Your kids baseball team's manager is a volunteer. In the excitement of the baseball season, it is easy to forget that the manager of your kid's baseball team does not actually work for you.

For no pay, the baseball team's manager has voluntarily taken on a demanding task that will take up a lot of his time and energy. The manager may have had quite a bit of experience managing and coaching little league baseball teams, and even some formal training, but he is still not a professional coach. Unless he is independently wealthy (and some little league baseball managers are) your baseball team's manager has a job to go to, a boss to answer to, a mortage to pay, and a family to support. He cannot devote 100% of his time to your kid's baseball team. Also, he is human and he will make mistakes.

Former little league players in their 20's with no kids make some of the best Little League managers. They are young enough to remember what it is like to play on a little league baseball team, mature enough to lead the team, and have no incentive to play favorites. If your kid gets a manager like that, thank your lucky stars. Their teams win a lot of baseball games and have a lot of fun doing it, too.

A good baseball manager will read a few books about the psychology of the age group of the ballplayers on his team. Besides helping you win, it makes you a better parent.

Please resist the temptation to give your baseball team's manager unsolicited advice, specially when the baseball team is losing. Even though you may have entrusted your child to this person, remember that you are essentially a spectator. In making decisions, the baseball team's manager must consider many factors. You cannot possibly be aware of some of them.

Also, it is easy to forget that there are big differences between professional baseball games and baseball for kids. As baseball fans we all think we know a lot about the game. Unfortunately, what works in professional baseball, and even in high school or college baseball, does not necessarily work with young kids. In many ways, baseball for kids is a completely different game. Parents often forget this during a heated baseball game.

Do offer to help with practices, or by bringing snacks, driving kids to games, keeping score at the games, etc.