it is TCLL that did wrong by not knowing the proper procedure to follow to get "Johnny" back into TCLL.

TCLL should make some concession for "Johnny." They did it for the kid on the Yankees.

I HAVE MORE DIRT on this league. Board member being accused of multiple cases of sexual harrassment is not the least of it.

I have much of it in writing . I've even been threaten to be removed from the league by the president of the board for daring to question them.