Who has class?

[tncenterfielder]

I would let my daughter play for that coach any day. Has anyone ever stopped to think that maybe it was the girls idea to bust up the trophy???

[Killer Rabbit]

the actions of this guy in the pictures are pathetic, and he shouldn't be allowed to coach youth sports.
but back to the original topic, what happened at 14U region 14 regionals?????

Thanks for reminding me. Arto is a class act. He always showed respect to all teams. Didn't matter if he was kicking their but or losing. Conducted himself with class and expected the same from his players. Arto...good for you...

[anonlooker]

the actions of this guy in the pictures are pathetic, and he shouldn't be allowed to coach youth sports.
but back to the original topic, what happened at 14U region 14 regionals?????

Well, in the championship game, Minor's Gold '95 mercied Corona Angels - Knighten 8-0. One coach watched most of the game from the parking lot. Another was nearly invited to join the first. This was fairly early in the game, and things didn't really improve.

[jojojaxmom]

After finishing runner-up at Tennessee 12u State (Team Mizuno '97), the head coach takes a bat and busts up the trophy in the team talk after the championship game! Now that's class!

I am the VERY PROUD mother of TEAM MIZUNO '97 #23, the wife of one of the coaches and a very good friend of this coach in question as my daughter has played with him for a few years now and we have come to know him well. Therefore I feel if anyone can speak on this post... I can.

We have a very good group of girls AND COACHES! This instance with the trophy was not what it has been turned into being... it was simply a coach getting his girls fired up for the weeks to come and to let them know that each tournament is a brand new opportunity. Anyone who knows this coach knows that he could honestly care less about "trophies" as he usually gives them to one of the players or to his younger daughter(since he doesn't have a player on the team), he isn’t much for tangible glorification for himself. This was the team trophy, he didn’t take one of the players' trophies and smash it, it was his trophy to do what he wanted to with it and he chose to use it to motivate our players. This was nothing against the other team (especially since a few players on the other team had played with us in years past so we have friendships built with them win or lose!) OR against the tournament director(s)... it was a coach being passionate enough about his team to get his girls fired up. It worked; our girls let that game go and were immediately fired up for what is next.

We don't mind marching to the beat of a different drum as far as our techniques for our team go, as long as it works for us that is all that should matter.

-Amber Earls

[ontheblack]

This instance with the trophy was not what it has been turned into being...it was simply a coach getting his girls fired up

His motivational skills are what we were mocking.

[artomatic]

After finishing runner-up at Tennessee 12u State (Team Mizuno '97), the head coach takes a bat and busts up the trophy in the team talk after the championship game! Now that's class!

I am the VERY PROUD mother of TEAM MIZUNO '97 #23, the wife of one of the coaches and a very good friend of this coach in question as my daughter has played with him for a few years now and we have come to know him well. Therefore I feel if anyone can speak on this post... I can.

We have a very good group of girls AND COACHES! This instance with the trophy was not what it has been turned into being... it was simply a coach getting his girls fired up for the weeks to come and to let them know that each tournament is a brand new opportunity. Anyone who knows this coach knows that he could honestly care less about "trophies" as he usually gives them to one of the players or to his younger daughter(since he doesn't have a player on the team), he isn’t much for tangible glorification for himself. This was the team trophy, he didn’t take one of the players' trophies and smash it, it was his trophy to do what he wanted to with it and he chose to use it to motivate our players. This was nothing against the other team (especially since a few players on the other team had played with us in years past so we have friendships built with them win or lose!) OR against the tournament director(s)... it was a coach being passionate enough about his team to get his girls fired up. It worked; our girls let that game go and were immediately fired up for what is next.

We don't mind marching to the beat of a different drum as far as our techniques for our team go, as long as it works for us that is all that should matter.

-Amber Earls

Spin it any way you want, if it helps you feel better.
I am embarrassed for the sport of softball that someone that exhibits this type of behavior is allowed to be a role model for a 12 year old girl.
To me, what he is saying is it's ok to trash something that was earned, regardless of its materials made of particle board and stick-on wood.
That it's ok to have a temper tantrum because you didn't get your way.
And most importantly, that it's ok for an adult male to abuse something in front of a young female.
Sorry, as usual, JMHO.

[playball]

I can't wait to hear how he's going to blow up, er, motivate, his team after they lose their first game at Nat's!

[CatWoman]

Amber - I am not here to argue with you but clearly not everyone on your team thought that this behavior was o.k. because otherwise the pictures would not have been submitted. I knew there had to be a back story to this because otherwise if there had been a close/bad call that the team had lost on, it would have been written about. I grew up in the old days where rock stars used to trash guitars and stages and the crowds cheered but they paid for whatever it was they trashed and it was part of the show. To trash an award that a group of girls worked hard at earning along with the time, money, and effort that families put into travel ball is just plain dumb. You may not see it as such because you know this coach, but if I saw a coach doing that on the ball field after the tournament no matter the reason, I would never want to see that team again and would not want my dd to play for him. It may motivate the girls for their next event but it showed a real lapse of judgment on the part of the coach and he may be the greatest guy and coach that ever existed. What did anybody think this was going to get them? People are always looking for things to hate about organized sports, however the misinterpretations of these pictures are going to keep on coming and I am sure you will not have heard the last. I think there is probably a girl or two on the team that were pretty upset about having the trophy bashed and while the actual trophy didn't mean anything to him, it did mean something to them, and that's why the incident and pictures were submitted.

[Sam]

After finishing runner-up at Tennessee 12u State (Team Mizuno '97), the head coach takes a bat and busts up the trophy in the team talk after the championship game! Now that's class!

I am the VERY PROUD mother of TEAM MIZUNO '97 #23, the wife of one of the coaches and a very good friend of this coach in question as my daughter has played with him for a few years now and we have come to know him well. Therefore I feel if anyone can speak on this post... I can.

We have a very good group of girls AND COACHES! This instance with the trophy was not what it has been turned into being... it was simply a coach getting his girls fired up for the weeks to come and to let them know that each tournament is a brand new opportunity. Anyone who knows this coach knows that he could honestly care less about "trophies" as he usually gives them to one of the players or to his younger daughter(since he doesn't have a player on the team), he isn’t much for tangible glorification for himself. This was the team trophy, he didn’t take one of the players' trophies and smash it, it was his trophy to do what he wanted to with it and he chose to use it to motivate our players. This was nothing against the other team (especially since a few players on the other team had played with us in years past so we have friendships built with them win or lose!) OR against the tournament director(s)... it was a coach being passionate enough about his team to get his girls fired up. It worked; our girls let that game go and were immediately fired up for what is next.

We don't mind marching to the beat of a different drum as far as our techniques for our team go, as long as it works for us that is all that should matter.

-Amber Earls

Really, Amber? If the trophy was worth playing for.....why destroy it in front of the team? Is winning that important to you? Is winning that important to your DD? Why not just forfeit the championship game....the teams that finished in 3rd place may have been extremely happy with that trophy. Your coach is a classless moron. If you think his actions are justifiable, you are no better. You should be looking for a new team.

Last I checked.....softball is.....a game.

[access2]

Hope he leaves his bat at home whenever he leaves the house.

Shameful way to "motivate" twelve-year-olds.

HEYBUCKET HALL OF SHAME