Chris Masse on Little League: To coaches, set an example and don’t skip press conferences

Among today's sports pages, one can read a story previewing the U.S. Field at this year's Little League World Series.

In contrast, this column is more a review. Let me explain. Essentially, I wrote this same column two years ago after Lake Mary, Florida captured a riveting, extra-inning world championship.

The only difference is the timing. By the time I wrote this column then, the Series was over and nothing could be done about this topic until the following August.

So, let's switch things up this time. Call this a preemptive strike.

What started as a slight nuisance has become a problem at the Series throughout this decade. It is coaches from losing teams refusing to attend post-game press conferences.

And before I go on, let me preface the critics who totally did not comprehend this column two years ago. Repeat after me: This is not about me; this is not about the media. We will write our stories one way or another.

This is about exactly what the Series is supposed to be about--the kids.

Neither my colleagues, nor myself, have ever understood why coaches ditch opportunities to talk up their tremendous players following Series losses. Because that is basically, all the media asks about. The games really are insignificant here. Yes, everyone wants to win, but look where these teams are. This is the summit; there is no more climbing. All these teams have reached their ultimate destinations.

What the media mostly does here is our best to chronicle the remarkable journeys these teams have made. Reporters here, whether print, radio, broadcast or internet, understand these are 12-year-olds playing a kids' game.

Daunting questions we ask not. We would like to know more about your team win or lose so come and shine a light on everything that makes them a champion.

There is little excuse not to. The press conferences usually last 5-15 minutes, so this not an arduous task. Yes, we're dealing with kids who may be emotional but there are three coaches in the dugout, so even if the manager does not wish to talk, send another coach. Someone should be there to represent the team.

This was more a sporadic issue when I started covering the Series in 1999. It has grown more epidemic-like this decade, that 2024 Series highlighting it when no representative from a losing team attended the post-game press conference on Championship Saturday and Sunday.

Their teams were among the top four finishers in the world but when they tasted defeat, no coach could come in and talk about how amazing their teams played all summer or what an honor it was to reach Little League's final weekend. Last year was disappointing as well with multiple U.S. coaches bailing when their teams lost.

Coaches address the media following Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals losses, etc. no matter how crushing the defeat. And those are people who coach for a living; whose careers are measured by wins and losses. If they can do it, so can youth coaches.

Let me say that these coaches past and present have done wonderful jobs in their roles helping boys develop into young men. Ditching press conferences does not change the fact. It just provides impressionable young athletes a bad look. Call it a blind spot.

Let's look at the optics. No coach from a winning team has ever ditched the post-game press conference in my 26 years covering the Series. To talk after victory, but not defeat sends the wrong message to kids. Sports are as much about failure as they are success and one has to learn how to lose and how to fail in order to win.

When coaches bail on the pressers, it tells the kids that it's OK to be a sunshine soldier who can handle the good times, but runs from the bad times. The old adage is true that one learns more about someone by how they handle defeat more than victory. Show your players you can handle it with class, so that they can do the same going forward.

Little League has long accurately stated that there are no losers at the Series. Literally everyone here is a champion ... at several different levels. Each one is the best in their state, region or country. No Series loss can change that. Along these unforgettable journeys, more and more media have inundated the teams reporting on their achievements.

Coaches have been happy to oblige as the wins have piled up. That should not change if a team loses once or twice.

Each team already has produced best-selling novels this summer. The Series simply is the final chapter, but even if a team goes 0-2 here, all 16 teams have guaranteed themselves happy endings. Go ask all the teams who have participated in past Series of the hero's welcomes they have received upon arriving home. They are the kings of their communities and are treated like royalty long after the games have ended.

All coaches should come and talk about their teams' coronations, whatever the results are here. Everyone is a winner in South Williamsport.

Whatever the scoreboard says, come on in and make sure the world remembers that.

Chris Masse is a sports reporter at the Sun-Gazette. He may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse.