SPORTS REPORT
Are you keeping score?
BY CHRIS SHERMAN SA Sports Writer

Youth baseball is alive and well. It is great to see fans pack our parks in support of all our great youth baseball teams.

If you have any doubts about the intensity at these games then here is an example.

Bay Minette's 12-year-old All-Stars' coach acted as if he was the lead cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys. You could constantly hear the first base coach yelling, encouraging and occasionally going overboard with his actions.

It was great. Not everyone loved it but he didn't care. He even told a few of you. While I do not agree with all of his actions during the game, mainly trying to fight with the opposing team's coach, he still showed the type of emotion that our kids need to see.

He let them know the importance of the game. It was done loudly and sometimes obnoxiously but the kids seemed to feed off his intensity.

Part of the trouble we are having today keeping our kids focused is the lack of emotion or carefree style our society is starting to impose on them.

You can mark it down that coach had Bay Minette's attention.

We may not ever have a problem in our area with people de-emphasizing winning but nationally it is catchingon fast. Let's make sure it doesn't seep into our youth.

I understand not keeping up with scores in tee-ball or some of the other sports where the kids are too young to understand.

Sports should be fun. As long as you are giving your best effort, winning is not themost important thing.

I know I hate to lose. It doesn't matter if I am playing tic-tac-toe winning is still important.

Teaching kids otherwise is a dangerous thing.What are we telling our kids about life if we teach them not to try to be their best or not to strive for greatness. That average is okay?

Will it be okay for them to bring home average grades?

If we start teaching them at early ages that winning and giving your best effort aren't important and that no one is keeping score, they will go through life never really putting forth the effort that it takes to succeed.

Guess what, the score matters. It is okay for the kids to experience failure and losing.

It will prepare them for the many other losses that will come in their lives. Let's quit sheltering our kids so much.

Winning may not be everything but it sure beats the alternative.

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