Danny Almonte Part Deux

12 Feb 2015

Little League Baseball announced that they are stripping the U.S. championship from the Chicago-based Jackie Robinson West team. It’s sad that this is just another moment in youth sports where a group of adults make a terrible mistake and the kids are the victims. All other victories leading up to LLWS must be vacated as well. The coach has been suspended after using players who were outside the geographic area that the team represents. Essentially, the goal was to create a super team and hope no one would notice.

I still do not understand how these adults get so blindsided by winning. Unfortunately, the LLWS has always had some controversy. A lot of viewers, including myself, watch the event each summer  and wonder how some of these 12 or 13-year old’s look like they could be starting at middle linebacker for Michigan. This Jackie Robinson team was a great story for baseball but more importantly for the country. This is my PSA to all parents and youth coaches: SOMEONE HAS TO SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE. I don’t think these adults understand what type of psychological roller coaster these kids have to deal with. First, you are the apple of the country’s eye and before you blink you have become a pariah. Kids can be brutally mean and if you don’t think that the Jackie Robinson team is going to hear it from other kids, then you’re truly naive. Listen, I don’t believe in every kid getting a trophy but I also don’t believe in embarrassing children.

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