I wanted to share this article from Paul Reddick with the CheckSwing community. Paul is a well known coach/instructor/author and also a CheckSwing advertiser for his 90mph Club pitching program, which is well reviewed and hugely popular. Never afraid to share his opinion, Paul voices his opinion about today's overzealous baseball parents. It's worth a read.
Please let us know what you think.
Open Letter To All Psycho Baseball Parents
by Paul Reddick
If this letter infuriates you...
If it makes you angry...
If it makes you upset...
I've got bad news for you.
You may be a psycho baseball parent!
It's gonna get worse for you.
If you answer yes to any of the following questions
you ARE a psycho baseball parent!
Does your kid has a personal trainer and he not in HS yet?
Does he go to private lessons more than once a week and he's not in HS?
Has he had an arm injury before his 12th birthday?
Is your travel baseball budget over 5k ?
Have you missed family events for games?
Do you have punishment for missing practice before the age of 12?
Have you ever lost sleep because of a childs game?
Do you have a plan for his college recruitment before he's in HS?
Do you think you are going to make sure he gets the chance you never had?
Do you have pitch charts on your child?
Do you calculate their Little League batting average for nothing other than fun?
Have you quit a team becasue you were not getting in the game?
Have you started an AAU travel team so your kid could be the star?
Do you coach a travel team and stacked it with the best talent?
Are you going to decide where he goes to school based on baseball?
If you're the only one people can hear cheering at every game?
Have you Verbally abused opponent or umpire?
Did you change jobs because it interfered with team schedule?
Are you planning to start school later to improve chances of being on upper age limits?
Have you ever got in a fight with another parent, coach or ump at a game?
Have you ever yelled at another adult or worse... A kid under the age of 18 while umping a little league game?
Have you ever yelled at another adult or worse... A kid under the age of 18 while umping a little league game?
I know nobody reading this would ever say yes to any of those questions, Right? 
I'm sure you know a bunch of people who would though.
Let me drop some truth on you:
I get emails everyday that say something like ...
"My 10 year old has a dream of playing in MLB and he is so focused and nothing will stop him we train 4 hours per day and he's gonna play 120 games this year"
Your kid doesn't want that!
You know how I know your 10 year old doesn't want to train 4 hours per day and play 120 games?
HE'S 10!!!!!
He probably picks his nose when you're not looking and loves fart jokes. If you allowed him he would eat cookies, ice cream and soda at every meal.
He should. He's 10!!!!!
Your kid doesn't want what you want. He wants YOU!!! All your child wants
is approval, praise, and love from you as a parent. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
Too many people mistake their kids desire to please them with their interest in sports.
He's trying to connect with you! You could be doing anything with him...its not about sports.
Try this every once in a while...
Take him our for ice cream.
Ask him what else he thinks is cool.
Go for a Jog together (maybe end with a race).
Take the dog for a walk together.
Try learning a new skill together.
Do stupid stuff to make your kid laugh.
Go see a move together.
Try and eat a whole pizza together.
Go volunter and help others.
Help out Challenger baseball...if you really want to see what the game is about.
Take him to the mall give him $50 and tell him to buy something for his mom.
Play video games with him.
...and the following mandatory!!!
Look your child in the eyes 3 times a day, tell them you love them and give them a hug!
There's only been about 15,000 Major League Baseball players in the history of the game, odds are your kid is not one of them. You will never manufature your childs ability.
You're playing with a very dangerous and fragile element...your childs self worth
I'm not getting all airy fairy but, for every kid I've seen get a D1 schiolarship or get drafted I 've seen 100 who wound up hating their parents and getting into trouble.
Am I saying you should not work hard for your goals? NO
You should teach your child to set goals and to go for them with everything they have.
But, there has to be a balance.
You have to be the voice of reason. You're the adult. Act like it.
Your child playing 100 games a year is not going to make him a pro player or D1 prospect.
He's more likely to burn out, wind up hating you...or worse you'll put him in a situation where he quits or continues to play just to satisfy you.
Yogi Berra did not play an organized game of baseball until he was 17.
Your kid is going to grow up to be a husband, father, have a career, maybe become a leader.
What kind of man is he going to be?
Don't screw him up! all your kid wants is love. He's your kid, give it to him!
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Paul Reddick is the Director of the Yogi Berra Baseball School, Author of the Picture Perfect Pitcher, and the creator of the 90mphclub.com
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