Little League Frustrations

My son is in his fourth year of playing in little league...playing three years for the same coach.  I am, by nature, not a very competitive person.  I want him to win because I don't want him to feel bad.  As a teacher I understand the need to learn that he will not always win in life.  I really never want my attitude to affect how he feels about something.

I think I have made a mistake.  I have messed something up this season.

My son used to enjoy baseball.  He used to want to play catch.  He used to get excited about his games.  This season he has feigned sick twice on game day.

Here are my baseball rules:

1.  Do your best.
2.  Have fun.
3.  Finish out the season, if you decide you don't like it because your teammates are counting on you.

Here's my frustrations and, please keep in mind, that I am no way a coach.  I am just a mom.

Our team has eleven players who all get to play every game.  Our team is made up of players who have mostly played together before.  Our infield are the only kids who get fielding practice.  Our catch is told to just stand there and not get hit by the bats.  The first baseman runs to cover home...leaving first empty (can't tell you how many runs that has cost us).  The shortstop pretends that the third baseman doesn't exist...no one in the infield throws the ball to the third baseman.  The shortstop plays third, second, and some outfield all at the same time.  The outfield only stops balls because no one has worked with them at all.  We have four really good hitters to start off our batting line up and then after they have hit, we're done scoring.  Once again, no one worked with the middle and bottom of the order.  Only four players get any attention in practice.

Four of the other players have been told by someone on the team that they really aren't good so they shouldn't play.  Four players who really enjoy the game and play hard...now don't want to play because they don't feel like they are worth the coach's time.

My son might not catch every ball hit into center field.  He might not get a hit every at bat...But he hustles out onto the field every inning.  He hustles onto the on deck circle.  He will give his all.  He will not throw his helmet down when he is called out.  He will not cry when he is out at third.  He will not cry when the team losses (I thought Tom Hanks had taught us that there was no crying in baseball).  He will keep his head held high and say, "next time we'll get'em,"

I really thought the purpose of a 7-year-old baseball team was to teach fundamentals, not to change up the line-up or to switch up who is in the outfield based on hitters (how are the outfielders gonna learn to catch those hits if the coach doesn't leave them alone?) in order to try to win and maintain first place in the league.  I have tried to keep my thoughts to myself, so my son doesn't feed on my disappointment with the set up.

Our team has eleven players.  Four who have been told how good and valuable they are.  Seven who have been left to their own defenses but would do anything the coach asked.

My pick for the All-stars are the seven,