On Sports
I used to be a sports-fan; not a huge one, just a fan. But in the past several years, my distaste for sports fans has grown.
Last Monday night I took my daughter Amy to her volleyball game at the Boys and Girls Club in Albany. There was a need for a line judge, and I told the referee that I would be one. I made a couple of tough/close calls; one in particular that the parents of the other team objected to (it was on the line, which is in).
One of the girls on the opposing team got mad, and after the game, one of the parents got the girls in a circle (where the one girl was now crying) and repeated "He was wrong, he was wrong."
It bothered me that this parent has not learned one of the most important lessons in life: LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS FAIR. I have tried to teach my kids that bad or incorrect calls will be made all your life. What is most important is how you recover from those calls that you perceive to be bad, or incorrect. It did not matter whether or not the ball was in or out; it mattered how the coach, players, and parents adjusted to the call.
The parent was sending the wrong message to the kids, and perpetuating an ever-increasing problem in this country; one that causes kids to always challenge authority, and to insist, no, DEMAND, that life be fair.
In many things, fairness and justice should be pursued, but in most things (especially the little ones like girls volleyball) acceptance and adjustment should be taught.
Last Monday night I took my daughter Amy to her volleyball game at the Boys and Girls Club in Albany. There was a need for a line judge, and I told the referee that I would be one. I made a couple of tough/close calls; one in particular that the parents of the other team objected to (it was on the line, which is in).
One of the girls on the opposing team got mad, and after the game, one of the parents got the girls in a circle (where the one girl was now crying) and repeated "He was wrong, he was wrong."
It bothered me that this parent has not learned one of the most important lessons in life: LIFE IS NOT ALWAYS FAIR. I have tried to teach my kids that bad or incorrect calls will be made all your life. What is most important is how you recover from those calls that you perceive to be bad, or incorrect. It did not matter whether or not the ball was in or out; it mattered how the coach, players, and parents adjusted to the call.
The parent was sending the wrong message to the kids, and perpetuating an ever-increasing problem in this country; one that causes kids to always challenge authority, and to insist, no, DEMAND, that life be fair.
In many things, fairness and justice should be pursued, but in most things (especially the little ones like girls volleyball) acceptance and adjustment should be taught.
posted by Doug at October 29, 2005
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