Little League: Blessing or Curse?

Question

My son is the worst kid on the team three years running. We live in a VERY sports oriented town. He is nine years old and is either the worst or second worst performing child on the team. The last year or so he did improve just slightly but not enough to really notice. A couple kids have commented to him to this effect. It is evident that he is really not an athletic kind of kid. He says he wants to play but when the time comes for the game I can tell he dreads it. I really don't want him sitting home watching the disney channel 24-7, know what I mean? There is not much else to do in this town... you either are on the team or you are nobody. I am torn between letting him continue to sign up or insisting that he not. Is anyone else in this situation? I do not want to ruin my son's confidence.... if it isn't already.

Answer 1

Ask him if he'd like to join.  His answer is what you do, simple as that. If he says no, tell him to take his pick of another activity such as:

Boy scouts

Football

Soccer

Karate

Swimming/Diving

Volleyball

Bowling

Hockey

There are a ton of options.  It does not mean he is not athletic because he is not good at one sport.  If he does not want to play sports at all, then so be it.  Don't force him.  Just because he is not on a team does not mean he is stuck watching tv.  He can still go outside with friends and ride bikes, go swimming, play tag, etc anything!  There is a life outside sports.

Answer 2

on a team or nobody - sounds like it's time to teach him non-conformity.

yikes.

little league or tv 24/7??? i don't think so.

how about marital arts - great confidence builders often.  if he's not athletic, how about focusing on the things he's good at so he can feel good about himself.  

(I have two sons who eschewed team sports, in a town where everyone plays.  they survived, thrived, and our weekends were a lot more manageable than my friends'.)

Answer 3

It's not how he plays. The point is that he plays. If he enjoys playing let him play.. If the other boys make fun of him you should get someone to beat the h**l out of the other boys. Remember there is no "z" in team.

Answer 4

have you heard of Dyspraxia?

its poss-able your son is just bad at the game but if his balance, hand eye coordination etc is not great you may want him checked.

try additional sports,activities - if he finds one he likes or is better at he may want to drop Little League.

Answer 5

Try different sports. Maybe he would be into something more like Scouts. You need to have a more positive attitude. To say you are nobody if you are not on a team is really not fair to him if he hates sport. realise there is more to life than sports and ask your son what he wants.

Answer 6

After watching my daughter try to play softball and soccer, you would have said she was totally unathletic.  But if you saw her in the swimming pool, at the skating rink, or at the rock-climbing wall at the Y, you'd say she was one of the most athletic kids you've ever seen.  I'm originally from a very small town where there really weren't other options, and I do understand that there are places you can live where it's little league or nothing.  But if you have other options, encourage them.

If there really aren't other options, certainly don't insist he not sign up if he wants to.  What a horrible message that is -- "Well, even if you're having fun, you're just not good enough to play."  When he decides he doesn't want to, if there really aren't other organized sports options, get him a bike or play catch with him in the back yard ... and sign him up for trumpet lessons or boy scouts or something.

Answer 7

There have to be more options than that. Google tells me that "one in seven Little Leaguers is a girl". Great - so what do the other girls do? If they all did it, that ratio would be one in two.

How about individual sports - swimming, tennis, martial arts?

Learning a musical instrument?

Having a hobby he can do on his own - does he like art or crafts?

And please do not allow him to believe that you are on the team or you are nobody. Are you yourself on the team? Are you nobody? Well then.

Answer 8

Take the pressure off of him and tell him that he doesn't have to play.....why should he keep doing something just because "everyone else is doing it." Let him know that he does have an option if he wants to try something new. Does your city Parks and Rec department have classes? What about your local YMCA?

Answer 9

My son was in the same situation. Even the parents in the stands would talk smack...not realizing (I hope) that I was sitting right next to them. When the next season came up I didn't force the issue with him and he didn't show any enthusiasm to play so we didn't sign him up. We got him into soccer (AYSO) and he really likes that. Look into soccer or karate or ANYTHING other than baseball. Baseball parents are the worst parents out there...winning is everything...and they are just kids and should be having fun.

Good luck.

Answer 10

I coached t-ball for 4 years. Your son might like that one sport. Soccer is a great sport to try, even swimming. Team sports are healthly for child. Don't stress to much about him not preforming well. My brother stunk his first 5 years oof baseball and now he's the best on the team. Try particing at home with him this might inprove his mood and ablities.

Answer 11

Start him in tennis lessons- a great sport for life... or archery?

also are their clubs that support his interests?

Maybe soccer might be better, the one where every kid makes the team and gets to play

Good luck to you... it is so hard watching our kids going through hard times...