Posted on 06/07/2005 6:11:41 AM PDT by IN Farm Girl
Subtitled: Final Score Means Little To Youth Coach
Worth the read. All parents with kids in team sports (especially those coaching) should read this.
When my son was in little league, I decided to help out as an ump, one year. It was a TOUGH season on me, and caused the poem that follows. I hope it reaches the right people.
The Ump (Say Blue!)
The Ump's the one you love to hate.
The one that stands behind the plate.
The one that stands behind the bag.
The one that clearly missed the tag.
The one that called your batter OUT!
The one that makes THE GAME a bout.
Calls 'm wrong most every play.
No matter what you do or say.
Must be blind or need the cure.
Don't know THE BOOK, that's for sure!
Too bad there's two teams to play THE GAME.
Then, every call could be seen the same.
We could walk every runner, call them all safe.
Everyone would be happy, no one left to chafe.
We could vote on the close calls, with a show of hands.
Maybe then we'd get more umps out of the stands.
Remember, THE UMP is like you or me.
But, they volunteered for this abuse, you see.
They're not really blind, on drugs, or lame.
They're just CRAZY!! 'Bout the KIDS. 'Bout THE GAME.
Mike O.
Awesome poem, Mike. So very, very true.
I supervised a 4-H activity for close to 20 years. I adhered to "rules" very similar to the ones "St. Knoy" enforces--you will be successful in this activity if you learn one thing about the project that you didn't know before, meet one person that you didn't know before, and most importantly, have a good time and come back to participate next year. Believe me, they did, too.
Well, I had moms (this was an activity with mostly girl participants) that didn't think my philosophy was the proper focus, and I was unceremoniously "replaced" by the Extension agent the next summer. Go figure.
It kills me to slam 4-H in a public forum like this because 4-H had such a profound impact on me and who I became. But, I also believe in calling a spade a spade.
Life is like a river. When the flow stops, it stagnates. Most people seem to be happy just to stagnate. An open mind with fresh ideas sends off alarms to them.
So, you go "as the river flows". Find a place to move forward and go on.
You tried. That's all we can do.
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