- Target:
- Deer Park Little League
- Region:
- United States of America
Our primary goal when starting this petition was to incite discussion and, oh boy, that's exactly what it did! While, yes, we began the petition in response to our personal experience, the petition was never personal. Rather it sought to expose the experiences shared by many individuals in organizations like this where the "rules" allow for injustice and unequal treatment. So many people have an opinion on this subject and have experienced a variety of circumstances, both similar and dissimilar to ours. It was great to have mature 'question & answer' with many of you!
The regret that we have is that there were a number of individuals who resorted to personal attacks and attempts to discredit our beliefs simply because we had different opinions. We also regret that some believed that it was appropriate to encourage vulgar responses rather than focusing on the issues and encouraging open discussion.
We spoke with a few members of the board tonight and all discussions were respectful and sincere. We were encouraged to run for the board or apply to coach if we wanted to "make a difference." Since the coaches had technically not broken any rules, which we acknowledged, they were limited as to what they can do to address the situation. However, they agreed to bring up the requests from the petition at the next board meeting. As for those members of the organization that encouraged vulgarity, the league had no jurisdiction because it "didn't happen on the league website or on league premises." We all agreed that the league probably could have been afforded more time to address the situation prior to the petition, but we feel that the purpose was served either way- it was made clear that there were many individuals that felt this way about the "rules."
Thank you not only to those that supported the petition, but to those of you who engaged in active, mature discussions. If for not anything else, you supported the democratic process for which our country was built upon.
We leave you with one of our favorite quotes that encourages ALL to stand up for what you believe in, never settle for the status quo, and not be bullied by the one who yells the loudest...
"There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but because conscience tells one it is right.” --MLK
These words ring true to us today and have helped us through the last week. No matter how trivial you think your plight is, stand up! Thank you again to those of you who did!
"This ain't the YMCA! My job is to win!" said a coach when asked why the same children sat out for three consecutive innings. Little League Intl. states that the ideal coach is "motivated by their love of baseball and their desire to teach young people." The previous statement is not indicative of Little League Intl.'s core beliefs or the core beliefs of many individuals who choose to involve their sons and daughters in such leagues.
However, this coach's belief system is shared by many other coaches in DPLL. For example, time and time again, the same children are kept in the outfield or sitting in the dugout while focus is solely on the more talented players. In addition, coaches, many of whom serve on the Board of Directors, behave in such unsportsmanlike ways that some are threatened with, if not actually, being expelled from games.
Not only should every child be given an opportunity to receive equal exposure to the game experience both in practice and on the field, they should also have coaches that serve as role models and who choose to share their expertise rather than reserving attention for a select few. While competitiveness is a valuable trait of many successful individuals, the competitive nature of some Deer Park Little League coaches is so extreme that it has become a detriment to many children and created a culture of exclusion and nepotism.
We, the undersigned, call on the Board of Directors of Deer Park Little League to make the following changes to DPLL's Bylaws:
1) No one player shall sit out for more than one inning consecutively. No one player shall sit out more than once during a game until each player has been rotated to sit out.
2) Each player shall be rotated to various positions in both the infield and outfield at practices. Each player shall be rotated to an infield position at least once during an in-season game unless parent requests otherwise.
3) Board members should serve as role models for the league. Any unsportsmanlike behavior of board members deemed unsportsmanlike by umpires resulting in expulsion from games will result in removal from the board.
The Improve Deer Park Little League Coaching petition to Deer Park Little League was written by Jennifer Suarez and is in the category Youth at GoPetition.