Please just watch the game...

The longer I'm around, and the more high school and summer league games I see, the more I appreciate the fans who applaud all of the good plays (from players on both sides); the fans who bite their tongues, or only speak quietly with the person they are sitting with when the disagree with a call; the ones who remember they are still role models for their kids in their capacity as "fan".

Call me naive, or sentimental, but these are still kids, hopefully playing for the love of the game. The only checks being cashed are coming from players and families, not to player and families. Imagine what a wonderful experience everyone would have (particularly our kids) if each of us as parent/fan consciously chose to be the model of good sportsmanship at every game we attend.

This may be a Pollyannaish outlook, but it is the one I have consciously chosen to take to the fields in recent years. It may not be making a difference to anybody else, but it makes a difference to me, and to my son I do believe.

NOVA – Hate to see you had to call out the BWHS fans. Southpaw_son played there, and I know they have some parents there who would absolutely hate behavior like you describe. I hope they clean that up.

Southpaw, I think that pretty much everyone else there was awesome. It was a close game decided by a run in the end and I'm sure both sides were nervous as heck. Parents on both sides were cheering and rooting like crazy which was great.

My problem with it was that this parent's shouting did have an effect on a play where a ball was misplayed and that is just dead wrong. Let the players play the game for better or worse.

I definitely agree, but would also caution that it isn't just parents who do this.

Some of the worst offenders at games are the high school classmates of the players, who seem to believe that it's OK to do or say pretty much anything if they are supposedly helping their team win. I have actually confronted on several occasions groups of students using profane language, or (in a not uncommon situation) referring to opposing players using slurs referencing sexual orientation.

And this, of course, says nothing about the abuse umpires take. I have to admit that I am one to bark about a call here and there, or to groan over several .... But when things get personal or when people are absolutely riding the men in blue, I am embarrassed if those people are from our school and are considered representatives of our school and our fans.

Too many people think this is part of the privileges they get when they buy a ticket -- even when they don't have to buy one.

quote:

Originally posted by NOVABBall13:
Cheer all you want for your team.

A big +1!

Yes, by all means, cheer for the team, but there's no need to "coach" or "help" from the stands. Chances are the player you are trying to help can't hear you anyway unless it's the catcher, 1B or 3B.

It's taken time, but I'm actually more relaxed this year (so far) as it is my son's senior year. Yeah, the pressure is on to win district, but that's from himself and not me. I just want him to play well and enjoy the season.

Old habits die hard and I still hear myself yelling "Up!" on a pop up or fly ball or "nobody" when the runner on 3rd stays on a passed ball/wild pitch. Like I said, old habits die hard - lol!

Funny thing is, most people don't "coach" players like that at a pro game (major or minors) - why do they insist on doing it at HS level and lower?

You know Midlo, I've seen the same thing with the JV players and other students coming down and yelling at the fence. But you know what I find interesting? I have, many times, seen parents, umpires and school administrators go up to the kids and tell them to knock it off. I don't see the same when it comes to an obnoxious adult. Maybe its because adults are comfortable telling kids what to do but won't do it with another adult. Not sure...

Hopefully the next time we play them things will be a little different as far as the fan participation is concerned (we won the first time so I'm hoping that stays the same. LOL)...

We had a Spring Break Tourny game last year, where a Varsity team called up the entire JV roster. I still can't believe they fit two whole teams in the dugout, but can you imagine the noise of 40+ kids screaming as loud as possible every time our pitcher started his delivery to threw the ball. I remember at one game earlier in the year where the home plate umpire stated players could not do a uniform cheer from the dugout. I guess there's no rule on the number of players in the dugout or how loud a team can scream from the dugout, as long as it is not a uniform cheer.

At our game on Friday, two Dads sitting near me yelled "BUNT" in unison. I just turned and we all got a great laugh out of it. I don't think they could believe that they had just yelled. Claimed that it was a reflex action.

Given that it was a very close game against our #1 rivals, it was understandable that everyone was getting a little more intense.

I think that we all have yelled bunt, or something like that, when it happens. You're right, it's an instinctive reaction to a play.

That, however, is a lot different than a parent standing next to the fence calling pop flies, or screaming at the point of release on a pitch. That is simply a parent trying to inject themselves into the game in a negative way in a very conscious effort to cause the opposing team make a mistake.

It's bush-league and just makes me sick...