Wade Campbell
Pioneer Press 06/26/2007 12:03:02 AM CDT
Wade Campbell threatened to shoot his son’s Little League coach when the 12-year-old didn’t see enough playing time, the coach alleges. Campbell denied the accusation from jail Monday and said he isn’t one of those pushy parents on the playing field. He cursed at the coach, he said, but never threatened him.
On a St. Paul baseball diamond Friday, witnesses’ statements say, Campbell joined the ranks of overbearing parents at children’s sporting events and later made a threatening phone call to the team coach and his wife.
Police arrested Campbell, 46, of St. Paul, on Sunday on suspicion of assault and making terroristic threats. He has not been charged. The coach, Noe Ambriz Jr., said Monday he and his family aren’t staying at their St. Paul home because they are frightened and don’t know when Campbell might be released from jail.
| Overbearing parents often make fools of themselves at kid’s sporting events. I wouldn’t want to mess with this projectile head. |
Even if this guy was really gonna kill someone..
I still don’t know why it’s news..
Oh riiiiight.. Ratings…nevermind
#12 – I live near St. Paul so I’ve caught a lot of local coverage on this asshat including call-ins from people who know him and grew up with him. He’s got a history of bullying that goes back to childhood.
Winning isn’t everything. Coaches need rules too. Little league rules are made to bring about fair play. A Coach can step beyond fair play when he doesn’t rotate players fairly. A Coach can step beyond fair play when he places winning above the emotional state of the child he is coaching. Example when winning a game 17 to 1, wouldn’t you think that a little league player be benefited by playing more than 3 outs and 1 at bat. Do you think that the pride, confidence and emotional state of the child would be benefited. During the regular season the coach played a child every game at played first base and the child had the best batting average for the team. At the end of the season the coach informed the family that the child was selected for All Stars because he deserved it. The coach never told the child that he would only be a substitute. The parents were never informed that the child would be only played as a substitute. The child had saved his own money to purchase a new baseball glove and bat to play the game. He loved the game. Investment of time and money was just as great for that child as any other child on the team. During the last few practices the child asked why he wasn’t being played at first base. The coach informed him that another player was a better player. That was a matter of opinion. The first baseman that the coach selected could hit the ball over the fence but would strike out most of the time. When it came to games the child was the only one on the team that did not start a game, finish a game and only played 3 outs and 1 at bat. The coach stated to the child that he should be glad because it was an honor to be selected for the All Stars. What honor is it to be on an All Stars team if you are not played. What feeling does the coach give the child when he is not played. Does it give him a feeling of being a real member of the team. What does it do to the child’s self esteem, confidence and pride. This child was not given a chance. I saw his spirit, confidence, and pride destroyed by an uncaring coach whose only interest was winning. I saw great emotional distress caused by an uncaring coach. Alternates or substitues should not be treated this way. If they are substitued in by the 4th inning then they should finish the game.
Perhaps A Code of Conduct should be adopted by the National Little League. One of the codes should read as follows:
-I will place the emotional and physical well being of my players ahead of any personal desire to win.