The following is a reprint of a letter that I sent to my adult children. I share with the reader who may find some perspective regarding youth sport participation and those difficult pressures that adults create.
October 2, 2007
Dear Parents of My Grandkids:
Recent conversations with you causes me to pen these thoughts. I understand how parents can become frustrated, angered and hurt by comments made by many adults who attend youth sport contests. I have heard those mean-spirited comments, which are directed towards coaches, officials and players. We all understand that unbridled passion is often part of the fanatic's (fan's) fabric. Too often sport fans allow themselves to invest in local and national teams with great identification and thus live vicariously through the successes and failures of these teams.
The sport fan is your best friend, the next door neighbor, the mailman and the family seated in the pew next to you Sunday mornings. They often get carried away and make comments uncharacteristic of civil behavior. The comments may curse others, point fingers' of blame and criticize others' children or love ones. Many fans (parents) of local teams become misguided; they are ecstatic in victory and consumed with anger when defeated. The parent of a participating child who may not be the centerpiece' of the team can sometimes lose all perspective.
Have a conversation with your participating child and prepare him/her to ignore such poor fan behavior. Make certain that your child understands that sport-game 'outcomes' DO NOT define anyone. Tell my grandchildren that sport may build character but without exception sport DOES REVEAL character!
I suggest that you sit away from the loud mouth fan but be proactive to express dismay to youth sport organization leaders when any unsportsmanlike behavior occurs; authorities should respond.
If my grandchild is not playing hard, following instructions and having fun, please let me know so that I may avoid attendance.
Love,
"Boompa"
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