JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
Messages
7,000
Reactions
9,862
It's become a cult these days. These parents are nutty. They are rude, insecure, and just plain over the top.

I come from a big sports family. I played all sports through high school in Tigard. Back when parents worked till 7pm and didn't make a lot of games.

My dad made a lot of money. And I borrowed a bat from team mates at games. These days parents buy 2 bats at $200-500 bucks.

They truly live through there kids.

It's sad. And it's annoying. I avoid them at all costs. And I have 5 kids all in or gonna play sports. My view is front seat with this issue.
 
I deal with it with my niece playing softball and basketball and I will admit my sister is that way sometimes I and others in the family have too tell her to cool her jet's some times as for buying the equipment she does that to insane my niece has basketball and softball shoe's that cost more than a car payment lol but I did buy her a good softball MIT and I was surprised at how much a MIT cost over a $100
 
Does anyone remember when we didn't need uniforms and an official diamond to play ball? Some of us didn't even have a glove.
Do you suppose we could sue the city of our youth for mistreatment??

Sheldon
 
Now I am old and have different opinion that a lot of people about youth sports. I coached youth baseball for 17 years, tee ball up through high school varsity baseball. Back in the 90's and early 2000's. I was able to coach all my kids, and have my little league coach with me when his grandson was on my team. I coached even after my kids aged out of the game.

Apparently a lot had changed in the 12 years since I have been out of the coaching game. One of my grandsons played here in the West Metro area team. He is a decent athlete and works at the game all though his mother thinks he should be playing "up" because he is better than the rest of the kids. She was kind of a ground breaker as she played little league baseball and was one hell of a catcher and very competitive. He is good, but not that good yet.

The coaches now have no care for teaching the kids anything. Just get up and hit the ball. No defense, no warm up drills, no dugout discipline. They have pitching devices they can use, but the coaches throw the kids bad pitches, the kids finally have to swing at these crap pitches and then get rung up for strikes. It is painful in the least. The parents cheer for bad performances, the moms pass them food and drinks in the dugouts, the kids run around outside the dugouts, they let 8 year olds pitch to other 8 year olds and the games run 2 1/2 hours. The majority of the runs are scored on overthrows and errors. A good defensive play is when the ball only goes through 2 kids and the 3 catchs it.

The kids run the ball to the bases, because if they throw it it will be an over or missed throw and the runners will advance. I do not know what the intent of the games are, because the kids are not learning the game. I know that less than 25% of these kids will play at the Babe Ruth or high school level, but lets at least impart some kind of baseball and life lessons here. I get tired of watching the bearded millennial coaches in their plaid shirts looking at their phones while the game is going on.

Now on the other side, another grand son plays over in Redmond and it is a completely different world over there. They are teaching them well, good dug out discipline and they will teach the kids things during the games. Years ago, I worked in grounds maintenance for a school district. I collected an amazing amount go lost or discarded gear and was able to outfit a lot of kids who's parents could not afford it. No need for that now, the gear and most importantly the clothes are top shelf all the way.

End of rant.
 
Now I am old and have different opinion that a lot of people about youth sports. I coached youth baseball for 17 years, tee ball up through high school varsity baseball. Back in the 90's and early 2000's. I was able to coach all my kids, and have my little league coach with me when his grandson was on my team. I coached even after my kids aged out of the game.

Apparently a lot had changed in the 12 years since I have been out of the coaching game. One of my grandsons played here in the West Metro area team. He is a decent athlete and works at the game all though his mother thinks he should be playing "up" because he is better than the rest of the kids. She was kind of a ground breaker as she played little league baseball and was one hell of a catcher and very competitive. He is good, but not that good yet.

The coaches now have no care for teaching the kids anything. Just get up and hit the ball. No defense, no warm up drills, no dugout discipline. They have pitching devices they can use, but the coaches throw the kids bad pitches, the kids finally have to swing at these crap pitches and then get rung up for strikes. It is painful in the least. The parents cheer for bad performances, the moms pass them food and drinks in the dugouts, the kids run around outside the dugouts, they let 8 year olds pitch to other 8 year olds and the games run 2 1/2 hours. The majority of the runs are scored on overthrows and errors. A good defensive play is when the ball only goes through 2 kids and the 3 catchs it.

The kids run the ball to the bases, because if they throw it it will be an over or missed throw and the runners will advance. I do not know what the intent of the games are, because the kids are not learning the game. I know that less than 25% of these kids will play at the Babe Ruth or high school level, but lets at least impart some kind of baseball and life lessons here. I get tired of watching the bearded millennial coaches in their plaid shirts looking at their phones while the game is going on.

Now on the other side, another grand son plays over in Redmond and it is a completely different world over there. They are teaching them well, good dug out discipline and they will teach the kids things during the games. Years ago, I worked in grounds maintenance for a school district. I collected an amazing amount go lost or discarded gear and was able to outfit a lot of kids who's parents could not afford it. No need for that now, the gear and most importantly the clothes are top shelf all the way.

End of rant.
This post here is 100% spot on. I couldn't of defined it more perfectly.
 
I met a few of those parents when I helped with my stepdaughter's softball team, and my son's soccer team.
And some were pretty bad,...
But,...
But if you REALLY want to see "over the top" parents?
Go to a few horse shows. 4H, quarterhorse clubs, paint clubs, and breeders shows etc.
$200.00 for a bat, $120.00 gloves, $150.00 shoes?
Don't make me laugh.

Try $5,000 for a horse.
Another $1500-2,000 worth of tack.
$3,000 for a trailer.
$25K (used) for the truck to tow said trailer with.
Then the monthly/semi-monthly stuff like:
Vet bills.
Farrier bills.
Feed bills.
Training assistance.
Arena time.

Hou$e with a barn and pa$ture and good fencing and a training paddock?
You don't EVEN wanna know.

BTDT. And in hindsight, I'd have much preferred to keep coaching her in softball.
It all started so innocently too. Just a trail horse. One I might use on a hunting trip or two.

Gotta kid that wants to play softball/basketball/soccer?
Count your blessings and move on.
WARNING: DON'T OPEN THE HORSE DOOR!!!!!!!!!!!
 
Last Edited:
I met a few of those parents when I helped with my stepdaughter's softball team, and my son's soccer team.
And some were pretty bad,...
But,...
But if you REALLY want to see "over the top" parents?
Go to a few horse shows. 4H, quarterhorse clubs, paint clubs, and breeders shows etc.
$200.00 for a bat, $120.00 gloves, $150.00 shoes?
Don't make me laugh.

Try $5,000 for a horse.
Another $1500-2,000 worth of tack.
$3,000 for a trailer.
$25K (used) for the truck to tow said trailer with.
Then the monthly/semi-monthly stuff like:
Vet bills.
Farrier bills.
Feed bills.
Training assistance.
Arena time.

Hou$e with a barn and pa$ture and good fencing and a training paddock?
You don't EVEN wanna know.

BTDT. And in hindsight, I'd have much preferred to keep coaching her in softball.
It all started so innocently too. Just a trail horse. One I might use on a hunting trip or two.

Gotta kid that wants to play softball/basketball/soccer?
Count your blessings and move on.
WARNING: DON'T OPEN THE HORSE DOOR!!!!!!!!!!!
You seem to be suggesting the budget prices, or maybe that's just how it is for youth? LoL

Yeah, I'm a poor man with rich tastes. LoL

I think it's good to show structure and discipline in sports, but it can go too far. Find a happy medium, because most importantly sports are about having fun. (That doesn't mean it's a free for all nose pickin')
 
I graduated in 2005. And I hated my parents going to my football and basketball games so I always told them to stay home. Lol I felt like they where bad luck.
 
I met a few of those parents when I helped with my stepdaughter's softball team, and my son's soccer team.
And some were pretty bad,...
But,...
But if you REALLY want to see "over the top" parents?
Go to a few horse shows. 4H, quarterhorse clubs, paint clubs, and breeders shows etc.
$200.00 for a bat, $120.00 gloves, $150.00 shoes?
Don't make me laugh.

Try $5,000 for a horse.
Another $1500-2,000 worth of tack.
$3,000 for a trailer.
$25K (used) for the truck to tow said trailer with.
Then the monthly/semi-monthly stuff like:
Vet bills.
Farrier bills.
Feed bills.
Training assistance.
Arena time.

Hou$e with a barn and pa$ture and good fencing and a training paddock?
You don't EVEN wanna know.

BTDT. And in hindsight, I'd have much preferred to keep coaching her in softball.
It all started so innocently too. Just a trail horse. One I might use on a hunting trip or two.

Gotta kid that wants to play softball/basketball/soccer?
Count your blessings and move on.
WARNING: DON'T OPEN THE HORSE DOOR!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh budy that horse door is already open in my life. 3 horses. Big trailer. All the gear.
I'd have another FJ40 if I didn't have the horses. I love the horses though. They calm me down.
 
I've never had a use for the whole "sports scene"... it's so packed full of a-holes and nut-jobs that they should name another candy bar after it.

After high school I skipped right into the major leagues and played with the "big boys"... the US Army. Everything else (sports) just looked(s) even MORE pathetic after that.


:rolleyes:
 
I've never had a use for the whole "sports scene"... it's so packed full of a-holes and nut-jobs that they should name another candy bar after it.

After high school I skipped right into the major leagues and played with the "big boys"... the US Army. Everything else (sports) just looked(s) even MORE pathetic after that.


:rolleyes:
Lol.
That's what the rangers said about the regular army boys.
 
You seem to be suggesting the budget prices, or maybe that's just how it is for youth? LoL

Yeah, I'm a poor man with rich tastes. LoL

I think it's good to show structure and discipline in sports, but it can go too far. Find a happy medium, because most importantly sports are about having fun. (That doesn't mean it's a free for all nose pickin')
Sorry, those are 1990s prices, for intermediate level stuff.
And I forgot to adjust them for inflation. :D
 
Oh budy that horse door is already open in my life. 3 horses. Big trailer. All the gear.
I'd have another FJ40 if I didn't have the horses. I love the horses though. They calm me down.
You know, I have no problem with the idea of owning horses. They are very useful critters and if we had bought them to have horses for general use, I might still be married.
It was the show circuit garbage/expense that got to me.

So much money down the crapper,....
 
I've never had a use for the whole "sports scene"... it's so packed full of a-holes and nut-jobs that they should name another candy bar after it.

After high school I skipped right into the major leagues and played with the "big boys"... the US Army. Everything else (sports) just looked(s) even MORE pathetic after that.

3 of my boys did kind of the same thing. Marine Corps right out of high school. Some of their associates, not friends really, but associates were trying to make it in juco sports, or drinking themselves silly and taking bong hits all weekend long.

One of my friends said yeah my kid is having a tough time at the U of O, trying to keep up with grades and intramural sports. I said yeah, I can see that, my boys are just rolling around Iraq and Afghanistan on foot patrols getting shot at by haji, living in sh*thole forward outposts, and eating MREs.
 

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top