5/11/2009

Kids & Sports & Parents...

The soccer season is now over for Spencer, he had a soccer tournament game this past Saturday.
There were cheers, and chats for children of all ages who were playing to see who would move on to the championship game.
I am a mom who does cheer on her son and those on his team.
We will share where he could try some thing new or how to improve but let it drop after that.
At that point it is up to him (Spencer) to do with the information as he sees fit.

The game on Saturday was one that really made me wonder about some parents with children playing sports.

Dh and I sat down at one end of the field where the other team was defending their goal.
It was just beyond me to hear some of the words that were said from one parent to his son on the opposing team.
Seriously.
It reduced his son to tears.
Why?
He had let in four goals.
Their team had been up 5 - 0 and was furious that he was not putting more hustle into his effort to stop the ball.
Then when the last goal went in to tie the game, when his son turned around to get the ball he made his hand into a shape of a gun, pointed it at him and well...
You know it is simply a game.
These kids are doing it for fun, it is rec soccer, not a traveling team, not high school.
I felt for this child, he was doing his best but no matter how hard he tried it was simply not good enough for his dad.
*IMHO* I see many parents living through their children who are playing sports.
Why not let their child enjoy themselves and encourage them without putting them down at the same time?

Take a knee; I think you can gather what it means.
When a player is injured you go down on one knee until they get up and are either walked off or join back in the game.
Simple enough.
Basic sportsmanship.
Apparently, not for some children.
One of our players was hit straight on in the face by a ball from a kick and he went down.
The players all dropped down but one.
No matter who told him to show respect he refused.
The other coach did nothing.
I was and still am in some aspects still shocked that this happened.
What has happened to being considerate?

This past season has made me really take a step back and see what is happening around.
I'm not liking what I see happening.

I know, that it was a bit of an odd post for me but it really bugged me.
What do you think?
What have you noticed?

Sandy
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