NWLL baseball scandal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

“Volunteer” doesn’t mean what you think it means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have found coach Davenport-Thomas to be honorable in all my dealings with him. Both my kids played NWLL and he was, if anything, willing to take kids on his team that other coaches didn't want. He is also super patient with entitled parents making unreasonable requests. It is a shame some people are so quick to assume he cheated.

Sincerely,
Norman Sanin

Cheated, treated other board members with disrespect and was a tyrant who screwed over the kids of one of the complainants. Were you one of the parents who showed at the board meeting uninvited?

Did you even read the document? What do you have to say to his bending the rules when it benefits him? It didn’t bother you when he made up numbers in his assessment of a player that were too low yet he drafted him. I don’t have a player in these league but I believe the accusations and I believe he’s never answered any questions in a reasonable manner. Davenport and parents like you who defend this garbage based on your limited experience with him ruin everything. You derail the normal process that provides checks and balances that ensure things are on the up and up.

Go stick your head back in the sand.

At least Mr. Sanin has the courage to identify himself publicly on this thread.
You?

P!as off. I don’t have kids in any of the leagues mentioned here.

You’re still going to ignore his cheating, lying, faking documents and player ratings? If you’re ok with that just because your kid was treated favorably, you are as much a part of the problem.

Ha! OK loser.. Your son too. Apple did not fall far from the tree. There's always ping pong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have found coach Davenport-Thomas to be honorable in all my dealings with him. Both my kids played NWLL and he was, if anything, willing to take kids on his team that other coaches didn't want. He is also super patient with entitled parents making unreasonable requests. It is a shame some people are so quick to assume he cheated.

Sincerely,
Norman Sanin

Cheated, treated other board members with disrespect and was a tyrant who screwed over the kids of one of the complainants. Were you one of the parents who showed at the board meeting uninvited?

Did you even read the document? What do you have to say to his bending the rules when it benefits him? It didn’t bother you when he made up numbers in his assessment of a player that were too low yet he drafted him. I don’t have a player in these league but I believe the accusations and I believe he’s never answered any questions in a reasonable manner. Davenport and parents like you who defend this garbage based on your limited experience with him ruin everything. You derail the normal process that provides checks and balances that ensure things are on the up and up.

Go stick your head back in the sand.

At least Mr. Sanin has the courage to identify himself publicly on this thread.
You?

P!as off. I don’t have kids in any of the leagues mentioned here.

You’re still going to ignore his cheating, lying, faking documents and player ratings? If you’re ok with that just because your kid was treated favorably, you are as much a part of the problem.

Ha! OK loser.. Your son too. Apple did not fall far from the tree. There's always ping pong.

You are a trashy person. The fact that there are people here defending this behavior speaks volumes about this league. The way you defend this also says a lot.

Btw I don’t live anywhere near this train wreck of a league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have found coach Davenport-Thomas to be honorable in all my dealings with him. Both my kids played NWLL and he was, if anything, willing to take kids on his team that other coaches didn't want. He is also super patient with entitled parents making unreasonable requests. It is a shame some people are so quick to assume he cheated.

Sincerely,
Norman Sanin

Cheated, treated other board members with disrespect and was a tyrant who screwed over the kids of one of the complainants. Were you one of the parents who showed at the board meeting uninvited?

Did you even read the document? What do you have to say to his bending the rules when it benefits him? It didn’t bother you when he made up numbers in his assessment of a player that were too low yet he drafted him. I don’t have a player in these league but I believe the accusations and I believe he’s never answered any questions in a reasonable manner. Davenport and parents like you who defend this garbage based on your limited experience with him ruin everything. You derail the normal process that provides checks and balances that ensure things are on the up and up.

Go stick your head back in the sand.

At least Mr. Sanin has the courage to identify himself publicly on this thread.
You?

That means absolutely nothing. Not one of the “defenders” has addressed the allegations because they’re true. Anyone who is ok with those actions shouldn’t be anywhere near kids sports. This whole thing is disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

MOST are like this! Great post!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

MOST are like this! Great post!

"Most" is hardly a ringing endorsement.

It reminds me of the Onion headline, "Pope Vows To Get Church Pedophilia Down To Acceptable Levels."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

MOST are like this! Great post!

"Most" is hardly a ringing endorsement.

It reminds me of the Onion headline, "Pope Vows To Get Church Pedophilia Down To Acceptable Levels."

You are absolutely free to form your own league.
Better yet, you and your kid can go play ping pong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

Most are like this, but not the ones at the heart of the allegations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

MOST are like this! Great post!

"Most" is hardly a ringing endorsement.

It reminds me of the Onion headline, "Pope Vows To Get Church Pedophilia Down To Acceptable Levels."

You are absolutely free to form your own league.
Better yet, you and your kid can go play ping pong.

"If you don't like it, leave."

Hard to imagine why there are disgruntled parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

Most are like this, but not the ones at the heart of the allegations.

Understood. But this thread was meandering well beyond the allegations. NWLL is not the cesspool that is being portrayed, for the most part is a great community. There is a group of entrenched individuals who clearly have overstayed and may accurately be described as corrupt, but that doesn’t impact the overall fun of the league as this thread implies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

I wasn’t referring to the “just dads”. I was referring to the coaches that try to sell private lessons to the kids for $$$. It is a significant minority of the coaches…but should be zero.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get having non-parent coaches has some significant upsides when it comes to the AS team. But I’ve never understood why the NWLL board permitted parents to pay for private lessons with the coaches. It seems to scream conflict of interest, but it’s been going on for years in plain sight.

Maybe because some of the coaches also need to make a living because they’re not law firm partners on the side. The little league coaches are volunteers, and if they’re good hitting or pitching coaches, why should they not give lessons.

I hear what you are saying, but it makes me question their motives for volunteering to Coach the team. They know most NWLL parents have $$$s so agreeing to a coach is not about the coaching and really an efficient vehicle to sell their services. I would rather that NWLL give parents the option to hire a paid coach for the entire team vs a “volunteer” coach trying to get their players to pay for private lessons.

Stop. The coaches in NWLL are largely just dads like in any other LL. They are there because they enjoy coaching baseball, spending time with their kids. One NWLL coach dad I know who was incredibly ethical, played everyone and limited his own son’s playing time to match everyone else’s says it was one of the best experiences of his life. There were shenanigans, yes, but it didn’t detract that much from the pure enjoyment of coaching and getting to know the kids. He didn’t have a winning team and it was totally fine. The kids had a blast and you could just feel his pure enjoyment doing this. Many are like this.

I wasn’t referring to the “just dads”. I was referring to the coaches that try to sell private lessons to the kids for $$$. It is a significant minority of the coaches…but should be zero.

Especially if those coaches have a roll in picking the AS team and deciding playing time. No other DC league does anything like this. It’s just a bizarre arrangement.

[Anonymous]

Correct that by and large, most of the coaches are “just dads” and those dad coaches are probably pretty typical of other dad coaches around town. Some better than others, most motivated by a desire to get out on the field with the kids and playing ball. Some coaches favor their own kids more than they should while others do not. Most games are fun and low drama and most kids enjoy the experience. Similar to what you’d see anywhere. This is coming from a parent who has watched their kids play various sports in various parts of the city and whose spouse has also been a volunteer coach.

But the allegations against the president, whose actions as reflected in the letter realiy only affect the 12u players, and specifically the ones who want to make the tournament team, are in a completely different category. Unfortunately the icky dynamics surrounding this whole controversy seems to be leaving a bad taste in everyone’s mouth across the league.

To be clear, I believe the allegations are serious and need to be addressed. And parents should not be afraid to speak up when they see misconduct on the part of board members. But a parent of a five year old who wants to play baseball need not be too concerned about their child’s personal experience with NWLL- at least not for several years!