Kids These Days:

One of the understatements of the year was Los Angeles Angels announcer Rex Hudler telling me that he was a “vocal guy.” I know he is, that’s why I called him to get his take on a column I wrote three weeks ago.

Hudler is a very popular fellow in our home, not only because he draws upon his 21 years as a major league baseball player in ways that benefit kids and coaches, but also because he is funny.

That column was about out-of-control parents who went belly-to-belly at a high school baseball game and the shame they brought to their families and schools. To this former Little League coach and umpire, Hudler’s words were music.

I described the scene that day to Hudler, who said, “Oh, wow.”

Then he paused and added, “That type of parent needs to stay home. Go ahead and feed your kid, clothe him, do whatever you have to do for him at that age, but if you can’t stay in bounds in the stands, don’t come.”

And how is a parent supposed to know when to turn it down a notch? It turns out that Hudler’s son once asked him to tone down his cheering.

“My son once said, ‘It’s kind of embarrassing when you yell for me like that.’ Well, that told me I needed to keep my mouth shut,” he said. “There is nothing worse, nothing that can take away the enjoyment of a Little League game than parents who are arguing or yelling at the umpire. That is just uncalled for, and you should stay home if you’ve got that in you.”

Hudler then proposed a practical solution: “Go on the other side of the field. Go sit by yourself; isolate yourself. But you have to know that you are making people uncomfortable and you should just keep your mouth shut and watch the game.

“If you don’t have anything positive to say to your child or another child, even a child on the other team, don’t say anything to them. Anything else is childish and if you are playing through your kid, stay home.”

Then there is the matter of a coach’s behavior. Several years ago, I witnessed a Little League coach who was instructing 7-year-olds in Costa Mesa. The boys were still struggling with basic coordination and were barely able to keep their mitts on their hands. When one of them dropped to his knees to stop a rolling baseball, the coach yelled, “Falling down is not an option!”

So I asked Hudler what it takes to be a good coach.

“They are mostly dads, and dads need to come out of their personal shell,” he said. “They’re communicating with kids now, and they need to bring themselves back down to their level and have fun with them. There is nothing better than positive reinforcement, things like the knuckle bump or the high five or the creative handshake; the little things that can make him enjoy the experience.

“Being a good coach is not easy. It’s hard, and you have to be creative. It’s like being a good father. Any guy can be a father, but to be a good father, you have to sacrifice. You have to think outside the box, and those little things will help a kid.”

STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and a freelance writer. Send story ideas to dailypilot@latimes.com .