How do I get myself into this stuff...

[cyagoball]

A bit of a rant here folks...I apologize.

The kid is a freshman playing on JV for a well-established high school program. While enjoying my first game a couple of months ago, the coach came to the stands and pleaded for a parent to handle the scorkeeping duties. I planned on being around for most games, so no problem, I can do that...I am no stranger to the game. I score correctly, but I do give a small benefit of the doubt to the hitter on those infield balls to the gap.

Some of the kids are struggling at the plate while their parents can do nothing but complain about the coaching, the team, and the calls from behind the plate. My policy has been to not get involved with all of the whining.

One kid in particular is not having a good season (speaking kindly). She is a Junior, leads the team in strikeouts, and has 2 bleader hits for the year...Her dad is the most vocal individual in the stands and is never short of a criticism for any of the play on the field.

Recently, I was approached by a woman who turns out to be this kid's mom (she doesn't attend the games). She asked if I was the one that "kept stats". She went on to accuse me of failing to score all of her daughter's hits properly and that she is trying to get her into college via softball. These are the types of parents that don't understand the concept of an error or a fielder's choice. Long story short, instead of trying to explain the game to her, I referred her back to the coach. Now she says she wants all of the scorebook pages, etc...have at it lady.

It just amazes me how people will press to get an outcome to fit their own personal wants or desires. If a kid has the talent, great, it will show and you don't need to lean on the scorekeeper to give a result that is inaccurate.

[NumeroUno]

You are not alone that stuff goes on at a lot of schools

[Coach11]

A Jr. playing JV....looking to play ball in college?

She's gonna need more than Mom keeping score.

[cyagoball]

A Jr. playing JV....looking to play ball in college?

She's gonna need more than Mom keeping score.

Exactly, this kid is one of those that will not make varsity next year...I'm sure it will be my fault for screwing up the scorebook...

[DonnieS]

A Jr. playing JV....looking to play ball in college?

She's gonna need more than Mom keeping score.

Exactly, this kid is one of those that will not make varsity next year...I'm sure it will be my fault for screwing up the scorebook...

Hang in there - lots of respect for you helping with a h/s program. We had an asst. coach here for a while who was a frigging joke of a coach first of all, but had a pitiful daughter on the team as well. I dont pay a lot of attention to the newspaper h/s stats - but at the end of the season, his kid comes up as all-district. I had calced her b/a a couple of times - and I couldnt see it being at 100 - she had hit in two games all year. Wanna know the secret - here it is - the h/s scores had to been turned into the newspaper twice that season, wanna guess which two games. And thats the stats they quoted when giving her all-district.

[3'sDad]

Our school does a pretty responsible job in reporting scores, far better than most. The mistakes made are as a the scorer just making an error, one of the team members keeps the book.

I suppose if I wanted DD to make All-County I should bribe the girl keeping score! LOL!

[cyagoball]

Our school does a pretty responsible job in reporting scores, far better than most. The mistakes made are as a the scorer just making an error, one of the team members keeps the book.

I suppose if I wanted DD to make All-County I should bribe the girl keeping score! LOL!

Now that I think about it...it would have been much funnier if I had asked her "What's in it for me?" lol...

[hit4power]

My wife keeps the book for our HS team, while I shoot team pictures. For the most part, it has been non-controversial, but from time to time someone will ask a leading question like "that was a hit, right?". The best response has been to hand that parent a copy of the ATEC scoring manual and show them the relevant page and let them read for themselves. It doesn't solve every complaint but it has shut a few people up (hit vs FC, why no RBI, etc) from time to time.

Just recently, we played an away game against a really good team. Their pitcher had a no-no going against us until the 7th inning. Our batter hits a flare into shallow left along the foul line. SS races to her right, 3B backpedals, and F7 charges hard. As they near each other they all stop and the ball drops in. The scoreboard shows E and the no hitter is preserved, at least in their book. I'm still wondering who got charged with the error....

[gottano44]

CY, I think I have had that kids mom, dad and her sisters and brothers on every team I have coached and team my kid has played on.......

[bart16761]

Hang tough, there are more people that appreciate what you are doing than are complaining, do it for them.
On a side note I have had the following conversation with a parent after she looked at the on line scoring system I use.

Parent: My daughter hit the ball two times yesterday and has no hits what is an "FC"
Me: "FC" is a fielders choice.
Parent: So the fielder gets to decide on whether it is a hit or not?
Me: Yes they do and in both cases the fielders told me that it was not a hit
Gotta have a little fun sometimes.
Be well