The end of an ERA

[Lorraine Bromley]

I am upset and have been for some time regarding my sons ball team this year. He has a new coach that has taken his last year of baseball and flushed it down the toilet. Not only to my son but four in all. He says he didn't but the proof is in the pudding. This was our last year to watch our son play as he is leaving for university and this is the last year he is eligible to play due to age group. This is a boy that was to be the first baseman on a National team and competing in the Worlds as well, Played in the Eastern Canadians last year. A stand out player even if I am his mom.

The other problem is that we have been taking Neely to all our kids sporting events since he came home. He spent most of his first spring in arenas. He loves to go to the ball diamond. He gets to watch the boys, sniff them! And now other people have brought our their dogs too so he gets to play. The one family just got a golden puppy and it has been so fun to watch them play together. It is now not only us that has lost a family activity but Neely too. It has been a big part of why Neely is the great dog he is today with all the training in such varied and large groups and areas.He flew to ball, he learrned to go in elevators. He learned to walk across suspension bridges escalators ect all because we travel for our kids sports.We also love the attention he and we get on a regular basis. Last weekend we were in Owen Sound for a weekend long tournament, in the rain! We were approached several times to ask what kind of dog he was. Kids want to pet him so do adults for that matter. We get told that he is so well behaved did we do alot of intense training classes.He was getting alot of attention because he could climb the bleachers and stand at the top wide open with no fear. Compared to other dogs that some people bring out that growl and cower at other dogs or people.

I will miss all the attention I give to my son

oh yeah and all the attention we get from Neely!

[Lorraine Bromley]

It is heartbreaking. But it is not about playing time or who is better at what position. It is about a coach that had singled out 5 players that he wanted off his team (he knew nothing about us or us him at that point) He went out of his way to do this. Not based on performance, three of these boys were top players. When he was told that he could not do that he instead kept them on the team and then has benched them berated them threatened them. It is not going to change anything for our son. But we are following up with the complaint as now that this has come to light it has become apparent that he is already forecasting for the next bunch he coaches to do the same. This is not the big leagues. This is about what sports is supposed to be about. You can't save the world but you can try and make your part of it alittle better. Hopefully we can stop this happening to any other kids. We are not alone in this complaint.
We went to see the team play Friday night. Neely got to see his one little shitzu that tries to play with Neely but his mom doesn't really like Neely to play with her so Neely gets to say hi and when the real play starts we have to say good bye and settle down. But the little golden puppy came again and he got to play with him again. One of the other moms was going to bring her great pyrenese (she has two) to see if she could play with Neely as the first time they met Neely ticked off the other one by saying hi quite rudely by going right in his face instead of his butt like polite dogs should do.
We will likely end up going to the home games if we have no other plans for the rest of the year.
Although it was not very nice that we got notification that one of the mothers had cancelled our reservation for the Worlds tournament in Midland Michigan without so much as a phone call to see what our status was. Since this issue has not been resolved and that tournament isn't till August is was quite pretentious of her. As well, when we went to the diamond last night she never said a word to us that she called and had done that. If it wasn't done with malice why couldn't she just tell us that? I just don't understand how some people act in the name of sport?
We are looking forward to alot of different things when the kids are gone though that include the pets too so this too shall pass.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Good for you Shelly. The pond will wait. Memories of your kids won't! We are expecting our first grandchild in October and we plan to enjoy all her events and not get caught up in the hype.

[shelly]

Thank you Jane and Nancy for your "hindsight"...and for "keeping it real". I always say to my girlfriend that when we retire, we are going to do all the things with our grandchildren that we couldn't do (b/c of work) with our own kids.. like going to every little activity at school (I always do the 'big' ones), be class "grandma" (we'll have to beat off those young moms tho' - lol) and just be able to enjoy the time with them without the extra little 'mommy duties' getting in the way!
MY M-I-L- was upset because my husband couldn't get outside to 'work on our pond' because of baseball commitments every weekend - I told her that I am not going to miss the time I have to watch my son - when the time goes too fast as it is...P.S. our pond is now cleaned and up and running fine and I didn't need to miss anything! Thanks again!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Well, someday it will start all over again. We did soccer, baseball, basketball and cheerleading with our two daughters. Then there was a several year long hiatus, but now we're right back at it with the grandkids and loving it. The only problem is that there are six kids with conflicting schedules....and they all want us at their games. The Doods always come with us, and they love it too! So cheer up, it will all be "coming round again" in a few years (hopefully quite a few).

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We had so much fun watching our kids participate in sports - swimming, water polo, soccer, bike racing. We attended every race, meet and game. We traveled across the country. We made friends, we agonized over skills, blamed coaches... One boy was exceptional in bike racing, and the other was exceptional in swimming and water polo (even a college scholarship and record). If we had it to do over again, we would attend every race, meet, and game BUT we would not take it to heart and we would not get involved in the politics of who played how much and how much better our child was and should have had more playing time. I would have spent more time smiling and creating and treasuring the memories of the competitions and the between competitions with the boys and their team mates. I am not saying your gripes aren't legitimate but you can not change it and it takes much of the fun out of it for the boys.

[shelly]

Oh BOY do I feel your pain, Lorraine! Again, my sons too are around your sons' ages... My youngest 12 is more into baseball and much better than my older one - who will age out this year... He actually slipped on the ice from the LAST snowstorm and was out his whole last season.. our last chance to watch him play - I don't know who was more disappointed ME or HIM.. (I think ME!) My younger son had a terrible year in travel due to his coach - there was even arguing among parents - it was just horrible! Needless to say, because we ALL LOVE the game so much - he's back this year with a wonderful coach. You're so lucky that you got Neely into going with you places! That is my one regret with Tori - I didn't socialize her enough with different situations. My vet had me so worried about getting all of her shots, that I sheltered her too much! NEXT time I will definitely create a more social dog - then maybe Tori will learn from the younger pup...I'm planning to start her in agility classes this month.. hopefully this will help her! Wish you were closer - My son would LOVE for a doodle to watch him play (Although - dogs are not allowed on our fields - but many people bring them along any way)

[Nancie & Gracie Doodle]

What a sad turn of events. We had coach problems when our kids were growing up and they were just the neighborhood coaches and it was totally recreational stuff for our kids. Nothing serious except our daughter did go on to play college tennis but it wasn't her passion and she didn't pursue it after the first year. Because of some of the coaches when the kids were little, they grew up with negative experiences regarding the youth sports. Now my son is going through this with his little boys who are only 6 and 4 but because of his experiences, he is staying right on top of how the boys are treated. Self esteem is so important! Though I know your situation is much different since your son probably is drafting material but as a Mom, I know the frustration.

And then the frustration with Neely and how his social activities may be coming to an end. Our Gracie Doodle is much the same way. Our kids were grown so she didn't hang out at sporting events, but she goes everywhere with us and is totally submissive and friendly to everyone. She is very well behaved...until there is a tennis ball!!! But, that is another story!!!! So sorry to hear about your situation. I bet you are very proud of your son for sure! Neely too. Good Luck

[F, Calla & Luca]

Sorry to hear you are upset. What did the coach do?

[Joyce & Wilson]

You will have to do what I did...I picked a neighbor kid to follow!