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Steve Adkins
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Posted: Mar 19th, 2007 02:05 am |
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Steve Adkins wrote: Baseball Buddy wrote: If these youths had some sort of organized activity to keep them busy (such as baseball) this would have never happened.
Yep, when young people are kept busy with organized activities, they tend not to have time to get into mischief.
Actually it's much simpler than that.
When I drive by the ballfields, and see young people with gloves in their hands in the field, and sitting on the bench waiting their turn to bat, those young people are quite clearly not out getting into mischief.
Now maybe when they leave the ballgame.........who knows. But from my past experience, typically they go home talking a mile a minute about their victory or frustrations, but they're really excited about being part of the team. Provides them that element of recognition in their lives with something good.
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rasin
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Posted: Mar 19th, 2007 03:07 pm |
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I agree that evidence of a direct connection between the number of ball fields and the level of crime will probably be tenuous at best. But as a piece of the puzzle that compares a community with a higher level of crime than a lower one I think the community with a lower crime level probably has a higher level of community involvement. Getting the ball fields built, maintained and kept in use requires community involvement.
Corny sentiment alert!
I have no kids and my baseballs skills have always been pretty slim but I support the building of ball fields along with parks, trails and the like as it helps connect us together as a community.
When kids see the involvement and pride their parents and neighbors take in the community I have to believe it has a positive affect on them so that they are less likely to participate in vandalism.
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Baseball Buddy
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Posted: Mar 20th, 2007 12:29 am |
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So Jim, If 20 children live in a neighborhood, and they play baseball on 2 different teams, how many are likely to get into mischief according to your stats?
I always remember there is an argument in favor or against everything and you said your mother said you would argue with the devil. By the way that's what my wife says about me at times. HA HA all in good fun.
Last edited on Mar 20th, 2007 01:49 am by Baseball Buddy
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DToney
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Posted: Mar 20th, 2007 12:47 am |
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Steve Adkins wrote: Actually it's much simpler than that.
When I drive by the ballfields, and see young people with gloves in their hands in the field, and sitting on the bench waiting their turn to bat, those young people are quite clearly not out getting into mischief.
Now maybe when they leave the ballgame.........who knows. But from my past experience, typically they go home talking a mile a minute about their victory or frustrations, but they're really excited about being part of the team. Provides them that element of recognition in their lives with something good.
WOW Steve! That was too cool......I could just see a kid in my mind's eye... and if there were no ballfields... we'd have cheated a child out of a life of memories.... 
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Steve Adkins
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Posted: Mar 20th, 2007 03:18 am |
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DToney wrote: Steve Adkins wrote: Actually it's much simpler than that.
When I drive by the ballfields, and see young people with gloves in their hands in the field, and sitting on the bench waiting their turn to bat, those young people are quite clearly not out getting into mischief.
Now maybe when they leave the ballgame.........who knows. But from my past experience, typically they go home talking a mile a minute about their victory or frustrations, but they're really excited about being part of the team. Provides them that element of recognition in their lives with something good.
WOW Steve! That was too cool......I could just see a kid in my mind's eye... and if there were no ballfields... we'd have cheated a child out of a life of memories....
right on DT.
All our kids are grown adults, on their way to making grandchildren for us to spoil. But all remember all their sports activities when they were young, and interestingly all the memories are good ones. Somehow all the frustrating memories have evaporated. That tells me something.................there's value in sports activities, whether it be football, baseball, cheerleading, basketball, wrestling, T Ball, or soccer. Our kids were involved in all the above. It was a financial struggle at times, but now I see the payback.
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gotobeme
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Posted: Mar 24th, 2007 02:45 am |
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Well, I guess what I have to say about all this hoopla is this; money.....not all kids have the ability to participate in sports becaused many are so priced out. Then there is culture....who chooses what sport for what child? Who gives money when a child who could be on the right side of the tracks, but is not, want to play but cant for various reason; single parent home, poor and barely making it on a daily basis, or dont try because of the above. Even better is not making the grades due to the lack of education enthusiasm because making money to help the family is in the forefront of their minds. I think sometimes we forget that their are many who would love to have the opportunity to play. I will step out on the limb and speak about myself. I wanted to play sports when I was in middle school and high school, but because my dad worked from 5am till well after 9pm and my mother stayed home to raise 6 children, we barely had enough to buy food and clothing. I moved about 6 times between elementary school and high school. So I saw no opportunity to play though I wanted to. My mom would always say, "we can't afford it." This is formed in the mind of a poor child. No one cares and no one gives you anything. You have to make it on your own. So that is why doing mischief and selling drugs is preferred. Both methods are answers to not being able to play sports and not having enough money to do so. No play is in the streets. If we dont catch them early we sometimes lose them forever...... It is both a black, hispanic, white and other problem. Look at this generation closely...It's really scary what I see. I guess that's why sometime I am so happy that I get to see quality in the kids at NW.
gotobeme
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GRITS
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Posted: Mar 24th, 2007 04:45 am |
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Last edited on Mar 24th, 2007 04:48 am by GRITS
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Baseball Buddy
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Posted: Mar 24th, 2007 05:02 am |
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| Great post gotobeme. I have seen kids as you describe at times. SRA will give a family a break and scholarship the fees for a child who wants to play but the family cannot afford it. I have signed up and paid for other children myself when I felt it was needed. If a child wants to play sports in Summerfield we will make it happen. All the volunteers and coaches will pick up and take home children if the parents cannot make it. We realize that in todays busy world that some people can't afford to or don't have the extra time to devote to recreation. Those who can don't mind helping those who can't.
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Jim Flynt
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Posted: Mar 24th, 2007 03:18 pm |
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Steve Adkins wrote: Baseball Buddy wrote: If these youths had some sort of organized activity to keep them busy (such as baseball) this would have never happened.
Yep, when young people are kept busy with organized activities, they tend not to have time to get into mischief.
If their Mammy's and Pappy's would get these young'uns into Sunday School and church every Sunday morning, they would receive the solid foundations of moral behavior which would more likely keep them out of trouble than any other activity out there, including baseball.
I wonder how many parents lead by example and realize that a healthy souls in a child is just as important, if not more important, as a healthy body and mind. And how in the world can parents not be concerned about the health of a child's mind and then allow them to watch all of the mindless junk on television?
It ain't baseball that these children are missing, it is parents who love and discipline and lead moral lives by example.
(Note: Edited to reflect more sensitivity which the post should have reflected initially. Mea culpa.)Last edited on Mar 24th, 2007 10:39 pm by Jim Flynt
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rasin
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Posted: Mar 24th, 2007 09:41 pm |
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In a way your reply is in the same vein as Steve Adkins and Baseball Buddy, religion is an organized activity that keeps kids busy.
Though my experience growing up didn’t always agree with your connecting religion with kids doing well. The local religious school teachers always blamed us “Public Schoolers” for the trouble in town. I was in Scouts with the religious school kids and they got into and made more trouble than any of us “Public School” kids.
I’d agree more with the statement that kids that are fortunate to have involved parents (whether it is religion, baseball or just taking them to the park) to be less likely to be involved with vandalism.
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macca
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Posted: Mar 24th, 2007 10:01 pm |
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I think you may be onto something, rasin!!!
I guess the question is how to get thru to parents just how important it is.... ♥♥♥
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GRITS
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Posted: Mar 24th, 2007 10:14 pm |
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Mr. Flynt, you are too quick to blame mothers--a good father figure always sets a good example as well. As I recall some of the troubled youth that gets into trouble are sunday goers. I take great offense in your remark placing the blame on mothers. A mother cannot predict (nor a father) how their child will turn out. A parent always hopes that good solid family values and morals will greatly influence their children's behavior. A strong family, with a very strong, healthy relationship with their church could and should offer the best for their children, however, their futures are unpredictable.
Peer pressure is one of the most challenging emotion a child or teenage will ever experience in their life. If a person is not receiving the most out of a relationship whether it be with their family, friends or church, they have a tendency to attach themselves to the first group willing to except them the way that they are. I do not want my child to find it necessary to be dared by an individual to vandalize property for example just to be accepted. Unfortunately, this does go on.
Organized acitivities need not only be baseball, but at least it is a start here in Summerfield. Baseball buddy is exuberating a positive attitude hoping that children will find something much more beneficial to participate in other than crime. A child needs to be kept involved in activities at all times just to escape trouble before trouble finds them.
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Jim Flynt
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Posted: Mar 24th, 2007 10:35 pm |
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GRITS wrote: Mr. Flynt, you are too quick to blame mothers--a good father figure always sets a good example as well.
Grits, you are entirely correct, and in hindisight, I should have used the term 'parents' rather than single out 'mothers.' All too often, the responsibility for rearing children falls unequally but all too often on mothers, and especially in single family households where the father may be completely absent and missing from the child's life. I do think so many of the social and crime problems in some sections of our society are the result of the complete absence of a father or even any male role model. Thank goodness for volunteers like Baseball Buddy who serve to fill such a void and provide the role models that are so desperately needed by too many youth searching for direction and guidance in their impressionable young lives.
I apologize and I certainly did not mean to nor intend to castigate the better half of the parenting team.
I do agree with you as well, that my wonderful and challenging debate friend, Baseball Buddy, has been doing and is doing an unbelievably unselfish and untiring job in working with and encouraging the youth of the Northwest area, and Summerfield area especially, in teamwork, good sportsmanship, and solid American values! We need more like Baseball Buddy in all of our Northwest communities! His efforts don't always receive the recognition, praise and commendation he deserves.
Last edited on Mar 24th, 2007 10:44 pm by Jim Flynt
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Steve Adkins
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Posted: Mar 25th, 2007 12:03 am |
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Jim makes a very good point in that many churches have organized activities for youth as well as the public domain.
Some of my fondest memories of growing up were playing softball in the church league over the years, it was not so much age based, it was a combination of youth & adult men. Gave me an opportunity to bond with some men that set a great example for me to follow in those formative years.
To bring this point around to the topic at hand, our church was located in an urban location, and on occasion was the victim of broken windows & graffiti. Two distinct memories:
1) was a neat feeling (for me) to be included as "one of the men" when it came to fixing broken windows and painting over graffiti, having bonded during organized activities
2) when working on #1, it was not uncommon for young people to come around on their bicycles (you could almost tell they were probably a part of the "damage team"), we'd still treat them like human beings, talk to them, invite them to join the ball team, invite them to church, ask them for a "hand" during the repairs, etc. The older men counselled me this was a much better approach than accusing them and making the problem worse.
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Baseball Buddy
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Posted: Mar 28th, 2007 03:37 pm |
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Jim Flynt wrote
Grits, you are entirely correct, and in hindisight, I should have used the term 'parents' rather than single out 'mothers.' All too often, the responsibility for rearing children falls unequally but all too often on mothers, and especially in single family households where the father may be completely absent and missing from the child's life. I do think so many of the social and crime problems in some sections of our society are the result of the complete absence of a father or even any male role model. Thank goodness for volunteers like Baseball Buddy who serve to fill such a void and provide the role models that are so desperately needed by too many youth searching for direction and guidance in their impressionable young lives.
I apologize and I certainly did not mean to nor intend to castigate the better half of the parenting team.
I do agree with you as well, that my wonderful and challenging debate friend, Baseball Buddy, has been doing and is doing an unbelievably unselfish and untiring job in working with and encouraging the youth of the Northwest area, and Summerfield area especially, in teamwork, good sportsmanship, and solid American values! We need more like Baseball Buddy in all of our Northwest communities! His efforts don't always receive the recognition, praise and commendation he deserves.
Jim thanks for the kind words. Over the years I have noticed many single mothers or mothers without the presence of a husband bringing their children to the ball park, gym , or other functions. There is a definite need/want in these children's lives for a male figure to serve as a role model. Many have to look towards coaches or other dads for that need/want. It is unfortunate but true. I know the world will be a better place as long as I have help just one child. That's why I do what I do.
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