Baseball: Coaching Little League - By: Bruce Tulio

For many of America's young people, Little League Baseball is a rite of passage. As well as being the country's pastime, Little League is also a fantastic way of promoting the concepts of teamwork and acceptance of others. Team members work together to achieve a greater goal. There may be individuals who perform better than others, but they're not going to be able to play every position. Team sports such as Little League give kids the opportunity to learn more about themselves, and this learning is aided by the team coaches.

Little League coaches are frequently depicted in a negative way. Some people say that coaches are aggressive, that they have favorites and put kids under unnecessary pressure. There are always going to be the bad coaches, but these are few and far between. Most Little League coaches are decent and respectable individuals. Many are parents seeking to pass their knowledge of the game on to the younger generation, and many have day jobs in teaching, in offices, or as laborers. These people appreciate the value of team-working skills in later life and understand how important it is in today's world to provide positive influences to young people.

Many Little league parents take for granted all that a coach and his assistances do. They coordinate schedules for practices and games. They make line-ups and keep records of every pitch, every hit. Some even go the extra mile and take the team out for pizza or ice cream after the game—win or lose. The most important thing that coaches do for kids is practice patience. Coaches often have to manage kids' emotions as well as their swings.

Coaching Little League isn't easy, but it is rewarding. A coach's relationship with the players and parents can be very profound. The players are provided with structure and the opportunity to meet new friends. For me, many of my closest life-long friends are ones that I met in my Little League years. I look back on those years with happiness. As well as making good friendships, another reason why I enjoyed Little League so much was because I had fantastic coaches who encouraged me to succeed.

As far as coaches go, many don't know the impact they have on the kids. I distinctly remember the coach from one team flipping out at an umpire for a blown call. I remember thinking that the call was unfair, but it was just a game. Looking back, it makes sense that our team was calm and waiting out the other coach's tirade while his team joined in the argument. It makes sense because our coach had always told us that baseball, at the end of the day, is just a game. What happens off the field is more important. Sometimes people have trouble remembering that.

If you want to share your passion for baseball with others, then Little League coaching may be for you. Many of us enjoyed Little league as kids but, apart from going to the odd game as a fan, or playing in the local Beer league softball team, we no longer participate in baseball. Our dreams of playing in the majors are long gone. Instead of donning an ill-fitting Beer League uniform and wallowing in past glories, we could be helping a new generation participate in and enjoy baseball. By passing on our knowledge of the game, we could make a crucial difference to that one kid who has the talent but lacks adult support.

My suggestion for anyone who shares my love of baseball would be to explore opportunities for helping out the local Little League. Some Little Leagues don't just need coaches, but also people to make announcements and manage the concession stands. This may be a good place to start before progressing into coaching. Being able to share your passion for the game with others may remind you why you love baseball. After all, why else are you paying forty dollars a throw to watch a group of professional millionaires play a game that kids happily pay to play?

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