All kinds of cheering slogans and movements, ceremonies, and loud fighting.
This is a common scene at the dugout of Amaya Baseball. The passion of baseball boys who dream of becoming tomorrow’s pros. The appearance of those who cheer for their teammates on the ground and raise the team atmosphere of aspirations for victory at the same time is a scene that reminds viewers of the romance of baseball with a smile. 스포츠토토
However, the recent dugout scene of some domestic baseball teams is far from romantic.
The support of the players is still there. The same goes for the ‘atmosphere makers’ who even dance to raise the mood. But that’s not all. In the middle of the day, there is also a wrong look of teasing, booing, and belittling the opponent. This kind of behavior that can provoke the opposing team is naturally within the scope of sanctions by the referee. However, after a moment of silence, booing and cheering unfolds again, as if there had never been a referee warning. An official familiar with Amaya Baseball’s situation sighed, saying, “This has increased dramatically in recent years.”
Why are these things happening?
Officials at Amaya Baseball cite the ‘disappearance of discipline’ as the cause. After overdoing discipline between seniors and juniors became a social issue, most sports clubs banned corporal punishment itself. As a result, no one can stop anyone from cheering or booing the opposing team during the game. Even if the manager or coach, who is the ‘adult of the team’, gives a verbal warning, the effect is only temporary.
The card that student athletes take out in sanctions for inappropriate behavior is ‘transfer’. Continuing the career of a player by transferring to a new team that lacks the number of players or is less than one year old. According to the rules of the Korea Baseball Softball Association (KBSA), when transferring to another school, you cannot participate for 6 months, but if you transfer to a school within 1 year of the date of approval, the rules do not apply.
In this way, the management of the team in the aspect of ‘indulgence’ wearing the mask of ‘autonomy’ is also seen. Managers and coaches focus on player management rather than coaching, and players learn their skills at private baseball academies, not schools. An official from Amabaseball said, “There are times when learning the basic skills is not enough, and there are times when I focus only on who throws the ball faster and hits a lot of home runs. There are not a few players who only hit with the ball,” he said.
In the wake of the 2023 WBC (World Baseball Classic) sluggishness, the theory of responsibility for Ambaseball is raising its head again. Various issues such as aluminum bats, players who focus only on results instead of basic skills, and leaders are being discussed. However, while Korean baseball is drunk in the era of 8 million spectators in the KBO League, the grassroots are rotting further.