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The St. Louis Cardinals Manager on Sportsmanship for Kids

ByMal Lee

Sep 25, 2012

As the regular MLB baseball season is winding down, we’d like to highlight Mike Matheny, the St. Louis Cardinals manager, who wrote a very poignant letter on sportsmanship for kids to the parents of the Little League team he coached after he retired as a player:The St. Louis Cardinals Manager on Sportsmanship for Kids

“I always said that the only team that I would coach would be a team of orphans, and now here we are. The reason for me saying this is that I have found the biggest problem with youth sports has been the parents. I think that it is best to nip this in the bud right off the bat. I think the concept that I am asking all of you to grab is that this experience is ALL about the boys. If there is anything about it that includes you, we need to make a change of plans. My main goals are as follows:

(1) to teach these young men how to play the game of baseball the right way.

(2) to be a positive impact on them as young men.

(3) do all of this with class.

We may not win every game, but we will be the classiest coaches, players, and parents in every game we play. The boys are going to play with a respect for their teammates, opposition, and the referees no matter what…

 

Mike Matheny, the St. Louis Cardinals manager   

Let the record stand right now that we will not have good referees. This is a fact, and the sooner we all understand that, the better off we will be. We will have balls that bounce in the dirt that will be called strikes, and we will have balls over our heads that will be called strikes. Likewise, the opposite will happen with the strike zone while we are pitching. The boys will not be allowed at any time to show any emotion against the referee. They will not shake their head, or pout, or say anything to the referee. This is my job, and I will do it well. I once got paid to handle those guys, and I will let them know when they need to hear something. I am really doing all of you parents a favor that you probably don’t realize at this point. I have taken out any work at all for you except to get them there on time, and enjoy. The thing that these boys need to hear is that you enjoyed watching them and you hope that they had fun.”

Would that all parents take Mike’s outstanding advice to heart.  In that same spirit for us All Pro Dads, here are 10 ways to show sportsmanship and how to teach these principles to our children.

 

From – All Pro Dad Blog