Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Weekly Post #6: Baseball in Africa (due Feb 29)
A good read from last spring. Keeping up with the international baseball trend. This is a piece about the power of baseball in other countries. Specifically, this looks at the coach and he reminded me a bit of Lynn Sweet. Read, comment, reflect. What are your thoughts on George and his baseball project?
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First of all, I think it’s cool that George’s inspiration for coaching stems from his pure love of the sport. He clearly is coaching out of the goodness of his heart, and has no ulterior motives, or else he wouldn’t be coaching the way he coaches. He coaches on a soccer field in the slums of Kampala, holds open practices, he allows kids of various levels of talent and experience to play, and doesn’t have great facilities or equipment. He isn’t coaching in the ideal situation, but still has made it his goal to share the sport with kids and coach in a way that benefits the kids the most. Rather than focusing on competition and strictness, he makes sure to keep the focus on having fun. I think this is really healthy and good for kids who are growing up especially in a place like Kampala, where life is difficult, with orphanhood, HIV/AIDS, poverty, etc. He definitely reminds me of Lynn Sweet because despite his less than ideal circumstances, his priority is for his kids to thrive and grow. Rather than making it about success or fame or money, George, like Sweet, keeps the focus on fun and teamwork, which is really admirable.
ReplyDeleteHis style of coaching is similar to Lynne Sweet's in the way that they both act as mentors for the children. George has taken on a responsibility greater than just coaching kids. Many of these children are orphans, living in slums in which HIV-AIDs and malaria plague cities. He is a role-model for these children and though all the boys are new to the game, through baseball he is able to provide them with an escape. Similar to Sweet, George is not doing this for money or social recognition. The odds are stacked against both of them in terms of their environments. However, George's love for baseball and want to foster this love in other children proves more important.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article, it is apparent that George is a great baseball coach; he clearly has a passion for the game, and he wants to spread his love of the sport to all kids that live in Uganda. George reminds me of Lynn Sweet as both coaches are respected and admired by their players. Sweet inspires his players in Macon by taking an unconventional and unique approach to coaching. On the other hand, George is able to inspire his players by just being a wonderful, positive individual in a rather unstable country. Players in Uganda are able to use baseball as an outlet for all the negative things that are currently taking place in their country. I think this shows the power that baseball has in its ability to bring joy and positivity to the people who play the sport.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I remember watching Uganda in the LLWS a couple of years ago and I was shocked. They aired a clip of Jimmy Rollins who had gone to bring equipment to African children and teach the kids how to play. George is a lot like Lynn Sweet because his love of the game is genuine. He is not coaching for money or recognition but simply because he cares about the game and the kids. The seem to be more specific drills that George is teaching his players than Sweet who had optional practice. At the end of the day, both the Ironmen and the Ugandan children just want to play the game to have fun and be competitive, and both coaches foster those desires.
ReplyDeleteI think that the baseball environment in Uganda comes with a lack of pressure. In America and some of the other foreign places we have read about, there is a lot of pressure for the kids to play well, make a name for themselves, and bring themselves to a better life. However, in Uganda, represented by coach George, this does not seem to be true. This is similar to the personality and coaching style of Lynn Sweet. Both Sweet and George coach baseball for the fun of coaching. They also both are underdogs, and do well despite their unconventional coaching styles. This is what makes them the likable characters that they are.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that the coach, George Mukhobe, is similar to Lynne Sweet. Both coaches have an attitude that if the players want to learn and become better, then they will pay attention. Neither coach forces a player to participate, but both are still fully committed to their programs. Additionally, the lack of funding in Ugandan baseball reminds me of the Macon Iron Men. I am pleased to see baseball in Uganda as I wrote a fictional story in 7th grade about a Ugandan kid who made it to the MLB. At the time I had no idea that there was no baseball in Africa and recently have been feeling embarrassed for my 7th grade self. This article has assuaged some of my embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteI am extremely impressed with George's dedication to baseball. His love of the game is very similar to Lynne Sweet's love of baseball. They both are coaches who are willing to do almost anything for their players to learn and love baseball. George, for example, said he one time had eight of his players staying at his house at one time because of the lack of interest some Ugandan parents have in their children's lives. He clearly loves the game and is dedicated to the game not because he is getting handsomely paid, but because he wants others, specifically children, to develop this same intense passion for baseball. Additionally, I think that both George and Lynne Sweet have continued to fight circumstances that want to thwart their progress and that is truly an inspiration for us all.
ReplyDeleteThe aspect that struck me most was the way the players coveted the diamond in Uganda as a space to escape. They deal with a plethora of issues in their everyday lives, and they could "go to a place where, for a few hours, they had fun and played a game". Sports and access to athletics is something I definitely take for granted, and it was very profound for me to step back and reshape how I view sports - as a privilege rather than a given. As far as the coach, anyone who is that dedicated to facilitating that sort of powerful outlet for kids in a difficult environment is badass and should be celebrated.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is clear that both George and Sweet are passionate leaders, I disagree that they are at all similar. Sure, they both run open practices and have underfunded programs, but George’s background and life circumstances are nothing like Lynne’s. Lynne is well educated and has many opportunities beyond Macon, while George grew up in the slums of Uganda and his education was primarily in the realms of carpentry and baseball. George “looks like a baseball coach” and coaches because he is passionate about the game. Meanwhile Sweet, who sports an alternative hairstyle that pins him as a Communist, essentially became a baseball coach by accident. Their coaching style may be similar in it’s disorganized and “anti-rules” approach, I cannot see any similarities between the two beyond that. However, I do think that George’s and Lynne’s passionate efforts to bring baseball to their communities, respectively, is exceptionally admirable.
ReplyDeleteThe situation mentioned in the article is very similar to the one described in One Shot at Forever. Both Lynn Sweet and George Mukhobe choose to coach baseball simply out of love for the game. They both want to share their love of baseball and inspire and enhance the lives of those around them by serving as coaches and mentors of young baseball players. The coaching styles of the two men are also very similar. Both George and Sweet take a hands off approach and don’t force their beliefs on their players. Instead, they serve as father figures who are there for the players to turn to as a resource for positive influence and development.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this article and learning about George and baseball in Uganda. George emphasizes that baseball should be played for fun and enjoyment, without the pressure of high performance. I think that is a result of their location and nation's lack of history regarding baseball. I do think he is similar to Sweet because Sweet also emphasizes fun and enjoyment, and for Macon the high performance is a product of their focus on relaxation. George's baseball product in Uganda will never fail, because he is simply trying to spread the joy he feels when playing baseball. There is no risk of failure, as long as the kids are having fun. I admire the friendly and relaxed baseball environment that George has created in Uganda.
ReplyDeleteI think the story of George and the rise of baseball in Uganda is very interesting. While we have been reading about the decline of baseball inb many places, seeing a story about the rise of baseball is refreshing. I do remember seeing that Uganda fielded a little league world series team a couple of years ago. While they were blown out in the first round, I was surprised that they even sent a team. I also liked how the article showed just how much George cared about his players. His main concern at the end of the article didn't seem to be his own success, it was creating more opportunities for the kids and eventually having one of them represent Uganda in the MLB. I believe that the creation of a little league world series team combined with legitimate interest from the locals could make Uganda a new farm for MLB talent. Uganda, and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa could supplant many countries where interest in baseball is fading. This would be good for the Major Leagues and baseball in general, as new talent is always needed.
ReplyDeleteI found this piece quite interesting and I rather loved the conclusion. How I saw George is a man wanting to share his excitement with everyone around him. At a point, it was less about baseball itself, but more rather about George taking time to teach youths valuable skills. On this note, I liked how the article ended, stating that all its simplicity is the beauty of George's baseball. Simply engaging children in a positive way, day in and day out, is more than most mentors can say. In this sense, I see George similar to Sweet in his desire to only have a purely positive impact on the players, instead of goals such as winning.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Sweet and George have some similar intentions, I do believe that they are very different. Both stories are inspiring, but I think that George's story is more important because it shows commitment, leadership, respect, and love which are all important aspects of baseball. George is able to make baseball relevant and important out of practically nothing. He is able to inspire young people to work hard and play the game he and many others love while these kids and young adults struggle with hardships every day in Uganda. George and Sweet provide a place where their kids are able to let go, relax, and compete. Both Sweet and George face political and emotional challenges, but are still able to provide a safe space that allows kids to play a game both parties share a mutual love for. By doing this they both create an important community for kids who might not belong anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on how George reminds you of Sweet. They are both coaching the game not because it is a form of a steady income, but because they truly love the game. I admire how George is pushing for a greater impact of the sport in Uganda and his determination that allowed his team to make it to the Little League's European Championships. Although the sport seems to play a large role in this community, it is sad to read about the difficulties George and his team have to face in order to be able to enjoy the game. For example, they have a hard time getting a visa in time in order to go to different places and play the sport. To add on, George's team is only able to play with limited equipment because of their financial status. Although George's baseball project is something we all wish can be successful, I believe that more actions should be made before the doors are opened for all people to enjoy the game.
ReplyDeleteReading this article, I definitely see the similarities between George and Lynn Sweet. Both of the coaches created a positive outcome from a difficult beginning. In One Shot at Forever, Sweet was able to create a winning team from what was a “broken” team, and George was able to create a passion for baseball for kids who are living in a struggling country. I really enjoyed reading about the impact of George and how he creates an environment where kids can play baseball and have fun despite the environment in which they live in. I think the coaching method used by both Lynn Sweet and George of being “hands off” is an extremely productive coaching method, and lets the players learn to love the game and not be forced to love it. Both of the coaches are seen as mentors, and not coaches, who can be relied on for more than just baseball.
ReplyDeleteMuch of what we have been talking about in class is how baseball has affected America, but I find it very interesting how all of our recent blog posts have involved baseball in other cultures. While Albert Spalding might say that this is the result of other nations trying to be more American, I believe that baseball represents competition and camaraderie rather than American values. In this way, baseball is important to the world as a whole by promoting ideals and values that are universally beneficial to society. Through baseball Lynne Sweet was able to change Macon, just as George is changing his own community.
ReplyDeleteI think it is absolutely amazing what George is doing in his home country. The ability to create a competitive fun environment is a coaches number 1 job. In a place with the resources and money of the U.S. this is a simple task, but in a poverty stricken country like Uganda it becomes a whole different challenge. I think George is undeniably similar to Sweet. Although George has a bit of a different personality both people were able to revolutionize the sport of baseball in their small communities. On top of that both men where able to create strong teams out of nothing. Similar to George Sweet lacks the financial means to create a steady program. Both men express how a love of baseball trumps all even the toughest of circumstances. I sincerely hope that George is able to continue expanding his baseball project. A man with that amount of skill with adequate funding could potentially begin a new wave of Ugandan baseball players.
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