06/21/2026
Written by a Little League parent in Indiana:
An Open Letter to the Parent Who Harasses an Umpire
You’re ruining the game.
You’re ruining it for the fans.
You’re ruining it for the players.
You’re ruining it for yourself.
And most of all….you’re ruining it for your child.
No Little League game is worth an umpire needing an es**rt off the field.
No Little League game is worth screaming about every ball and strike call.
No Little League game is worth recording an umpire so you can post online about how terrible they are.
The umpire isn’t out to get your kid.
They aren’t trying to help the other team win.
They aren’t invested in the outcome nearly as much as you think they are.
They’re doing a job.
And for most umpires who make it past that first season…they’re doing it because they love the game and want kids to have the opportunity to play.
Your harassment doesn’t change the call.
It doesn’t help your team.
It doesn’t help your child.
All it does is embarrass you and take the fun out of the game for everyone around you.
If youth sports are supposed to teach kids character, maybe it’s time for the adults to start showing some.
Do better.
Jeff Frese: “By the way, every single Little League umpire you see on the field this time of year (tournament season) is a volunteer. Their pay is a Coke and a dog at the end of the game.”