Have you ever played baseball? Little league, softball, hardball, 2-pitch. I have fond memories, growing up, of playing in the empty field with a gym bag or a sweater for bases. There was usually one kid who had a ball and a bat. Some of us had gloves and we would share with the other side. It was so much fun. Then I joined a formal team and learned the real rules and how to play as a team. How to back each other up. We became a team and learned leadership and co operation and fair-play, how to lose gracefully, good sportsmanship. What happened to that?

Now a days baseball, like any other sport has become so competitive. Win at any cost. Parents yelling at each other or at the coaches and umpires. What does that teach the kids? How about the rich kids who can afford to go to the sports camps and buy the best gear. Then it's all about who's your star player. Puts a lot of pressure on these kids to do well and if they don't then they're crushed and how do they cope with those feelings. What about the rest of the team do they get the same instruction, the same one on one coaching. How do the feel about the special treatment.

Do you as a parent want to get out there and do something to make it fair for your kids. I've been there, asking the coaches if they need any extra help, offering to host extra practices if the coach can't make it. I knew how to play baseball but not a lot about how to coach a team but I was willing to help What about the cost of baseball. The expense has gone up drastically since my youngest played baseball, and that was just to book the field then you've got helmets, uniforms,gloves,balls,batting gloves, bats you could spend a fortune. How do you offset that cost. It used to be that there would be a car wash or a local bake sale. We sold chocolate bars one year. What do you do now what with the internet and video games taking up so much of the kids time, nobody's willing to help. Parents are too busy and most moms work these days. So next year my daughter will probably be joining her first baseball team. It's been 6 years since I helped to coach a team. I think I need to get a refresher course on coaching.

I know there's better ways to coach these teams, better ways to fundraise, better ways to teach our kids team spirit, how to have fun.. With the Internet at our disposal we should be able to connect to all kinds of sources for advise and coaching tips we just need to look for it. Lets all try to have some fun again.