THE PUBLIC MIND: WHAT IS AIM OF YOUTH LEAGUE BASEBALL IF NOT TO ELEVATE YOUTH?

To the Editor:

Thousands of our dollars are spent each year on Cape Girardeau Boys' Little ~League Baseball. Parents pay fees each year so their children can enjoy this summer sport and we as parents can enjoy watching our youth have fun.

Somewhere along the line a lot of the fun has been taken out of Cape's Little League Baseball for many of our children. It seems that once they reach the ripe old age of 14, they are no longer allowed to have fun with this game. Only the so-called "better" player are allowed to play. The "leftovers" are allowed to sit on the bench to root their team on. This is not what I paid $35 to have my son do and there are other parents and "bench warmers" who feel the same way.

These children are not getting paid to play baseball. We parents are paying so our children can have an enjoyable time playing a sport they enjoy and we can enjoy watching them play.

This is a form of discrimination by our ~league management and coaches. Why are certain boys allowed to play the whole game every game - and others allowed to play only one inning and bat only one time in seven innings while others are batting three to four times? Is this the way to teach our youth about fairness and teamwork?

Winning is not everything. How our youth are made to feel about themselves now could reflect upon their lives forever. Making them stay on the bench six out of seven innings does not send a positive statement to anyone. How many of our coaches would allow their sons to bat only one inning each game?

What is Little League Baseball all about? I always thought it was a source of teaching fair play, cooperation and sportsmanship to our youth. It was a way to fill their summers with a healthy activity that was enjoyable and gave them a since of pride when they did well and a desire to do better when having an off day.

Why do we need to play so-called competitive baseball in Little League? Why can't everyone be allowed to participate the whole game? There is enough competition in school sports without having to extend it to the summer recreational programs for which we pay for our children to enjoy.

Lavonna Holloway

Cape Girardeau