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Indy Star Op-Ed: Parents and Adults issues with HS Sports


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DISGUST!

That is the only word that comes to mind after reading this article.

REVOLTING!

That comes in a close second.

I remember clearly (40 years - just had my reunion this past weekend.  Great fun)  how proud I was when my parents and family came to watch me play high school football in Highland, Indiana.  

Id imagine some of these kids today are embarrassed if their trashy parents take some time away from Netflix to come out and watch junior on the gridiron.

I officiated for 10 years, mostly at the peewee, bantam end junior high level.  It wasn't too bad back then, but now watching as a fan, i see the behavior much more up close in the stands.  

I will admit, Ive tuned in to YouTube and watched many of these situations escalate into all out brawls.  Its rather humorous, but sad at the same time.

Id love to see Bobby Cox and his team make an example of some schools who allow this kind of behavior on their premises.  Game forfeitures and or suspensions will get peoples attention.

 

 

 

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On 9/7/2019 at 1:17 AM, DT said:

DISGUST!

That is the only word that comes to mind after reading this article.

REVOLTING!

That comes in a close second.

I remember clearly (40 years - just had my reunion this past weekend.  Great fun)  how proud I was when my parents and family came to watch me play high school football in Highland, Indiana.  

Id imagine some of these kids today are embarrassed if their trashy parents take some time away from Netflix to come out and watch junior on the gridiron.

I officiated for 10 years, mostly at the peewee, bantam end junior high level.  It wasn't too bad back then, but now watching as a fan, i see the behavior much more up close in the stands.  

I will admit, Ive tuned in to YouTube and watched many of these situations escalate into all out brawls.  Its rather humorous, but sad at the same time.

Id love to see Bobby Cox and his team make an example of some schools who allow this kind of behavior on their premises.  Game forfeitures and or suspensions will get peoples attention.

 

 

 

Spectatorless games cut into the coffers of those who should be responsible for keeping order. There was a case, in Texas a few years ago I believe, where two teams had to play or continue a game without any spectators. Only players, coaches and officials. 

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On 9/9/2019 at 3:30 AM, hhpatriot04 said:

Spectatorless games cut into the coffers of those who should be responsible for keeping order. There was a case, in Texas a few years ago I believe, where two teams had to play or continue a game without any spectators. Only players, coaches and officials. 

It was a 1A game between Avinger and Yantis last year, but I believe it was basketball.

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Take a deep breath, say a prayer (if so inclined), grab an ice cold beverage and a bag of popcorn and cheer like crazy for your team.  Have a blast doing so.

NOTHING has to be negative, ever.

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In another sport, my oldest picked up his official’s license his Senior year in HS to earn a few extra bucks.  His first games were a pair of 5th and 6th grade games.  Going into that game, he had been selected as a HS All-American coming out of his Jr. Year.  He ended up leading the State in scoring that same year and then went on to a  College playing career followed by coaching.

I watched the game (since it was his first) and was stunned at the abuse hurled at him and the other official (there was one particular toad-like dad just in front of me sprawled in a lawn chair I wanted to step on).  Even then, one of the coaches yelled and screamed at them the whole game....this coach was and still is a HS Coach, btw.  Again, we are talking a 5th and 6th grade game.

Following the game, my son gets home and tells his Mom not to bother washing his stripes.  He told her, “I’m done”.  He never officiated another game.  For the record, he’s no shrinking violet.  He was a tough, bruising player in HS and college.  Equally tough businessman these days.

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Unfortunately lots of stage parents either living vicariously through their kids and/or believing that little Johnny is going to be the next Peyton Manning, transform themselves into bleacher/sideline coaches or referees who can't shut their yaps and spoil the game for the rest of us.

As a parent who has watched two sons play football and also coached at the youth level, it was very difficult, at times, to keep my mouth shut.  You have to look at the bigger picture: the refs are people too and most are doing the best they can, what kind of example are you setting for your children, how are you representing your school in the community......  I typically only questioned calls/non-calls that we thought were blatantly obvious.  Even then, there's a way to question a call without insulting the official.  If you treat them with respect they will usually return the favor.

No joke, there have been several instances down here in TX where the law has had to escort the refs to their cars after the game; that is inexcusable.  Then we wonder why there are shortages of officials.

Edited by Bonecrusher
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1 hour ago, Lysander said:

In another sport, my oldest picked up his official’s license his Senior year in HS to earn a few extra bucks.  His first games were a pair of 5th and 6th grade games.  Going into that game, he had been selected as a HS All-American coming out of his Jr. Year.  He ended up leading the State in scoring that same year and then went on to a  College playing career followed by coaching.

I watched the game (since it was his first) and was stunned at the abuse hurled at him and the other official (there was one particular toad-like dad just in front of me sprawled in a lawn chair I wanted to step on).  Even then, one of the coaches yelled and screamed at them the whole game....this coach was and still is a HS Coach, btw.  Again, we are talking a 5th and 6th grade game.

Following the game, my son gets home and tells his Mom not to bother washing his stripes.  He told her, “I’m done”.  He never officiated another game.  For the record, he’s no shrinking violet.  He was a tough, bruising player in HS and college.  Equally tough businessman these days.

Sad.....

Similar thing happened to my kid. She did it for cash in college. Upon landing a decent paying gig out of college, she told me "you know what the best part of this is?" "I'll never have to umpire again." One of the toughest female athletes I've ever been around. Was offered a college umpiring gig her second year of umpiring in college. And idiot youth coaches ran her off. And I assure you she's forgot more about the game than they collectively will ever know. What these idiots don't understand, it's the game that suffers. Hopefully she finds her way into coaching, she's had numerous offers, but hasn't found the right situation yet. My point all along has been the game was really good to her, she needs to give back. 

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12 minutes ago, Impartial_Observer said:

Sad.....

Similar thing happened to my kid. She did it for cash in college. Upon landing a decent paying gig out of college, she told me "you know what the best part of this is?" "I'll never have to umpire again." One of the toughest female athletes I've ever been around. Was offered a college umpiring gig her second year of umpiring in college. And idiot youth coaches ran her off. And I assure you she's forgot more about the game than they collectively will ever know. What these idiots don't understand, it's the game that suffers. Hopefully she finds her way into coaching, she's had numerous offers, but hasn't found the right situation yet. My point all along has been the game was really good to her, she needs to give back. 

Image result for dwight schrute idiot

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2 hours ago, DannEllenwood said:

Take a deep breath, say a prayer (if so inclined), grab an ice cold beverage and a bag of popcorn and cheer like crazy for your team.  Have a blast doing so.

NOTHING has to be negative, ever.

Spot on!!!  They do look to us, and when they see us acting like buffoons (BTW, Gipper is not guilty), it, in effect, give them a green light to do so as well.  Whitney Houston (well before she married Bobby Brown and subsequently went nuts) said it best, "I believe children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way"...

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I got my baseball license in college (circa 2005). It's the "league rules" that some coach (who also wrote the league rules) will try to get you on. 

I also had my basketball license when I was in the United States. I stuck to Grade 8 and younger because frankly I could tell the coach (or school admin) to stick it if mommies and daddies were disrupting the flow of the game.

Officiating football ... it was the underclassmens' "duty" to work to the chaingang of the middle school games. Then on the weekends, we would officiate Pee Wee flag football (up to Grade 4) for a few bucks and no one seemed to care so long as we blew the whistle and spotted the ball.

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FTOP:

Quote

2. Don’t Live Your Life Vicariously Through Your Children. High school sports are for them, not you. Your family’s reputation is not determined by how well your children perform on the field of play.

The author obviously didn't grow up in or currently lives in an insular small town.

 

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