this is our first year playing baseball. how much time do yall spend at the field? last Saturday we left the house at 8a.m. got home at 930p.m. and tomorrow we have another tourney. 7 year olds playing 4 or more games in one day.

I remember when sports were fun. and families didn't have to dedicate all their free time to one sport. be your own man and don't let that coach run your family.

...Think of it this way...The more time you spend with your kid at a ball park...The less time you'll have to worry about them doing something stupid, plus its time TOGETHER you cant get back...

maybe he'll spend that much time with you....when you are old...

its not really the coach. the league threw in these tournaments after we started. we are supposed to play like two games a week. and weeks we had one game we have a practice. now it seems 2 games during the week then a tourney on the weekend.

Our kids play travel ball and most of them are always 2 day tournaments out of town.. so we are usually gone 10-16 hrs a day depending on how they play.. granted mine are 14 and 16 but yeah they play alot of ball and sometimes there may be 2 games between their next game but you can't go home to take a break when you are an hour or two from the house... it almost seems like a job playing all those hours..but they love it and that's all that matters to us.. plus I am one of the coaches as well..

Baseball in my area only lasts 7-8 weeks so we kinda hit it hard and try to enjoy it.

They do it to get more entrance fees...mo money.

Never played or practiced that much in park ball. When my son went to travel only at age 11, he played a lot, 3 weekends a month for 4-5 months, then a little fall ball. We would play one on Friday night, 2-3 on Saturday, then Sunday was hardware day and would play 2-3 more. We traveled to 4 Southeastern states, fartherest place was Southhaven Ms. I don't think the younger kids played that much in travel, at least they shouldn't IMO. Got to keep it fun and not burn out.

Yep, big $ involved. They folks putting on the tourney's hate to see a rain out.

Excellent! That's my thoughts as well.

...we only have 5 tourneys scheduled...
Orlando, ESPN WWOS
Chattanooga
Atlanta
Longmont CO
....and Huntington Beach...CA

Soon that will all be over...and all I'll have is the memories...
Dont complain about the time you spend on your kids.

Yeah most of our Tx are about $35 per kid entry fee..and I have 2 kids on the same team.. we also play just about every weekend from May - Oct or so... it's putting a hurting on my wallet between fee's and gas food etc..but they love it

High School basketball it what sux. They seem to think everyone wants to spend their Thanksgiving and Christmas break hanging out at a gym.

It all depends is your kid having fun. I had one who lived it and one that didn't. I let them decide what activity we are going to do and then show up for support. Anything to keep them out of the house and with me. I did like for them to compete at something. I wanted them to learn about working for something, how to win and how to loose.

It seemed to work out. They are all grown and successful. Competition is healthy

I have three boys playing but two of them are twins so they are on the same team. Each team has two practices a week and two games a week. I coach my older son's team so I'm there a lot for meetings and such too. I haven't really added up the number of hours I'm there a week but I'm there about 4-5 nights a week, including Saturday. The boys all love it though. When they get to where it's no fun, we'll find something else to do.

couldn't agree more.

There are other things to do together besides play baseball. I hope my kids never want to play baseball. Friends of mine spend every waking minute at the ball park. In my opinion that is not necessarily together time. Sure both you and your son are there but your there with 15 other kids and parents. I played every sport, some through college, but remember the days dad took me squirrel hunting or fishing at a pond way more than I remember or enjoyed ball practice. The kids can learn valuable lessons playing sports, but parents turn it into work quickly.

Growing up we played 2 games a week about 6 weeks out of the summer. Too many dads thinking their son will be the next ARod have ruined what used to be fun.

I agree...lot's of Drama at times

I agree 100%. I want my kids to play sports but I don't want it to consume 75% of their free time.

Very good posts. I'll be glad when the season is over because I'm sick and tired of hearing about it at work from those who kids are playing.

I've never seen anything so completely out of control as youth baseball these days. And spare me the horse-#$%#$ about "it's good time with your kids"!!! Why wouldn't you fish or hunt with them as much as you practice, play, and travel for tournaments??? It's the most outwardly obvious form of idol worship you could think of today. I'm sure your kids love it, but so do the parents!!! If the parents weren't as passionately consumed with it as the kids they wouldn't even consider doing what it takes to maintain a baseball lifestyle (especially with multiple kids). It just irks my arse to see some of my Facebook buddies post 10,000 pictures a week of baseball, then make some dumb remark about how frazzled they are with baseball. Wut???

Best memories for me were with my Dad in the woods back in the days when we did deer drives. I never played much little league ball, Dad held me back. Starting playing in the 9 grade, then played a 4 yrs in college. I agree you have to be careful or the kids can get burned out. A lot of buddies, not all who played ball all there life burned out in high school or got tired of it. I on the other hand....couldn't wait till the next practice or training regime.

it's not time spent with your kid unless your a coach. you are in the stands and they are on the field. if your a coach then you have the other kids to worry about. if we were not playing ball he would be by my side either hunting or fishing. its not about spending time with the kids its about how much time it takes from everything else.

You know a little about this subject from some co-workers and their experience, that's as far as it goes apparently, beyond that you don't know of what you speak. Don't lump all baseball or sports parents together based on a few.

My daughter(9) has played league ball for 4 years now.I've been on the field helping coach since she started.We usually have 2 games a week but the schedule got changed up a lil a few weeks ago so now we're playing 3 games a week for a few weeks.We also started up a preliminary all-star team to do a few travel tourneys with to get em ready for all-stars.We're gonna do a tourney next weekend and the following weekend then wont play again with the travel team till next month.We dont spend alotta time at the park but love every minute of the time we spend there.We have watched our daughter become a great softball player and i couldnt be more proud of her.She loves the game and i love coaching her and being a part of it with her.Softball dont consume any part of our life and i will never get that deep into it to where it will.I know people that push their daughters so hard and put to much on em.Theres one set of parents out there that has their daughter also 9 yrs old playing league ball,travel ball with a team outta bham and shes on our local travel team.They are either at the park here or somewhere in the state playing/practicing most nights.I think thats stupid as hell but its their life and if thats what they like to do its none of my business.I'll never let it consume our life like that.I was even on the fence and was more than likely not goin to let my daughter play on the preliminary all-star team that we put together because i didnt want her getting burnt out on it but i let her decide and she said yes.Sports are good for kids but i just dont get these parents that think their kids are the best in the world and think their kids have to play everyday of the week.My daughter is a great ball player and outta 45 girls in tryouts she scored #1.Shes an all around great player but i dont think shes the best.Shes better at certain things than others but theirs others thats way better than her at things.I comes down to her being happy and thats it.If shes happy playing ball im happy..If she decides she dont wanna play next year im good with that too.I will never push her to do something shes not happy doing.We have always let her decide,sometimes she done things she thought she would like but got into it and didnt like it.I would never let her quit and she would finish doin what she started and just not do it again.She always looks forward to ball and she has fun doin it,I'll never let it consume our lives like some though.

Aw, come on 2Dogs, give me more credit than that. I'm not dumb, and I don't just make indefensible assumptions and accusations. I've got two teenage kids myself (18 and 15) so I "get it". But let's not pretend and defend. It's beyond out of control, it's outrageous. There's nothing else in life (externally noticeable anyway) that consumes entire communities like youth baseball. No other youth sport, no other extracurricular activity whatsoever is even within 50 light years of comparing. A high school football team can bring together whole communities for one night per week, for roughly 3 months, but baseball/teeball/softball does the same thing 5 or 6 days per week for up to 9 months of the year (and all year for some).

Sure am glad my son took time out from the game he loved so much to shoot quite a few "trophy" deer to go along with his baseball trophy's. Also finding time to study hard enough to win the Pat Trammel award for having the highest GPA of ALL male student athletes his senior year at SHS. I strongly disagree that playing a lot of baseball is "the most outwardly obvious form of idol worship you can think of today", my vote goes to PSP, X-box and all the other machines that control young lives today.

I played baseball all spring/summer for 11 straight years growing up. I was ALWAYS at the ball fields, most of the time not one-on-one with my parents.

I will not do the same with my children. Things are even more serious now, especially with travel ball, etc, and parents appear to be crazier pushing their kids to get athletic scholarships (after spending more than tuition on athletic programs and training). To each his own, but we like to spend time traveling together, working outside, fishing, hunting, one-on-one with friends/family, etc. Life is short and the current youth athletic rat race is one that we will not partake in.

Very true cullbuck. It can be plotted on a bell curve ,like many things, you have those that sign there kids up for rec ball practice 5-6 times play a few games and are happy when it's over, then you have the other extreme where 10 yo are playing travel all over the country 100+ games a year, insanity for sure. But many folks fall somewhere in the middle and do fine.
It's the Honey Booboo beauty pageant folks that scare me.

Just like anything else in life, it's a choice. Just don't let it become and idol, and please don't try to live your life vicariously through your kids. I've seen a lot of folks make asses of themselves at little league ballparks.

I don't feel like it's primarily people living vicariously through their kids, although I agree that's a minor motivator for all of the people there and a dominant motivator for some. I'm challenging you not to look at this subject so simply... I couldn't care less if the KIDS love playing or not, I'm not talking about the kids. That's why video games aren't the most obvious idol. I'm talking about entire communities (nation wide) of adults who's lives are enthralled by baseball/teeball/softball for 6-12 months of the year. It has become the new social clique. I hear so many conversations between moms (and dads) who make it sound like the practices and games are just a side show. My secretary (late 50's) has 4 grandsons, all who play teeball or baseball. She literally has their schedules taped to her computer and she rotates going to a game of theirs almost every night of the week. She'll come in on Monday talking about how tired she is, like she's complaining about having to do this, yet I hear her on the phone yacking it up with her buddies and she sounds excited that it's baseball season again!!! Another secretary in my office has a daughter who plays softball, and she does the same thing: Complains every Monday about being tired because they were gone on some two or three hour trip to a tournament. And just how many dadgum dads do we need to coach???? Every guy in my Sunday School class apparently coaches girls softball??? And I'm sorry to offend, you can blacklist me from the site if you want to, but what's up with all these girls playing softball anyway? You know where I'm going with that. I have two daughters (18 and 15), both petite, attractive girls. The last thing I'd want them doing is acting like boys. Both of them have hunted with me several times, but they're a little too girly to really get into it. And they have some stories about the "softball girls". Blurring the lines if you ask me.

Im just gonna keep my mouth shut..If you dont want your girls playing ball thats your choice and i could care less.For the ones of us that have girls that play softball dont try and turn it into something stupid because your girls have some stories about "softball girls".I know where your goin with that and really dont appreciate it to be honest.

Not trying to offend you, trox, but I have to agree with ikillibux about softball. My boys and I love baseball and they have played for several years, but I wont let my little girl play. I'm not a fan of women trying to act like men. I have alot of friends, men I respect, whose daughters play, but it just doesn't sit well with me. I have some close friends whose daughter has played for years very competitively who've confirmed the rumor that a ribbon in your hair means you're straight (if I'm wrong, please enlighten me). Any activity that requires my daughter to display a symbol that she's normal rubs me the wrong way a little. I'm sure most people disagree with me but that's ok. I'm used to it.

Alright, I shouldn't have said that, but only because it's a cheap shot at at the kids. But come on y'all, we are grown men who are capable of articulating things, and if you aren't aware of the stereotype then you're not being real. And lay down your sword, don't be so quick to bristle. Both of my girls are cheerleaders, and the "stereotype" is that they are snotty little goody-goodys. I'm not offended by the stereotype. But check this out... One of my youngest daughter's friends, who is a very pretty little girl (won a doggone beauty pageant last weekend, my daughter didn't even place as an alternate), is a cheerleader AND plays softball. When she spends the night at our house, she acts VERY different from my girls, she acts and talks and carrys herself like a boy. Take it for what it's worth, but it's noticeable to me.

I think its hysterical that some want to lecture certain parents that the time they spend with their kid doesn't count or isn't as good cause it is sports related and they don't understand the interest. There are just as many folks on here who spend just as much time in the woods with there kids (Sept - April 8 mths) and whose life revolves around hunting. Two different activities, same result. There is not a difference, its good parents spending time with their children on the weekends instead of boozing it up on the golf course with their buddies all weekend.

And don't give me the crazy baseball parents argument, because there are crazy "insert activity" parents in all activities.

Cant nobody on this website offend me.Never heard no kinda chit about a ribbon in your hair means your straight and to act like softball turns girls gay is dumb as hell...cause pretty much thats what yall are saying without saying it..

Nobody is lecturing anyone, except the folks who wish to put down the people whose kids play travel ball.
As far as talent, ability and drive...scholarships...Lets put it this way, if I had her drive I'd be a billionaire...Its something for her to do, that she loves doing...I dont have to worry about her when we'ere at a ball park...As far as the stereotyping female softball players as dykes...
Thats somewhat true, there are lesbians...and some do like boys and act like boys...ever seen a girly looking boy?
But $1000 says the percentages are no different in College baseball...or little league for that matter...Yes you have puffers playing little league...
This started as a complaint about people wasting time with travel sports etc...Its none of anyones business how I spend my time or money...anymore than its my business how you spend yours...My Dad spent his chasing the almighty dollar, made millions in real estate in South Florida in the 60-80's, died broke as schit...
If you dont like travel ball, dont play...if you watch NCAA ball on TV, you better stop, cause virtually every one of those kids play travel ball...or in some other competitive travel sport...HS sports will get you in a JUCO...maybe...

Like I said about its our families business if my kid plays ball...my oldest was a band geek, we went to band championships...she did very well...But she's my brainiac...a 29 ACT got me out of a LOT of college money...As afr as sports scholarships...My youngest has an offer from a PAC 12 team...which if she takes it save me about $35K a year on college also talking with 3, smaller NCAA D-1 schools and a full meal deal from an NAIA College...and no, she aint a dyke...Thats just a stereo type...Are you a from AL...whats the stereotype of everyone from AL or MS...or the south in general?...Do you have teeth? Live in a shack and make Moonshine?....Then again, its none of my business of you do...are all cheerleaders hoochies, dim wits like portrayed on TV?...Are all we who hunt barbarians like the TV says?...

As far as the game of fast pitched softball...go look up mens fast pitch...record pitch from 40 ft is 126 mph...Held by the King and his Court...Think you could hit it?...this aint the beer drinking pasttime you think...

Everything in moderation.

I'll just say this... If you want to know a man's idol, find out what's not funny to him. People will angrily defend baseball/teeball/softball like no other. It's in a league of it's own (pun intended). And the whole thing about girls being dykes in softball wasn't really a fight I wanted to pick, I should've left that alone. I think I could narrow down my point more specifically, and I hope you could catch my drift here... If you have a kid (boy or girl) who is 10th or 12th grade (just my arbitrary opinion) and they have shown that they're a "1 percenter" (1% of all high school athletes are good enough to earn a college scholarship), then it makes pretty good sense for mom and dad to go over and above to cultivate that gift. But y'all, every flippin' 6 year old in the county I live in is spending more time at the ballfield these days than they are at home. And so are their parents. Why the Sam Hill is that?? I'll tell you why, it's because parents are caught up in this craze like nothing I've ever seen. The ladies in my office can't wait to get out of here every evening to take their kids to ball practice! Little bitty kids, coach-pitch stuff! They show each other (and me) cell phone video of their kid getting a hit yesterday. It's raining here today, so they were complaining a few minutes ago that they'll probably call the games off. This is NOT the kids talking!!!!!..it's the parents. This is a societal problem, because it's not just a tiny subset of your communities, it's the majority. Each Sunday morning I teach a class of about 25 couples, and I don't know if I'm far off to say every one of them has spent more time at the ballfield this past week than they did at home. The whole conversation before class starts is about baseball stuff. Dads bring bats in to show each other what they bought for their kid. They'll ask stupid stuff during prayer requests like "Pray that it won't rain this week so we can practice".

And true, it's really none of my business. But there's an old story about Los Angeles....it's a dirty city, nasty place. When you're in the city though, it looks beautiful. Rich folks everywhere, fancy buildings, elaborately designed interstates, pretty people with Hollywood aspirations. But when you fly into LA-X, as you approach the city there's a filthy brown haze that hangs over it, an city-wide pollution cloud. The point? When you're in the middle of the city, you can't see that brown pollution haze! It's only when you step back from a distance, when you get outside the city, that you can get the true perspective of it. I'm not inside the softball craze, so I can see the incredible, consuming nature of it.

Ya need to let it go, you're just digging that hole deeper and deeper. Keep on, you're gonna get a momma on ya.

Also what is hysterical is folks saying youth sports, x-box, etc... is biggest form of idolatry (no offense to the person who said it but I'm saying folks in general because many feel that way)but will justify spending Sunday's in the woods because they can be just as close to God blah, blah, blah. I've heard all those statements before. I coach baseball and have for the past 5 years. Spring and Fall seasons. I head coach my older son's team adn assistant coach my younger twin's team. I have my older son with a pitching coach every week. It isn't because I want him to be the next Nolan Ryan. It's because he wants to be a better pitcher. No different than taking a kid to the gun range every week because he wants to be a better shot when his chance comes at busting a big buck. If my boys wanted to walk away from the sport as soon as the last game is over, then we will do it and never look back. Truth is, pick any subject and SOMEONE has it as their "god". Baseball, watching Nascar, hunting, fishing, Aldeer, etc... Anything you put before God is an idol. We had the chance to play travel ball this year but wouldn't do it because it would take us away from church on Sunday mornings. The head coach that asked us ASSURED us it wouldn't but we knew better. Some friends I go to church with took him up on it and I believe I have seen them at church on Sunday morning maybe twice since baseball has started. Whatever it is in life that you are into, you have to keep it in perspective.

This is the stupidest crap I have ever seen on here, and that is saying a lot. So, I have to put a ribbon in my 10 year olds hair so people don't think she is gay at her softball games? Does she have to be a nurse instead of a doctor so people won't think she is gay? He'll, she probably shouldn't even go to college, I hear it will turn a woman gay too. At least she is not a cheerleader. We all know what they do for the football team before the game.

Do you guys think softball is making them gay? Really?

I don't have a daughter, but my son wants to play baseball all the time. He bugs the crap out of my to go throw with him as soon as I walk in the door, or throw batting practice. Or please dad can't I go get some hitting instruction this week. We are at the ball park a lot. But, not for my joy or my wife's. Are we proud of him, yes, of course. Do we talk about baseball, of course. So, that make us bad people.

I have told me son hundreds of times, he can play any sport he wants (except soccer ) or he can play none. It is his decision.

Some of you act like the children don't want to play sports and are being forced by a parent. Some of you have a bad taste in your mouth over sports for some reason and will talk down to anyone whose kids play. The same ones every time this type topic comes up. What ever happened to you to make you hate sport, I will never understand.

Aw, we're cool. Right or wrong, you're just not gonna win talking about folks' kids.

Yeah, softball makes little girls gay. Have seen that for years. Hell, it was so bad that it just floated above the softball fields and still does like a big ol' cloud.

First they have to decide to be Ghey, and then softball just pushes 'em over the edge 100 percent into Teh Ghey.

Whooboy.

My daughters said a long time ago she wanted to play D-1 ball...
I provide the means to get there, I don't force her, didn't ask her to play, and its not my dream...I'd be at Toyota place tomorrow for a Tundra if she quit...I will not take the field, don't wanna take the field...
Its all on her...Sweat etc...and sweat she does...she works hard at her game...
She's not gay, but she doesn't chase boys...so she's not a whore either...Seems some Mums and Dads like that...go look at some of the prom pictures on kids FB sites...Saying "Comes off quicker than a prom dress" comes to mind...
As far as our religious beliefs, for the record, wifes Dad was a pastor, and her brother is a pastor...BIL is a Baptist missionary in Romania now...My DD is saved...and we do attend Church as often as possible...
Are we there every time the doors open?...nope...no more than folks who hunt on Sunday...Some of he trashiest things I remember as a kid occurred at...BIBLE Camp...

Speaking of stereotypes...Are all holy rollers hypocrites?...
I am a also a born again Christian...DO I fall short...ABSOLUTELY...'cast the 1st stone'...
Its no ones business what my kids do, nor your kids..

Like in basic training, last command before firing at a firing range is , "FIRERS, WATCH YOUR LANE!!!!"

"Party on Garth"

Great post, SFC3

Getting back to another subject. I have never heard cheerleaders called goodie goodie until today. They weren't when I was growing up.

But their parents thought they were.

Well ill be the first to say that we hunt "too much". I spend hours working on fields and houses, and then hour after hour sitting in a shooting house waiting on a deer. It beats a lot of things me, my wife, and kids could be doing though. Keeps us all out of trouble and together more. I look at baseball and football the same way. Plus I really am reliving my childhood. When im at the park I feel like I'm 13 again. Love it for about 2 months and then it's over.

Impossible...Cant possibly hunt to much:-)
Cheerleaders?...goodie, goodie?...Every place is different, but ours in HS were pin cushions...Go watch all the cheerleader movies, see how they're portrayed...
See....
stereotypes hurt...

Turn em inside out they would look like a damn porcupine back when i was in school.I really dont see why people that dont have a clue about girls softball are even bringing it up.Like i said in a previous post some parents take it to extremes but thats not by no means limited to softball.I think going outta state for week long cheer camps is dumb as hell but im not starting a thread bashing it.Its none of my business.

So it's about winning? In another post you said something about softball girls being dykes is not a fight you wanted to pick. This how you get yer jollies?

Wut? Do you have a point you're making? Alright, I'm going to type slowly so you can keep up... The comment about girls being dykes came from two sentences written in a large paragraph about how consumed parents are with youth baseball. My bad, it was in bad taste, and wasn't what I have a beef with. It wasn't the primary topic I wanted to continue pissing and moaning about for two pages! Move on, it doesn't matter that much to me. For that matter, I don't have a serious beef with any of this, I'm just expressing something I observe that perplexes me. There's a lot of people that spend a lot of time at the ballpark. And while there's a lot of people that spend a lot of time doing innumerable other things, those same adults don't act that way about anything else. Here is the quote from the original poster: "this is our first year playing baseball. how much time do yall spend at the field? last Saturday we left the house at 8a.m. got home at 930p.m. and tomorrow we have another tourney. 7 year olds playing 4 or more games in one day." He's expressing what I'm talking about. That is abnormal behavior from sane folks. I don't care if your kid is a homerun beast. I don't care if your daughter is a split-lickin dyke. I got my opinions about it, but arguing opinions aren't going to change anybody else's opinion. None of that is my point. THE point, plain and simple, is that normal folks with sane worldviews don't spend entire lives at the flippin' baseball field. That is a problem with our society, we are given over to it.

Well I guess I got that! BTW whether you type slow or fast all looks the same when you hit submit. Dog's gone.

You have your opinion and I respect that whether I agree with it or not. You say youth baseball is a societal problem. I disagree. I say the societal problem is a full grown man that doesn't have the balls to tell the women that he doesn't want to see the video of her worthless little son/grandson but instead, comes on a deer hunting website to whine about it.

PO-TIN-CHUL Im ready.

Come on Brent, that ain't right, you know that isn't the context of that remark. Don't twist it on me. We aren't talking about one video that she showed once. Probably once a week for two seasons now I've been shown a video of her grandson making a nice hit. I watch and smile, and compliment him (actually 4 different grandsons), and she goes on about her business. I'm not going to be a jerk about it to her, and I don't think you're being genuine to suggest I should (else I'm not a "man"). The context of that remark was to show one example of people's obsession with the topic. I've never come into the office and showed them video of my girls being on top of the pyramid. Not trying to push the envelope with the mod, but you sort of singled me out didn't ya?? What I mean is if we're going to play that game, let's make sure to needle everybody that gets on here and "whines" about any other people or subjects.

All of your posts in this thread are just disrespectful and I am glad you aren't my Sunday school teacher. When you insinuate that a daddy's daughter is gay because they play softball, well, that just shows your ignorance.

Also, on a side note. How much time does your daughter spend at cheerleading practice? How many times a week does she cheer at games?

There's hope

I'm equal opportunity. You aren't pushing anything with me and yes, I did single you out. You rubbed a lot of us the wrong way when you admitted to missing a buck after already killing 3 in this thread...

changing stories...

SMH. So softball players are bad and gay but cheerleaders are good and acceptable? I went to both public and private school and I never, ever, ever thought of cheerleaders as goody goody.

You have a lot of advice for others on a subject that didn't directly involve you so I've got some advice for you; Mind your own house and work on your own faults before stereotyping other members kids based on a sport they play.

For the record, my daughter doesn't play so I'm not trying to justify anything. I've seen just as many parents go overboard with beauty pageants and competitive cheer as I have baseball and softball. The sport isn't the problem, the parents are.

Excellent post.

dang didn't know that a simple question would turn into this. how did how much time do yall spend at the field turn into girls that play softball are gay. my main thing was how much it has changed since I was playing and to see what I had to forward to in the future.

This is Aldeer general forum, always buckle up and keep your hands inside the ride, it could get bumpy.

I have 2 playing and I coach so we have two one hour practices a week per child plus a game Saturday morning for each one that lasts less than 2 hours each. So it all adds up to about seven or eight hours a week between 2 kids for 11 or 12 weeks. People do overdo it but I see more people overdoing hunting and fishing than baseball.

When I was growing up I didn't have a whole lot. My parents didn't have the money to send me to the camps or to any extra baseball stuff. For alot of my games, my dad didn't get to see because he was working the graveyard shift. I am by no means rich today - but I will say this:

As long as I can afford it, and it is something my kids want to do - I will be at the ball fields as much as they want to be. If it is baseball or softball, fine. If not, I will support them as much as I can in whatever it is they want to do.

http://dailycurrant.com/2014/04/10/female-softball-player-comes-out-as-straight/

This is what stereotypes do.... smh

The problem with the World is everybody wanting to run it...and be like them...
Lets see...Im a 30 yr Army vet, live in a pretty nice house, pay my bills, mind my own business...I hunt, work in my yard, work a little now, and go watch my youngest daughter play a game, which she loves, and will be getting a scholarship worth about $200 total..and folks insinuate my kids queer, and Im a time and money wasting loser...hell, I may just go drown myself or something...

"Watch your lane"....

I never insinuated anyone in particular was gay. I emphasized that I have friends whose daughters play. I don't think less of them. One girl was like a family member before her mom took sides in the divorce and she's outstanding, probably gonna play in college. Pretty sure she's normal, but it is a fact that a large number of softball players aren't. Thats not really debatable. Whether they gravitate to softball or it makes them that way is, I guess. I just choose not to have my daughter associated with it. Fair, or not, the stereotype is there. The best description I heard was that it 'blurs the line'. Its always bothered me when women carry themselves like men, and alot of female athletes do, particularly in softball and basketball. Call me crazy, but its something that I've noticed as long as I can remember. My opinion, my personal preference. I don't think theres a Bible verse to support it.

And the ribbon thing sounds like an old wives' tale, but softball parents told me it was true. Thats all I have to go on. Am I really the only one thats ever heard that?

Those girls aren't gonna be able to play ball anyway, you and ikillbux have two large holes you've dug for yourselves in the middle of their fields.

Fair or not, Southerners are stereotyped as backwards and ignorant by the rest of the country. Are you going to recommend your daughter leave the south so she won't be subject to other peoples ignorant judgements?

Hell yes, No softball and move from the south. That way she will not turn into a backwards, ignorant lesbian. If she stays here, she is screwed, and not in the way God intended.

Packing my bags!!Minnesota here i come.Gotta get away so everyone wont think im a hillbilly redneck with rotten teeth that dates my sister with a lesbian daughter.

When I hear people step up and argue about what someone else is doing, it's usually because that person never could be successful at whatever it is they're arguing about.

If thats the case i need to be arguing about doin the pooty cause I've never been successful at that.

Both of mine play rec ball and that is enough for me. I personally don't care if mine want to play all the time or not, the world and our family doesn't revolve around them. I've never seen a travel ball team play but I've seen the ones who play rec ball and travel ball and they are easy to pick out.....parents and kids.

I think everyone should do what they want as long as they pay taxes and stay off the government payroll.