Dave Bergman, former first baseman for the 1984 World Champion Detroit Tigers, stopped by to have lunch and chat with the Rotary Club of Oxford on June 7.
A major league ball player for 17 years, Bergman now sponsors four youth baseball teams for kids ages 15 to 18 in Grosse Pointe, where he also resides.
‘There’s nothing more rewarding for me than working with kids,? he said.
The 52-year-old’s experiences in life and sports taught him a great many lessons which he wishes to pass on to young athletes and their parents.
‘Parents nowadays are taking the sports thing way too serious,? Bergman said. ‘If they understood the odds, which many don’t, they would realize they’re wrong.?
‘Whether the parents believe it or not, chances are their kids are not going to get an opportunity to play professional baseball,? he said.
‘Parents, grandparents don’t live through the kids. So many times we see parents living through the kids because they weren’t quite good enough.?
Bergman urges parents to instead focus on teaching kids about the real world, not the fantasy world of being a professional athlete.
‘Professional sports is la-la land. It’s not the real world,? Bergman said.
As youth baseball sponsor and coach, Bergman said he believes it’s ‘my job to make sure these kids understand what the real world is about because 99.999 percent are going to be in the real world.?
Bergman is a big proponent of teaching his young players ‘life skill lessons,? which include discipline, living by rules and parameters, thinking for themselves, focusing on their job, being self-motivated, preparing for the future with a solid education, and understanding the difference between right and wrong.
‘We want these kids to be an asset to society.?
Discipline is of particular importance, according to Bergman.
‘For those of you that are afraid to discipline these kids, shame on you because they want it, they need it.?
When it comes to being a student-athlete, the former Tiger urged kids and parents to put education first.
Drafted by the Chicago Cubs right out of high school, Bergman turned down the offer and went to Illinois State University instead.
‘It just didn’t feel like it was right for me at that time,? he said. As a result throughout his major league career, Bergman said, ‘I always had the safety net of my academic background.?
Bergman did express his concern that kids? free time nowadays is too organized by adults, leaving little time for creativity or the simple pleasure of playing with friends at the school yard.
‘From the time they’re 5, 6, 7 years old everything is organized. When is the last time you saw a bunch of kids over at a school yard playing on their own with no adult supervision? I don’t see any school yards being utilized anymore.?
‘And I do not blame the kids for that. Guess who I blame? The parents.?
The final part of Bergman’s message to Oxford’s Rotarians was simple ? ‘Please encourage these young people.?
‘We have a tendency as we get older to start bad-mouthing these kids,? he said. ‘But these kids are really no different than we were. They’re just a lot smarter and they grew up a lot faster. But kids are kids.?