'I Was Blindsided': Coaches, Parents Angered By Teams Excluded From State Baseball, Softball Tournaments

What seems like miscommunication in the Oklahoma kids’ baseball and softball world has led to many teams possibly losing the opportunity to compete at the state level this summer. Parents and coaches took to Facebook expressing their anger and sadness about the way the OK Kids Baseball Association is handling the mix-up. 

"I was 100% blindsided by this," said Adam Engle, director of Stigler Sports department. 

"There's just a lot up in the air right now," echoed Beau Hubbard, head coach of an 8U softball team in Stroud. 

Coaches across the state are also at a loss.

"They're sticking to this, it's always been a rule thing,” said Hubbard. 

The rule requires each league to have four teams registered for the tournament for any to be eligible. 

“No ones arguing that it's always been a rule. It's just never been enforced," he added. 

Registration only costs $25. 

“That’s 100% correct,” he said. “My tee ball team only had 2 sign up… $50 and that problem is solved.”

Engle says that even leagues with the required number of teams are still being affected, including many of his teams. 

"We did everything right," he said. "And are being punished for it because other people didn’t sign their teams up." 

And it’s the same story with Coach Beau Hubbard's team. 

"I mean it's disappointing," he said. "Because there was not three other coaches registered, everything is being thrown out the window." 

Both coaches say enforcing the rule is not the issue, it's the precedence that was set. 

"I would've easily paid $100. It would've been no issue at all," said Engle. “Years past they've always been allowed to go ahead and play." 

And the coaches say this shock is even bigger for the kids. 

"I'm sick about it, and I know these little kids are sick about it," said Engle. 

We did not receive a comment from the OK Kids Baseball Association about the situation.