A Fairhope parent

Editor:

Fairhope is blessed with a fine youth baseball program. We owe a big thanks to the workers who take such great care of the facilities and the community volunteers who coach, participate in board decisions, run the concession stand and otherwise make things go smoothly. Most of all, we must gauge the program’s success by the participation of our youth. It is to them that we owe our greatest responsibility. I would like to present some thoughts to the community at large. These ideas may or may not start a discussion as to whether there are some things we can do better.

Recently, after several weeks of practice, my son, now 11, who has played youth baseball since age 4, told me he was not having fun and did not want to continue this season. To my question why, he replied, “Because I will end up playing a few innings each game in right field and that is just not fun. Also, I will not get the chance to play my favorite position.”

Upon speaking to his coach, he could only confirm that my son was right.

All of my past experience with youth baseball has been similar to the above coach’s policy of playing his players. Specifically, on each team, seven or eight of the 12 players play every inning of every game in the key positions while three or four of the less-skilled players take turns in right and left field?

Is it right that one group of players be afforded a more fulfilling experience than the other players? Should lesser skilled players be relegated to minimal playing time in the outfield such that they fall ever more behind the more skilled players?

The obvious result is that every year more discouraged boys and girls drop out or choose not to play the next season leading to a decline in participation from year to year. In Fairhope, for example, there is no recreational baseball over the age of 14. Why not? Would it not be a positive if we had the interest and opportunity for our youth to play baseball past age 14?

To me, the saddest part of this issue is that my son loves to play baseball. Outside of recreational league, however, he has no other venue to play. I believe the primary purpose of recreational league baseball is to provide an opportunity and place for all of our youth, from the most skilled to the least skilled player, to play baseball and have fun doing it. Development of skills, though important, is a secondary goal and winning should be a result of the first two. The way little league baseball is run now places the goals of having fun, development and winning at odds.

I believe those goals do not need to be contradictory but rather that they can be complimentary. Here is what I suggest. The league could adopt two rules. First, all players should have equal playing time. Second, with the possible exception of certain high skill positions (i.e. pitcher and catcher) all players should be given the chance to play different positions.

The benefits from these rules are as follows:

First and foremost, all players will be given an equally rewarding and fun opportunity to play. The result, more players will continue to participate each year. Continued participation means our youth is having fun and staying involved in a constructive activity. Perhaps we can even start some teams for 15- and 16-year-old players. That would be a win for our youth and the community.

Second, playing different positions will enhance the development of all players regardless of skill level. In the long run, only a few players will go on to play in high school or college. Does it not make sense to give those players experience at all positions?

Third, having to sit the bench will teach the better players a valuable lesson about what it means to be part of a team. This past fall season, one of the more skilled players on my team quit when he learned that all players would play every position and have equal playing time. This boy believed he was entitled to play every inning at the best positions. By allowing him to quit, I think his parents may have missed an opportunity to teach their son a life lesson.

As the system works now, each coach has no choice but to play his best players in the key positions every inning. If he does not, his team will loose every game. In order for my suggestions to work, the league must adopt the two rules I suggest and must enforce them.

In closing, the league and the community must determine what the goals of the community recreational league should be. If placing emphasis on developing the better players to move on to a higher level of baseball is the primary goal then no changes are necessary. If providing a fun venue for all our youth is the goal, then lets make our league equally fun for all participants. That will encourage players of all skill levels to keep playing. The result may even be that the league can start some teams for players over the age of 14.