Rick Reilly raises ethical dillema in youth sports

Let's just agree that a kid who has survived cancer has learned enough life lessons.

No doubt he could teach everyone on that field a few things about winning.

 

buck --

So now I'm supposed to believe that your little league coach didn't have a batting order with the faster kids at the top, the best hitters in the middle and the weakest hitters at the bottom?

Come the fuck on...

Where the fuck did you people play little league, Narnia?

 

A good example of doing the right thing:

Spencerport basketball team shows true sportsmanship
Over the last few weeks, much well deserved attention has been given to 17 year-old Greece Athena senior Jason McElwain, also known as J-Mac, for his basketball success. But a piece of this story lies largely untold, the story of how the opposing Spencerport team showed true sportsmanship and respect for Jason, who is autistic, in his moment of glory.

One month before this momentous game, Spencerport Coach Josh Harter received a call from Athena Coach Jim Johnson. Johnson explained about a game planned to be Exceptional Senior Night. During their conversation, Johnson asked Harter about giving Jason an opportunity to play that night. "Jim asked me what I thought about suiting up Jason to play during this game," Harter said. "I was all for it. We all have known Jason for years and thought it would be a great opportunity for him to play," Harter said.

Coach Harter shared this news with his team. Jason's reputation was well known. Some of the Spencerport team members such as Billy Gushue, a senior, have known Jason since they began high school. "I've known him since we were in ninth grade," Billy said. Tom Brado, a Spencerport junior, described Jason as the team ambassador. "He's always there shaking everyone's hands," said Tom.

Jason was known to many basketball players as the Athena team manager and, more importantly, the team motivator. But, he was not known for his basketball abilities; he had never played a varsity basketball game before. So, on February 15, when he came onto the court to play, "We knew we were going to respect Jason and his moment," said Doug Potter, a Spencerport player and sophomore.

Jason's basketball talent took the Spencerport team by surprise, and the players were amazed at his triumphs. Jason made six 3-point shots and one 2-point shot in less than four minutes. Jon Schreiner, a Spencerport senior, guarded Jason during this game. "I didn't want to be the bad guy and block his shots. But Jason earned his points. He made all his shots, one was from NBA range," Jon said. As Tom watched Jason sink his famous 3-pointers, he could not believe what he saw, "I would not have believed this was happening if I did not see it with my own eyes. I went with the moment. I clapped and laughed and cheered Jason on." Doug also guarded Jason, "I didn't block his shots. It wasn't about me, it was all for him," Doug said. Billy was also overwhelmed, "I felt like we weren't the opposing team because we were all cheering for Jason," said Billy.

The team was also amazed at how both the Athena and Spencerport communities came together to cheer Jason on. "This was not about basketball," Jon Schreiner said, "this was about Jason having his moment that he has waited for his whole life."

 

cont:

It was a phenomenal moment," Harter said. "The atmosphere was charged with energy. It was truly amazing to see two communities celebrating Jason. I was so proud of our guys and how they took pleasure in someone else's accomplishment."

Many life lessons were learned that night. Harter described the game as "a game we will never forget. Sometimes coaches and players get caught up in the wins and losses. But during this game, our players embraced the moment. These players are great guys. I know that when they leave our school they will be successful people in life because of what they showed us on the court during this game," said Harter.

Helping others is something that the team has done throughout the season. Many of the players volunteer their time to help teach and coach younger players at a Saturday morning Junior Hoops program through Ogden Recreation. This year, the team's annual Point Pledge Fundraiser rose over $4,000 to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Over the past few weeks, Harter and the team have received many accolades from across the country, from e-mails to letters and phone calls to personal visits. "A coach from Tennessee sent me an e-mail congratulating the team on their sportsmanship," said Harter. Johnson offered his acknowledgment to the Spencerport team and coach. "I would like to congratulate the Spencerport boys' basketball team and their coach, Josh Harter, for the wonderful sportsmanship they demonstrated in the game. To me, it was the essence of what high school sports is about," said Johnson.

The most meaningful recognition came when Johnson and Athena's players made a visit to the Spencerport team's end of season banquet. "A parent contacted me before the banquet and said that the Athena team wanted to present a token of their appreciation," said Harter. At the banquet, Johnson, Jason and team members presented Harter and the team with a sportsmanship and class act award. "We had no idea this was going to happen. It was awesome for Athena to give us this credit," said Tom. "It showed character and class for these guys to show up," said Billy.

Many different stories are circulating about what the future holds for Jason McElwain. Some say a movie deal is in the works. When asked about this movie possibility, some of the Spencerport players jumped at the opportunity to play themselves. Billy said, "I want to be in this movie." Jon agreed, "I would too," he concurred.

While the movie may tell Jason's story, the most important ending for the Spencerport team is told by Coach Harter, "I am so proud of our team and how they represented our school and community by what they showed us on the court that night," he said.

 

I still think it's a shame that a lot of you seem to be working from the assumption that this kid didn't have a chance in the world of getting a hit. If that is indeed the case (and Reilly doesn't give us enough information to know one way or another), then I think the parents deserve some of the blame for putting him out there in the first place. Why in the world would you put your kid in that situation, knowing that his success or failure depended entirely on the generosity of the coaches in the opposite dugout? Seems pretty cavalier to me.

 

because like most parents they love their little boy and wanted to give him the experience that every boy should have at 9/10 - play baseball .

 

You're not "supposed" to be believe anything.

My coach -- who happened to be my dad, most years -- spread out his lineup, like a good coach should. His cleanup hitter was usually the best hitter, and he always had his best pure, contact hitter hitting No. 1 or 2. (Neither of them were ever me.)

But it certainly wasn't a set lineup, pencil it in like Casey Stengel and let your Hall of Famers do what they do. I was an average hitter, and I hit pretty much anywhere from 2-8 in different games. Sure, maybe in this championship game, you balance it out a little more ... but you're still talking about 10-year-olds. You're still talking about a level where a ball skips past even talented kids because they were watching a big truck go by on the road, etc., etc.

They're 10-year-olds. Remember that: they're 10. They will remember winning a big championship when they get older, for the most part, but they're still 10. Let's keep some perspective.

 

It doesn't make anyone a jerk to think the kid was set up to fail. First off, the coaches did what they did to set him up to fail. They knew he had cancer. Second off, it seems pretty likely that a kid WITH A SHUNT IN HIS HEAD is gonna have problems getting a hit. If you really expect anyone to believe you would've seen the kid, and knowing he had cancer, would've said he was probably gonna get a hit, you're fooling yourself.

Could the kid of gotten a hit? Sure. I wish he had. Then he'd be a hero, and the other coaches would still be jerks.
Was it likely he would get a hit? No. And it makes no one a jerk to say a kid recovering from cancer has less chances of getting a hit than a lot of other kids.
Were the coaches betting he wouldn't and setting him up to fail? Yes.

I love when someone really has no argument to make, so they try to make the other side look like bad guys.

 

"hey meat walk this guy and we'll ptich to the kid with the shunt in his head"

 

I would hope to God this wasn't the case, but a part of me wonders if the losing manager set up his lineup that way to paint the opposing skipper into this very no-win corner. If the slugger is pitched to and gets the big hit, there's nothing to worry about. If the slugger gets walked intentionally and the cancer kid strikes out as expected, he can play the compassion card against the opposing manager.

 

I think you've pretty well summed up the entire problem.

The idea that someone could believe that putting a kid like this into a 9- and 10-year-old league was somehow wrong because these games are so meaningful is exactly the problem.

The kids don't give a shit. If they were in the backyard playing wiffle ball, the cancer kid would get his turn, just like everybody's little brother got a turn, and you wouldn't be walking the guy in front of him.

The more I think about it, I think parents should be barred from the games almost completely. Let 'em set up the games, allow one or two to be on hand to settle disputes and leave everything else up to the kids. They seem to be the only ones in this with any sense.

 

my last year of little league, we lost the championship game to a team loaded with my closest friend. 37 years later, i remember it FONDLY. it was a great game. when i returned home that night, i had to call one of those friends to get our homework assignment. life went on.

there are life memories for these kids, win or lose. i wouldn't want my kid's life memory to be his coach intentionally walked a slugger to pitch to a poor hitter. i'd much rather his life memory be that the slugger bashed the gamer or the pitcher unintentionally walked him and the weak hitter either miraculously got on or even struck out and that they all shook hands and enjoyed pizza and ice cream afterwards.