League Bans Child For Being 'Too Good'

Story from Aol.com


NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Aug. 25) - Nine-year-old Jericho Scott is a good baseball player - too good, it turns out.
The right-hander has a fastball that tops out at about 40 mph. He throws so hard that the Youth Baseball League of New Haven told his coach that the boy could not pitch any more. When Jericho took the mound anyway last week, the opposing team forfeited the game, packed its gear and left, his coach said.
Officials for the three-year-old league, which has eight teams and about 100 players, said they will disband Jericho's team, redistributing its players among other squads, and offered to refund $50 sign-up fees to anyone who asks for it. They say Jericho's coach, Wilfred Vidro, has resigned.
But Vidro says he didn't quit and the team refuses to disband. Players and parents held a protest at the league's field on Saturday urging the league to let Jericho pitch.
"He's never hurt any one," Vidro said. "He's on target all the time. How can you punish a kid for being too good?"
The controversy bothers Jericho, who says he misses pitching.
"I feel sad," he said. "I feel like it's all my fault nobody could play."
Jericho's coach and parents say the boy is being unfairly targeted because he turned down an invitation to join the defending league champion, which is sponsored by an employer of one of the league's administrators.
Jericho instead joined a team sponsored by Will Power Fitness. The team was 8-0 and on its way to the playoffs when Jericho was banned from pitching.
"I think it's discouraging when you're telling a 9-year-old you're too good at something," said his mother, Nicole Scott. "The whole objective in life is to find something you're good at and stick with it. I'd rather he spend all his time on the baseball field than idolizing someone standing on the street corner."
League attorney Peter Noble says the only factor in banning Jericho from the mound is his pitches are just too fast.
"He is a very skilled player, a very hard thrower," Noble said. "There are a lot of beginners. This is not a high-powered league. This is a developmental league whose main purpose is to promote the sport."
Noble acknowledged that Jericho had not beaned any batters in the co-ed league of 8- to 10-year-olds, but say parents expressed safety concerns.
"Facing that kind of speed" is frighteneing for beginning players, Noble said.
League officials say they first told Vidro that the boy could not pitch after a game on Aug. 13. Jericho played second base the next game on Aug. 16. But when he took the mound Wednesday, the other team walked off and a forfeit was called.
League officials say Jericho's mother became irate, threatening them and vowing to get the league shut down.
"I have never seen behavior of a parent like the behavior Jericho's mother exhibited Wednesday night," Noble said.
Scott denies threatening any one, but said she did call the police.
League officials suggested that Jericho play other positions, or pitch against older players or in a different league.
Local attorney John Williams was planning to meet with Jericho's parents Monday to discuss legal options.
"You don't have to be learned in the law to know in your heart that it's wrong," he said. "Now you have to be punished because you excel at something?"

Reminds me of the time I was banned from my masturbation league.

I think the Rev's Jesse and Al should get involved in this one.

if he's that good it seems like he would want to play against better competition.

At 9 it might matter more to him that he plays on the team with his buddies.

fred wrote:

At 9 it might matter more to him that he plays on the team with his buddies.

then he shouldn't mind playing another postion. if it's all just to be with his buddies.

Maybe he just likes being the best.

This kind of reminds me of liberals... Punish success!

Either way, his mom sounds like a real bitch.

at nine he shouldn't have to play on another team cause others are scared cause he pitches fast and I beleive he shouldn't have to play a different position.

Fuck it!!

the parents should sue the league and the city!! and the other crybaby parents has well!!

5forfighting wrote:

Maybe he just likes being the best. This kind of reminds me of liberals... Punish success! Either way, his mom sounds like a real bitch.

punish success??!! . i'm the one who wants him to move on into better competition so he will be more sucessful. you remind me of the parents who think their kid is a great hockey player because he can score lots of goals playing in the house league but won't let him play on a travel team.

maybe the kid is taking roids!!

stoney wrote:

at nine he shouldn't have to play on another team cause others are scared cause he pitches fast and I beleive he shouldn't have to play a different position. Fuck it!! the parents should sue the league and the city!! and the other crybaby parents has well!!

kids are moved to different teams, leagues, etc all the time due to competiton considerations. i see no reason why this is any different. put him where he competively belongs.

stoney wrote:

maybe the kid is taking roids!!

sounds more like his mom is.

maybe he can pitch his ass off but can't hit for shit----he should be allowed to play in his own age group if that is what he wants Doesn't matter how good he pitches, bat's, shoots baskets or anything else. It's little league not rocket science.

jc wrote:

stoney wrote: maybe the kid is taking roids!! sounds more like his mom is.

stoney wrote:

maybe he can pitch his ass off but can't hit for shit----he should be allowed to play in his own age group if that is what he wants Doesn't matter how good he pitches, bat's, shoots baskets or anything else. It's little league not rocket science.

kids need to play to the level of their abilities. if he is a pitcher and he is way better than the kids in his league, he needs to move up. if he just wants to be with his little buddies, then he shouldn't have a problem not pitching until he can do that in a competitive situation.

WRONG.

it's little league for the kids not for the adults to decide. I've coached little league like most of us have and you get a wide arrange of talent. With your thinking and suggestions that he should be moved up, that means lil johnny bubbleblower, who is 9, and on the same team who doesn't know a grounder from a pop fly or which end of the bat to hold should be sent down to tee ball to learn the game and play at his LEVEL with 5 year olds.

BULLSHIT

Just like school. Dumb it down so the slowest kid doesn't feel bad.

stoney wrote:

WRONG. it's little league for the kids not for the adults to decide. I've coached little league like most of us have and you get a wide arrange of talent. With your thinking and suggestions that he should be moved up, that means lil johnny bubbleblower, who is 9, and on the same team who doesn't know a grounder from a pop fly or which end of the bat to hold should be sent down to tee ball to learn the game and play at his LEVEL with 5 year olds. BULLSHIT

not for adults to decide??!! are you nuts? of course adults decide the rules for little league.
a player who is far more skilled and who is playing far below his talent level is exactly the same as a kid who is playings far above his. if there are options, neither situation should occur. our coaching experience obviously leads us to two entirely different postions on this. i think it is a diservice to a kid who has talent to play him in a situation that provides no competition for him/her. just like it is a desservice for the kids who have to play against players against whom they cannot legitimately compete. like i said, kids are moved up or down in competition all the time based on their skill level. whay this should be different is beyond me.

fred wrote:

Just like school. Dumb it down so the slowest kid doesn't feel bad.

not the same thing. this kid should move to his correct competitve level. just like kids who are very academically advanced should be able to take courses that meet their needs.

jc wrote:

5forfighting wrote: Maybe he just likes being the best. This kind of reminds me of liberals... Punish success! Either way, his mom sounds like a real bitch. punish success??!! . i'm the one who wants him to move on into better competition so he will be more sucessful. you remind me of the parents who think their kid is a great hockey player because he can score lots of goals playing in the house league but won't let him play on a travel team.

I was referring to the fact that the league was punishing the kid for doing well by telling himm couldn't pitch or couldn't play. Try and keep up...