I consider myself an even-tempered person, but one sure element to get my blood boiling is the unruly sports parent. I recently read one of those awful “little league parents gone wild” stories. This one took place at a girls fifth grade basketball game in Oregon. A 34-year old coach was ejected by a 17-year old referee. The coach caused a scene, and with parents of the opposing teams squaring off in an on-court confrontation- the girls ran off crying. That scene sickens me, and there are similar reports of crazed adults embarrassing themselves with violent outbursts at little league ballparks and on pee wee football fields across America.

I do not have children, but I do have nieces and nephews and they play youth sports. I played sports as a kid, and chances are you did, too. Unruly sports parents aren’t new to society. We can probably recall that element around our games when we were kids. It scared me then, it angers me now. What seems different now from the time I was a kid is that more parents today are obsessed with their kids being recognized as “select” or “advanced” for elite teams or traveling squads- with thoughts of prep school placement and eventual college scholarships pinned on kids who aren’t even 10 years old yet. You hear those over-zealous parents say “but he/she LOVES sports,” or “it’s great for their physical and psychological development,” etc. What does a kid really want when they’re eight years old? Do they really want parents to push them to be “elite”? That’s good for “development”?

To this point in my life, I’ve chosen not to have children, so I’m not in a position to tell people how to raise their young. I do feel, though, that I have the sensibility to discern what is reasonable. Youth sports are great for kids, so long as they are allowed to be kids. They can learn team work and discipline, along with the lessons of winning and losing. Let ‘em play, and if you’re one of those unruly, overbearing sorts (and I hope you have the sense to identify and restrain yourself before you get pulled off a little league field by a policeman) stay away.

Posted on Thursday, February 21st, 2008 at 10:59 pm.
Categories: Opinion.
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