My husband's Little League team this year had just the opposite problem: parents who thought baseball was just free babysitting for a few hours every week. It broke my heart to see boys getting dropped off, searching for the mom or the dad after he got the big hit or made a great catch, and looking glum when he realized nobody was there because they didn't care. Our team finished last, and I think it was in large measure because not enough parents were there to encourage their boys. These boys would often show up late, without parts of their uniforms, hungry and not fed before the game, etc. etc. It was all I could do to keep from lecturing a few of the parents. I come to the games because my son wants me to see how hard he has worked and how much he has improved! Baseball is a big deal to him. How can I talk to him about his life if I don't understand this major part of it?
I agree with you totally. We had a great LL season this spring (my son's now 12 and it was the last year in LL Majors). Parents (including me) would hang out in the stands during practice sometimes on a nice day - and most of the parents were ALWAYS there for the game. Our coach did a great job of communicating with us, and was very emphatic about our role - support, not 14 sets of coaches in the stands.
So, the kids listened to our coaches, heard the cheers from the stands, and even the positive "atta-boys" towards players on the other team if they made a nice play or got a good hit. By this time, most of them have been on some team with a kid on the other team, and they see each other at school, of course.
It took a mandatory out of town trip before I missed one game - I would never think of going out shopping during a game. It was too important to my son for his parents to see him do what he loves to do. And I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Even sadder: the kids taken to their practices or lessons BY THE NANNY. The Mommy and Me classes with the Spanish-only nanny while the mom does something "more important." Sheesh.