Dwyer & Michaels :: 2Dorks.com

Dwyer's Letter To Sports Parents

THE LEAGUE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTS:
Parents and fans, please cheer enthusiastically for your child and your team while at the same time respecting the other team and it's members and fans.

Please do not get involved in the game otherwise. Stay away from directing comments to on-field officials, or to opposing teams' players and coaches and fans. Everybody, and I mean everybody, is in a learning environment here, and it does absolutely no good to question a call or ruling on the field. If you see something that needs to be corrected, please inform one of the coaches and have them bring the issue up to the umpire or league director. Please. I have at times allowed my emotions to get the better of me, and it only embarrasses my players and fellow coaches.

THE COACHES RESPECTFULLY REQUEST:
Since this is a learning environment, I would sure appreciate the undivided attention of the players while they are in a game. We have had great success with dug-out decorum by requiring players to abide by the arrival time, and by having them arrive "game ready". If your kid loves chewing seeds during the game, fine, send them along as well as anything else he might need to be prepared (water, gum, etc). We coaches can't keep a focused dug-out if the players are running to mom and dad in the stands every time they are thirsty. Try to instill in them the idea that once they are checked in, they should be team focused until game's end. We need every player in "the zone" so that at any time if he needs to sub in, he is aware of the game situation. The same goes for mom and dad stopping in to the dug-out during the game. It is a distraction to your child, and to his teammates for you to stop in "just to say hi" or for any other reason. My one exception has always been if they do something extraordinary in the field or at the plate, an "atta boy' or hug from parents seems to really motivate them. Otherwise, lay low during the game, please. If there's a reason you cannot do this, please see me or one of the other coaches and we will work something out.

Now, having said that, cheering for you kid is encouraged! When they make a great play, or come up to bat, let 'em know you're with them! Most of these kids are playing for us, anyway, and will always ask after the game, "Did you see such-and-such?" So it's nice if we actually do. But please resist the urge to coach them from the stands. Trust me, they have been working their butts off in practice to be game ready, and I need them to "stay frosty" all game long. Fine-tuning their batting stance while they are at-bat through the fence helps no one, least of all your boy or his team. Resist!

If there are things that you know work well with your child's "game" please let the coaches know! We want for this year to be the best year of his baseball life to date. For that to happen, I need to get everyone's best game.

Here is Mike Matheny's letter to parents.