Teaching kids to win!

**kanga69** · #1 06-09-2012, 10:14 AM

I went to a tee ball game the other day with some friends of ours and while it was a lot of fun, at the end the coach told them how well they did and offered no insight to what it means to play hard and win. They were very unorganized and playing anything but baseball. The question is - when do you start teaching them the importance of doing your best and trying to win?

When my now 12yo daughter turned 5, a group of moms thought I would make a great tee ball coach. I reluctantly agreed. The first day of practice all the little girls showed up in their finest, hair bows and all. It was about the cutest thing I had seen. I started talking to them with my rendition of how the season would go.

"We are going to learn to stop the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball, throw the ball, and run bases. We are going to have a ton of fun and win some baseball games."

Thats when on of the "BULL" moms raised her hand and said, "in tee ball they don't keep score, we are just out here to have fun."

I thought about that for about a second and just couldn't help myself. I asked the girls - Who thinks it is fun to loose.

The mom got ****** and took her daughter home. We had a lot of fun that year and the next. There were several families that didn't want their kids on my teams.

I know I am an idiot, so no need to tell me, but if you choose to tell me, I could give a **** less.

**Bull Fish** · #2 06-09-2012, 11:53 AM

We kept score regardless of what the league says with my boys. The are going into machine pitch 2 this fall. They know what it means to win and most all the kids on the tram strive to do their best. As for my daughters team 3 y/o tee ball they want to pick flowers and dance in the outfield. But I agree that the everyone wins mentality is not the best way.

**seabo** · #3 06-09-2012, 12:48 PM

its tee ball you are trying to spark interest in the sport not drill winning in there little heads yet . my oldest grandson played this year and took to it well and likes it ,yet they lost almost every game... he also made allstars and will be playing next year along with i'de be willing to bet more then 90% of his teammates. bottom line they had fun and learned some of the basics .

**kanga69** · #4 06-09-2012, 01:03 PM

Seabo - agreed. It was the comment that winning was not important that got me. I coached for 6 years and lost a lot of games and that was not a problem. The kids I coached and the parents I worked with knew that doing your best was always our goal. If starting teaching them the fundamentals of baseball was a mistake - I made it.

HC · #5 06-09-2012, 01:17 PM

Come on, this is the new America where there are no losers and everybody gets a trophy at the end of the season even if they went 0-15, I mean 0-0-0 because there is no score keeping. Life is fair and everyone is equal regardless of how much they suck at a sport. Have you not seen the FFPS, Fair Fun Positive Soccer. No need to keep score, just go out and have fun.

I agree. Plan and simple. There are winners and there are losers and life is not fair. If a kid does not learn how to lose in FFPS or whatever, how will they react in "real life" when they lose?????

The continued p*ssifcation of America.

**seabo** · #6 06-09-2012, 01:22 PM

no mistakes, winning is defintley the objective and next year we will be gettin serious. HC ,our tee ball team all got a trophy at the end of season but there were trophys for the best batter the most improved and the best all around so there are a few incentives even for a 6 yr old.

**weimtrainer** · #7 06-09-2012, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seabo

no mistakes, winning is defintley the objective and next year we will be gettin serious.

Agreed, but that being said, some parents are just "nutbars", which gives me great respect for those of you that coach kids (we were not blessed with any). When we moved to Houston from CC in '97, I went to the Ice Rink near my Webster home for a skate. One of the kid's coaches skated up and said it was obvious by the way I skated that I had hockey experience (semi-pro at 17) and asked if I would be interested in coaching. I went the following Saturday to watch all of the age groups play, and was flabbergasted to hear more than one parent of a 12 year old scream something like "Hit him!! You will never make it to the NHL if you play like that!!". Now, I have lived in Texas for almost all my life, and I don't remember a single NHL player that hails from our great state. Honestly, I was afraid I would get cross-wise with one of these genius parents, so I declined the coaching offer.

**weimtrainer** · #8 06-09-2012, 01:43 PM

[QUOTE=HC;4146286]
I agree. Plan and simple. There are winners and there are losers and life is not fair. If a kid does not learn how to lose in FFPS or whatever, how will they react in "real life" when they lose?????

Apologies, meant to quote this one.

**seabo** · #9 06-09-2012, 01:43 PM

agreed on the nutbars comment i get ashamed at the yelling and hollaring myself, so no coaching for me too other than my grandsons. but i do try and participate and show support.

**weimtrainer** · #10 06-09-2012, 01:47 PM

Absolutely Seabo. I had no idea as a kid what my Dad sacrificed so I could play hockey all over the US. Now that am older and have friends with kids in youth sports, I have a clear understanding and thank my Dad for the many opportunities he afforded me.