As a parent, my Dudes behavior is of the utmost importance. It is my responsibility as their leader to help them learn between what is right and what is wrong. From the way they speak to the way they carry themselves, I take it personal. With my kids all being so young, they, especially my 8 year old, are at a stage where they have a hard time deciphering between what is right and wrong, especially when they see their friends, who they look up to, act in certain ways. I don’t see or hear about everything but when I do, it’s my job as a responsible parent to set them straight. They may not like me at that moment, but that’s ok.
As coaches, how our players act in the dugout is our responsibility. I have seen some players who are great teammates and others who should be benched for their actions.
The best always make it a point to be positive. If a teammate is having a tough game, they don’t criticize behind their back. They don’t yell things from the dugout at the other team. If they strike out, they don’t hang their head and come back to the dugout and sit on the bench and pout while their team is trying to put something together. And they ALWAYS congratulate their teammates on their successes and are genuinely happy for them.
Players who are selfish need to be kept in check at all times. By allowing a player to act like this, not appreciate the efforts of their teammates, you are setting them up for a life where they will think it is ok to act like this. It should be unacceptable for a player to sit on the bench and hang their head because they made an error in the field or struck out. Every player should be up and high-fiveing when their team is out there working and scoring runs. Keep your eyes open for those who are not and you will see the selfish ones. It should be unacceptable for your players to yell at the other team or laugh at them when they make errors. And it should never be ok for your players to ridicule or put down their teammates for their ability. A player who does this would not have a place on my team.
With that said, young, and old men, like to tease back and forth. It’s usually just for fun but I have often seen it get to a point where someone takes it personal and feelings get hurt. This is bound to happen as we are controlled by emotions but we need to teach our Dudes and help them understand what is ok, what is taking it too far and that if they can dish it, they better be able to take it.
As always, there are so many life lessons we learn from this game. How we handle ourselves and how we handle the way others act is up front and center every day we are on the field. Be the best person/player/coach you can be and it will make life a lot more enjoyable.
Be positive, be respectful, be honest and be caring towards others as often as you can.
Founder of Baseball Dudes. Blessed with three beautiful children and an amazing wife. Baseball is my life, after my family, and I love sharing what I have learned from it. Thanks for taking the time to view what we offer here at Baseball Dudes.
