Posted by: () on Sun Aug 5 13:35:04 2001

>
> Ray,
>
> May I remind you that baseball is a game. It's most important function is as a teaching tool. Not teaching the game of baseball, but teaching things of value for kids to use in their life. I don't think that schools are parents spend time and money to win games. But, it seems you do.
>
> Its a game. It was created as a game and it continues because it is a game. It's only true value is as a teaching tool for life great lessons. I can tell by your comments such as "I love the game" and
> "I love to coach" and "I think this stuff is important" All those Is tell me that its about you, not about teaching kids.
>
> I am sure that there is nothing "brief" for you because its all about you talking.
>
> By the way, did those parents send their kids to you for you to exersice your ego on them??? I bet they didn't.
>
> Are you the guy that slapped his kid in "The Bad News Bears?" I bet you are.
>
>
> FJ
>

FJ,

I think you are letting your justifiable irritation with Coach Tom (not to be confused with Tom G.) spill over into your reponse to Ray. IMO he has offered you wisdom. Sometimes wisdom is a pain in the *ss to hear, but it is never the less, wisdom.

As to teaching those life lessons (which I agree with you on), I guarantee you they will be more open to learning those things from someone they perceive as more knowledgeable and able to help them with the baseball stuff they are interested in. Someone once told me the thing that motivated them to be the best "baseball knowledgeable" coach they could be was they didn't want any kid that they ever coached to have to feel the feeling that he felt when he looked up at the list of who made the team and couldn't find his name.

Mark H.