Bully ball
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As a youth, baseball was sacred to me. But I had forgotten why I got out at age 18.
It all came back when I started to coach this season for a Little League team of 9- and 10-year-olds in the Avenues. I regularly witnessed and protested coaches who had a win-at all-cost attitude.
I can't be a part of a negative and destructive sports culture, so I quit to take a stand for the innocent children who play this wonderful game.
All the things that ruined the game for me are still there — the mean-spiritedness, disrespect and bullying by coaches and the apathy of parents. What behavior are we modeling for our children?
Our kids should love the game. It should be fun.
Izrael Szuchay
Salt Lake City