Youth baseball leagues in Massachusetts struggling to find new umpires. Are parents to blame?
By Tiffany Chan
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MASSACHUSETTS (WBZ) — Youth baseball leagues in Massachusetts are struggling to recruit new umpires and some say it’s because of parents.
Dorsan Delisle is the umpire director for Bellingham Youth Baseball, overseeing about 400 athletes and more than 20 games a week at Tuttle Field.
When they don’t have an umpire, “We can’t have a game,” he said. “You end up with people who are not as experienced.”
Experienced umpires are dwindling with each season and age is not the only reason why.
Parents “out of control” “I think the biggest challenge with that is a lot of the umpires that have been doing this for a while now are kind of getting a little tired with dealing with parents who are harassing them,” Delisle said.
Delisle said that harassment includes parents yelling at umpires and coaches challenging them on the field.
“Some parents following umpires to their cars afterwards, having to be escorted off the premises. Things along those lines. It’s a little out of control,” he said.
The unruly behavior is making teenage umpire prospects in Bellingham think twice about stepping behind the plate.
“Some people don’t like to be yelled at and screamed at,” a young umpire said.
The unsportsmanlike behavior is taking the fun away from the sport, according to Delisle.
“The most important thing is that the kids are having a good time,” he said.
“Game for kids” Changing the narrative, he adds, could be the best solution to the shortage.
“Helping the coaches and the parents to understand that this is a game for kids by kids, and we have to remember that,” Delisle said.
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