A few thoughts while doing my best to ignore the latest rumors of debauchery in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse and the players’ lame attempts to defend themselves.

* It’s interesting to watch coaches and how they interact with their players. I’ve often wondered what the best way to handle a team is, and after coaching middle school basketball and baseball for a couple seasons, I’m still not really sure.

Do you get the most out of your players by getting in their face and demanding their best at all times?

Do they perform better with a softer touch?

Are they really able to handle instruction during the heat of a game?

There are plenty of different ways to handle athletes and I think it takes a mix of approaches to get the best out of each player and each team. Some kids need an in-your-face, it’s my way or the highway style of coach. Some need constant instruction. Some need a coach to build their confidence.

One thing I do know is, no matter the circumstance a coach should never call a player names, tell them they are pathetic, or belittle them on the sidelines in front of their teammates, family and friends.

Yes, it is OK to yell in the appropriate situation.

Yes, it is OK to be demanding and expect the best out of your players.

No, it is not OK to tell them they are awful, tell them they are stupid, tell them to take a hike.

Coaches are supposed to be teachers and role models. They are supposed to help the young men and women they coach become better players, and more importantly, better people.

They are not supposed to be bullies.

* There was a tinge of disappointment in Matt McClintock’s voice after he cruised to victory in the Mountain Valley Conference cross country championship meet Saturday at the University of Maine at Augusta. Yes, the Madison Area Memorial High School senior won the conference title for the second time in four years. And yes, he beat Boothbay’s Chase Brown, who beat McClintock for the MVC title last spring, the only race McClintock hasn’t won in two years.

McClintock, however, had a bigger goal in mind than the MVC championship. He hoped to break 16 minutes on the tough UMA course and cement his place as one of the top cross country runners in Maine.

No need to be disappointed, he has done plenty to stake his claim already.

Last fall, McClintock did suffer that loss to Brown. He also rebounded to run the fastest time in the state, regardless of class, at the state championships at the Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast. He is a two-time winner at the prestigious Festival of Champions, a two-time Class C state champion, and last fall was named the Gatorade Maine Cross Country Runner of the Year.

McClintock’s resume is sparkling and the sight of him in a near sprint two miles into Saturday’s 3.1 mile race at UMA was one of the more impressive things I’ve seen in high school sports this year.

That McClintock was at all disappointed shows why he is one of the best. He has the desire and the drive to set lofty goals for himself. He doesn’t always reach them, but that doesn’t mean he falls short.

Take a look at his resume, it speaks for itself.

* The World Series started Wednesday night and all seven (if necessary) games will start at 8:05 p.m. Ratings for the World Series will suffer because the big markets (Los Angeles, Boston, New York and Chicago) are missing, but baseball is, again, missing its chance to introduce the game to a younger audience.

Major League Baseball continues to get overshadowed by the NFL, college football and college basketball. Young fans aren’t encouraged to develop a love for the game, because they can’t watch it. OK, Mom and Dad let you stay up past your bedtime to watch a few innings. With games lasting 3 1/2 to 4 hours, you’ll be lucky to see a couple of innings before being sent to bed, or falling asleep on the living room floor.

Throw kids a bone. Give them a chance to watch the Cardinals and Rangers on a weekday afternoon. Maybe, just maybe, they’ll rush home to watch a World Series game and fall in love with your league.

It worked with me.

Scott Martin is the Executive Sports Editor for the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. Reach him at smartin@centralmaine.com, @scottamartin on Twitter, or 621-5618

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