[Eagle Eye]

There are stories floating around that interested parties from both schools have contacted players from both systems for years, and for anyone to say that one specific school is the only one that has done it, then they're not only in leftfield, but they're behind the foul pole.

I've also heard stories for years from parents saying their kids were contacted by a certain school to come over and play for a certain coach, knowing what I know, and believe me when I say I KNOW, those people were never contacted. These are parents that think little Johnny is the greatest third grade basketball player in the world and need to inflate their own egos with stories of school wanting their kid.

Little League has never been a recruiting tool for any school, If you look at the number of coaches from last year and the number of all-star coaches you would see that it was almost 50/50. I believe the county system even had the advantage. Look at the number of county supporters that were on the board last year, if they wanted a new President all they had to do was nominate someone and put it to a vote. It's my opinion that the Cal Ripken League was started because of jeolousy and petty arguements between adults that will only hurt kids, and that's a shame no matter which league you want your child to play in.

I've always said, if you leave the adults out of it and let the kids play, everything will work out, but we won't let that happen. Two kids can fist fight in the morning and be best friends before the sunsets. Two "mature" adults can have a little dispute and hold it against each other until they die. If I have to start a league so my son can make an all-star team or play a certain position, then I'm a heck of a parent and a heck of a mature adult. I hope the new league works out for the kids and I wish them well. Would I like to have them come back to little league and play? I sure would, but I won't pressue anyone in to returning, let the kids decide where they want to play.

I am a little smarter than that! And I am not behind the foul poul. Maybe you are if you think that this doesn't go on and mostly one sided. PM me some time and I can give you a few examples of this. I for one do not toot my own horn but I was contacted on certain occasions for sports. I had great friends from PHS probably my best friends growing up. I found these friends in the PLL but it was not them that were always approaching me. It was the parents and coaches. There might be a few that make up stories but there are a few that really happen. I think if you look back at the board it was not equal. Yes there might have been more coaches but they do not vote the last time I checked. This league was started because we have kids in this county and city that are not getting the chance to play. Plain and simple. How many kids do we have in this county and how many play little league. It should be a lot higher. If we leave the adults out of this then the kids would be much happier. It used to be if you wasn't playing then you just wasn't good enough but keep working hard and practicing. Now it is if a kid is not playing then the parent gripes to the coach and takes his kid home because he should be playing no matter how good he or she is. This is true in any sport at any age nowadays. I was taught you had to earn your playing time no matter what age. That is the way I will teach my kids.