“Wake up the umpire!”, “Rotten tee!” Baseball Quebec no longer wants to hear those intimidating phrases, but has had to back down with a pilot project in the face of reluctant parents and coaches.
The intent was to have coaches on first base in games involving U11 players and players in U13 games when only one official is on duty.
But when the idea came up, there was an outcry among the clearly hungry adults.
“One of the things that has upset us in the comments we’ve received is that the player or coach who would be refereeing would do so on purpose to benefit their team,” explained Baseball Quebec technical director Sylvain Saindon . It amazed us because we are convinced that neither young people nor coaches will cheat.
Parents also fear that their child “will be yelled at by their teammates if they make a decision that doesn’t benefit their team.”
However, tight plays on first base are rare at this age. Youngsters often drop the ball or the runner easily reaches the cousin.
“We just wanted to analyze the run to first base,” continued Mr. Saindon. Nothing to complicate it. Our project was only intended for the regular season. And all teams are in the playoffs. How big is the stake of winning or losing?
“I dreamed that at the end of the season there was a tight game at first base where the 12-13-year-old made a call with a soulful fist raised and everyone applauded him,” he drops.
Sylvain Saindon is Technical Director and Head of Player, Coach and Official Development at Baseball Quebec. Photo courtesy of Baseball Quebec
“We’re going straight into the wall”
In several regions of Quebec, instructors or parents already wear the official hat in the 9U category.
“The goal is for them to experience what the umpires experience and for them to understand that it’s not easy,” says Jean-François Charles, responsible for official and baseball development at the association. We put her in the bathtub. After having this experience, they may cry less afterwards.
“When a parent sees their child, or that of the parent sitting next to them, refereeing at first base, they might feel a little embarrassed,” he adds.
In recent years (2023 numbers are yet to be finalized) the number of baseball players is roughly the same, but the number of umpires varies widely, causing uncertainty before the start of each season.
“If this continues, in 2025 we will have games where we have to tell the teams to go without referees. “We’re headed straight for the wall,” Mr Saindon warns. A cry of alarm sounds. We have to swarm out and find innovative solutions.”
Three regions will test it
Baseball Quebec will therefore gradually advance its project, which some felt was too “rapid and daring”. Three regions, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Laval and Montreal, will use different variants to better assess the results.
“We’ve also asked all 11U coaches in the province to fix mistakes when there’s only one referee and not let him down.” But hey, we’re not going to put the police behind coaches who don’t want to work together ‘ said Mr Saindon.
In an ideal world, he would want parents to referee games for 8-9 year olds, coaches to referee games for 10-11 year olds, and players aged 12-13 to do the same . They must be properly trained.
Jean-François Charles is the baseball development coordinator at Baseball Québec. Photo courtesy of Baseball Quebec
Ban alcohol?
“Overall we have good parents who are there for their children to enjoy the summer,” Mr Saindon continues. But there are always special cases ready to fight for the widow and the orphan when nothing is asked of them. When those people aren’t around, the games generally run better.
But how do you avoid, for example, a parent’s applause when an opposing 8-year-old player is eliminated for three shots with a ball thrower?
“What is the next step after the training? The SAAQ has been advertising to educate people about drunk driving for years, and there are still some. Is it alright? Could a parent be kicked out of a park? Could we ban alcohol in underage games? asks Mr. Charles.
“I hope that one day all associations will come together to fight this scourge,” he concludes.