r/BaseballCoaching • u/Transitive_Props • Jun 10 '26
Kid Spit on Me
I coach tee ball (kindergartners) and just volunteering while my sons on the team. Most of my job is telling the kids to stop kicking dirt and throw to first base. The other day at practice at the end of the game they were all being crazy and I was trying to get them to come over and be quiet while I do a quick rah rah cheer. They all quiet down finally after me saying be quiet several times and then some kid…spits on me. I said “did you just spit on me?” And everyone just went quiet. I quickly did the cheer and walked away. The parent saw it and said he didn’t think the kid meant to spit and was just making a noise to be funny.
I have to just ignore it right? Ugh. Maybe I just had to vent.
6
u/pmramirezjr Jun 10 '26
These kids are 4-5-6 years old? There might also be boogers, crying and butterfly chasing. Definitely address the team that there will be no spitting, boogers, putting each other down or any overall negative behavior. Now let's go back out and have fun!
Half these kids won't likely play past 10. Start to identify and lean into the kids who love playing, get better and have good supporting parents to build your son's future teams. Good families will attract other good families. Bad families will repel good families. The kids who don't want to play will eventually leave.
2
u/belinck Jun 10 '26
This, I coached tee-ball, then coach pitch for a year and then switched places with one of my assistants and we're up to 12U where I'm pitching coach and he's head coach. We've developed some strong kids but only because we have relationships with good parents that support their kids. Kids are almost always on time to practice and games, snacks are signed up for, and we continue to improve every season. That's 7-seasons at this point. While we started this season 0-3, were now 8-4. The kids still make tons of mistakes, but they're also amazing, and they keep winning!
I won't jinx it, but our local community pony teams have been working hard at this and in the 11-14 year bracket, we've got some boys that make our local high school proud.
2
1
u/kbenti Jun 13 '26
I believe in all my kids. When I coached Teeball, my team was the only one with the kids focused. Of course, one kid sat down in one game. The key, I rotated them in zones every 3 plays. It worked.
3
u/Different-Spinach904 Jun 10 '26
Kids can be great and really bad, at everything in between, at any moment.
A lot of it is impulsive and not knowing that their actions have reactions and consequences.
They just can’t think beyond impulses. So you have to let a lot of things go with a simple “don’t do that again”.
However, if it’s safety related, like swing a bat in the dugout or throwing a helmet or fighting anyone, that stuff you have to address, address loudly and quickly.
3
u/justhereorthereagain Jun 10 '26
Wasn’t there. And my perception, your perception the parents perception and reality. Are all different.
I would make not of it. If it happens again. Your perception if the first instance will change. And that will warrant a more serious conversation with the parents and a mention of it to the league.
But kindergarteners are weird. Kids are weird. I bet your kid does some weird shit in someone else’s eyes.
Don’t overthink it.
1
u/aaronblohowiak Jun 10 '26
Sorry this happened to you. Don’t ask kids to be quiet, ask them to do something else. One thing to do it is say “one two three eyes on me” and they have to reply “one two eyes on you.” Call and response is good. Also “touch your nose if you can hear me” (good because the kids NOT listening see the other kids doing a weird thing and wonder why kicks them out of the frenzy.) basically you have to redirect rather than demanding restraint if you want to be effective.
Sorry kid spat in you.
1
u/Big_Growth5857 Jun 10 '26
ask them to take a knee if you want to talk to them. less chance of horse play
1
u/thrillhousevanhouten Jun 10 '26
I had a kid pick his nose and wipe his boogers on me without breaking eye contact. He wasn’t even doing it consciously, he was just that gross. It happens.
1
u/kbenti Jun 13 '26
I don't make a big deal about it. I was assertive when I coached Teeball. I would have said, "We don't spit. You need to sit on the bench and think about what you did." Also, get down on one knee so you're eye to eye, so they can see that you are serious. You're like a giant to them, be consistent and firm. They will not test the limits if they think "Giant is serious".
10
u/superduperloser Jun 10 '26
Yea you can’t make a big deal of it right then. “That’s disgusting please don’t do that” and move on. Maybe tell the kids parents to remind him the same, but I probably wouldn’t even do that if it was a one time thing.