Coaches should let kids play

Another Little League World Series will conclude this weekend in South Williamsport, Pa., and the organization through which the game of baseball has been introduced to millions of youngsters will access itself and grow.

Since 1939 when the concept for Little League first came to be in Williamsport, Little League has enjoyed an existence and perception right up there with Motherhood and apple pie.

A primary reason for this is that Little League is a grass roots organization world wide, run by volunteers who are mostly the moms and dads of players or former players. That has kept the organization close to its roots and the people responsible for its success.

There are over a million volunteers worldwide and a paid staff of 95 that oversees the paperwork, rules and organization from its headquarters in So. Williamsport. They have a volunteer Board of Directors to lean on for support.

There are fewer youngsters playing baseball these days, especially in the inner cities. Little League has an urban initiative program to grow the sport in the cities by building fields, organizing volunteers and providing youth baseball instruction.

The game has lost its luster for many youngsters in this day of faster lives, faster sports and a million more diversions. How these inner city programs work will affect not only Little Leagues future, but the future of the game’s popularity and support at ever level.

The recent televising of LLWS games (of which I am involved with ESPN/ABC) and those leading up to the 16 teams that make it to Williamsport continues to provoke discussion. Is it good for the kids to be so exposed?

There is no easy answer to that. This year it appeared that some kids and coaches were playing to the cameras, extending game times and interfering with play in the process.

The endless involvement during some games on seemingly every pitch by coaches yelling or meeting with the kids ground some games to a halt and took the games away from the 11 and 12 year olds. The events became coach’s shows.

Little League needs to reduce the time spent by coaches who stop the game to talk with youngsters. Coaches need to let the kids play and the foolishness of stealing pitching signs and signaling every pitch from the coach to the catcher needs to be stopped.

There is no question one of the reasons these intrusions into the game occur is because coaches want TV time. By placing microphones on coaches, we invite them to play to the camera, even though there are times when the overheard discussions are instructional and entertaining. We on the broadcast side may need to reevaluate that.

In the end, thank goodness, the kids are still the show. The level of play displayed at the LLWS is phenomenal. The smiles and tears are real. The kids compete, but do so in an atmosphere of friendship and fun.

Little League has that going for it and in the end that is IT.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.