Connecticut District 10 Little League: CT Dist. 10 News: Sportsmanship: It's Not Just For The Players

Saturday, July 7
Sportsmanship: It's Not Just For The Players

Baseball, it's the all American pastime. Children and adults alike look forward to days at the ball park with hot dogs watching their favorite players and hoping that their team hits a home run. We as parents also look forward to watching our children play and hope they win too. The children practice and then hope at the end of the season, they are chosen for All-Stars. Some lucky children are granted that chance. Win or lose, as a child, the goal is to have fun right? Apparently, to some parents in Connecticut District 10 Little League, it is more fun to ridicule children who are out to have fun playing a game. As a parent of two children who played for DOLCOM little league, there are a few things that I feel need to be looked at. First off, it is called sportsmanship. As defined by Merriam-Webster, dated from 1745, sportsmanship: conduct (as fairness, respect for one's opponent, and graciousness in winning or losing) becoming to one participating in a sport. This should not only apply to the players, but the parents as well, being as this is who ultimately molds who a child is to become.


Our children lost. Yes, we know this. Were our children upset? Yes, of course. But to show what qualities we "military people" have, my 11 year old, after losing 11-1, went up to a player after the game and told him how well he played the game and that he was a great pitcher. My 10 year old, after losing 28-0, was still excited and proud to have played All-stars and commented on how well the other team played. This was even after 2 hours of listening to the other teams’ parents ridicule our children with comments such as these: Someone asked why our children were playing so bad, to which they received the response, "Well their dad is too busy fighting over in Iraq, so he can't spend time teaching his son how to play baseball." Or, how bout this one: "Just hit the ball anywhere on the field, these kids can’t catch the ball anyways." Then there is this one: "These kids should just stop wasting their time and our boys' time and forfeit the game." After reading the definition of sportsmanship, I don’t feel these comments quite fit. What happened to having fun? What is winning without having fun? Yes, it is great to win, but it says something for someone's character when they lose, still have fun and can tell their opponents how well they played.


For these children who are not allotted the same luxuries of playing with the same children since T-Ball, most have seen the country, or even overseas. For children who play missing a teammate in the second All-Star game because their dad transferred, they welcome the new teammate with open arms, knowing that soon, it could be them moving. Our children are proud of who they are. Our children are proud of who their parents are. Our children are proud of their country and show it. Most of all, our children have fun, win or lose. That my friends and fellow parents, is what true sportsmanship is all about.

Jessica Miller
Proud Little League Parent