For the FTP's amongst us

Parents are THE problem with youth sports. The ONLY problem.
After 8 years in the local youth tackle football program (coaching and on the board), including a split when a new high school was built in the city, I will never be involved in youth ball sports again.

 

The only issue I see is the ump having to control the adults while calling the game, that is putting the kid into an unfair disadvantage as the adults are not going to submit to his/her authority. Does he/she have an adult backup? If not, I can just see it as what possibly happened in the video as the article said it was started by a argument over a "dispute over the rules." I am no way saying this is the umpire's fault but could be the catalyst.

 

Generally there isn’t an adult partner on youth games like this because no one will pay for a second umpire to be there. Realistically at a 7u game there’s no need for it and the adults have no desire to work those games because they’re horrendous talent levels that just suck to be at. I know lots of guys who won’t even work high school jv games because there’s too big of a talent discrepancy between varsity and jv. Again, these are 7 year old kids. There’s absolutely no reason to go after a 13 year old’s judgement. These parents should be banned from games.

 

https://www.tmz.com/2019/06/27/colorado-baseball-fight-brawl-pregnant-bat-12-citations/

 

I question whether a 13 YO umpire has the maturity to call a game like this. Definitely not condoning any of the ensuing brawl as there’s absolutely no justification for this kind of behavior. I just don’t think being a 13 YO you are able to maintain your authority or position as well as a grown adult would be able to.

 

Cops had initially cited just 5 people in the June 15 melee -- but after more than a week of investigating and reviewing some pretty clear brawl footage, officials have identified at least 7 more people involved in the fracas.

I don't think melee, brawl, or fracas adequately describe it.
That was a full donnybrook.

 

Do you think fighting ought to result in criminal charges? What's wrong with a little scuffle every now and then? Now an assault on a defenseless person, for sure, but two people willingly squaring off and sorting their differences physically, that shouldn't be against the law.

 

It’s not if no one files charges and the incident isn’t creating a public disturbance.

 

A prosecutor can choose to file charges even if nobody is cooperating if he feels he has sufficient evidence (like a video) to get a conviction. That's why criminal cases are "the state v. the defendant" instead of "the victim v. the defendant".

 

The state files charges, victims file lawsuits.

 

And without an active participant (obviously corpses don’t come into play, that’s not battery), to testify, the state won’t bring charges?

Why? Because they won’t convict. As well they shouldn’t. Because the state doesn’t have a claim against aggressors A or B, they potentially have claims against each other.

 

So, what was the call or ruling on the field that started this?
How bad of a bad call was it?

 

Yes they will. It’s rooted in witness intimidation issues. Think battered wife.

 

A battered wife scenario isn’t what we’re talking about now, is it?

That doesn’t sound like two people squaring odd to settle their differences like (cave)men...

 

Home team felt the cops gave us our rights, the visitors disagreed.

 

Two different points. Squaring off was a hypothetical, loosely based on this fight. Battered wife was an example for when you have an uncooperative witness as a counter to your point. My point being, an aggressive (or stupid) prosecutor can and will file charges if he has evidence, even if the victim isn't seeking justice. It happens all the time.

 

The police sure did an awesome job of giving rights to all those of people to assemble peacefully.

 

You may have been a teenager, but everyone thought you were 35.