A Lesson in Fairness?

A father called me about his dispute with the Youth Baseball folks. His kid is seven. His kid had been on a T-ball baseball team. At seven, the teams transition to coach-pitched games. The coach told this father it might be better if his kid moved on to softball, not baseball. 

The kid was an average player, hitting the ball off the tee, throwing, running bases; and an excellent listener --- but sub par fielding pop flies. 

So it seemed unfair, when teammates were moving on from T-ball to coach-pitched.

This kid is a girl.

“We don't want her to get hurt,” they said. Her father said that the family didn't either, and could factor that in to a decision. They said, “Things move much faster” at the next level. That'd be true for all the kids, wouldn't it?

I asked the father how his new boss was working out. He was positive. He said, “So far, so good.” His new boss had taken care to meet with everyone, and seemed determined to root out discrimination, retaliation, and favoritism. 

I asked because his boss is the first female sheriff of Doña Ana County, Kim Stewart. Seemed ironic. One might figure if a woman can tote a gun, wearing Pat Garrett's old badge, maybe Sergeant Sam Ramos's seven-year-old girl could try hitting a coach-pitched baseball. I mean, this ain't the World Serious. 

It's hard to criticize folks who volunteer their time to coach. They're doing a lot of good and deserve support. I'd not be as rough on them as I might on some paid official.

But the volunteer coach who relegated the girl to softball has a day job as coach of the NMSU women's volleyball team. I immediately wondered about his point of view on all this, but haven't yet heard back from him. 

I get it that a batted ball could split a lip or break a tooth. And that minor disfigurements might matter more to girls than to boys; but they're rare. So it's kind of up to the kid and the parents. Life has risks; but shying away from things you want to try has risks too. Risks like developing a habit of shying away from challenges or minor dangers; and risks like internalizing the idea that you're a second-class citizen because of your gender. 

I won't detail the league's response to Sergeant Ramos's inquires and complaint. Suffice it to say that a long series of delays and missed connections meant the kid missed one season; and it wasn't real easy for her parents to get a clear and timely response, although eventually an alternative team was found, and apologies from the coaches were promised. 

The situation didn't seem representative of our rather tolerant and progressive city. 

Once the matter reached city officials, they initiated systemic improvements. City Parks and Rec Director Sonia Delgado, said there'd been “a huge conversation gap” and that in the future it'll be clearer to an aggrieved parent whom to talk to, when, and how. Officials are setting up procedures for Youth Baseball, and will do so for other leagues. When I spoke to Ms. Delgado, she was waiting for a call regarding the promised apology letters. 

Unfortunate things happen; but they can be used to accomplish positive change. So that seems a win. And though Ms. Ramos missed the fall transition season, her new coach has her starting at shortstop.

                                                  -30-

[The above column appeared this morning, Sunday, 31 March 2019, in the Las Cruces Sun-News, as well as on the newspaper's website and KRWG's website.  A spoken version will air during the week on both KRWG Radio and KTAL-LP, 101.5 FM (streamable at www.lccommunityradio.org .)]