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Little League Parent Syndrome
Is Alive & Well

Little league parent syndrome: When I was in Little League I always wondered why my baseball dad and mom would sit beyond the outfield fence to watch our games.

Now I know becuase...Yes, we actually have a name for parents that attend youth baseball games and act unruly.

(LLPS) Sports psychologists have coined the condition for parents that do too much yelling and screaming, become verbally abusive to their children and other participants, and occasionally become violent in several articles on baseball.

Although this parent syndrome is usually isolated to a minority of parents but that number seems to grow yearly. Just a few little league parents can really make the youth baseball experience quite miserable for all.

Parents often have high expectations for their children’s performance expecting perfection in their baseball skills and play. Baseball coaches and umpires are under the same perfection status. Winning is at the top of the list for this (LLPS) parent although playing time for their child is vitally important to them.

Parents Are Often Acting Like the Children

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Coaching little league baseball & youth baseball can be a DISASTER. Who in their right mind would come back year after year and have boring baseball practice and never improve their baseball skills? and get yelled at by adults?

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For youth league players, having fun, being with friends, and learning a little baseball while enjoying a chance to play are the top reasons they play.

Winning the ball games is way down on the list. Actually winning was tenth on the list of importance to youth league kids in organized sport according to a survey of 10,000 students published by American Footwear Association.

Unfortunately, our youth baseball league parent did not agree or did not get the memo with these survey findings. Most of the baseball parents feel that winning-at-all-costs is at the top and their siblings’ playing time is crucial too.

Trying to win is certainly part of competition and is expected by the competitors. But, in the big scheme of the youth sports experience it really doesn’t matter who wins or loses. Win or lose, you move on and look forward to playing again the next day.

Youth Sports and Parents: Unreasonable Expectations

Baseball league parents and youth sports are often supportive with their role in doing good things for their children. Quite often though they add too much pressure on their children’s performances, are overly critical, and at times act in ways that brings embarrassment to the kids.

Why do they act this way? There are many reasons. Baseball parents could be just mean to their offspring. They may be looking for a very remote possibility of a future college scholarship or even more remotely a pro contract.

They may be re-living their own childhood little league experience. They may think with all the uniforms and ball fields and coaches that this is mini professional baseball team and we have to get to the world series or make the all-star team.

They often judge the child’s performance as an indication of how good of a parent they are. If Johnny hits a home run then “I must be a good parent.” If Johnny strikes out, “Then I am embarrassed and I’m going to lay into him for embarrassing me.”

Youth Baseball Leagues: How to Help the Little League Parent

Here are a few baseball coaching tips to share with your youth league parents and league administrators to help put some perspective on parents and baseball in youth sports.

• Make sure your organization has a baseball sports code of ethics for the parents to sign. Often the parents that need this most do not get this training.

• Baseball leagues, travel baseball, and youth league coaches: Do what you can to de-escalate the intensity at baseball games.

• Leagues should closely supervise the parents behavior at the ball games and stop overly abusive and critical situations.Educate your youth baseball coaches to the priorities of the needs of the players. Winning is fine to shoot for but not at the expense of the ballplayers well being. Winning the little league game does really matter. Playing your best, trying to improve, playing fairly and being a good teammate are more important than the outcome

• Suggest to your team’s sports parents to visit with parents on the opposing team. Realize they are not the enemy.

• Do not coach from the bleachers. No instructions from the fans. You confuse the players and clutter their minds. Players need to be left alone to play the game.

• Stay away from the post game autopsy. Players know when they make a mistake so why do you have to bury a kid and pile on them super analyzing every little boo-boo.

Lighten Up parents because you parents can kill Youth baseball League fun.

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