Had a rough last few days. Seems that happens at times when you engage and participate in this world. Most of my rough visions involved my officiating youth football.
Dumb coaches that don’t know the rules. How many times do I have to tell them that the rules for high school football are not the same as college and the NFL. They may play their youth games on Sunday but they play under different rules.
Did not hear a single positive coaching voice from the sidelines. If we screamed at our own 4th and 5th grade children like some of these coaches, they would take them away from us. What happened to coaching? The definition of coaching to me is watching the game played and observing the young athletes and offering how they can improve their play. Not to degrade and humiliate them in front of their peers.
What happens next when that doesn’t take place -- happened Sunday. The kids started blaming each other and their bullying continued. I even tried to explain to one 6th grader how you couldn’t talk like that to his "own" players and his opponents. He mocked me by repeating in “that” sarcastic voice exactly what I said. I promptly hit him (and his team) with an 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. I then took the time and explained what he did to his coaches. He remained in the game without any attitude adjustment efforts by his coaches. I wouldn’t have played a snap after that if I had lipped off to an official. The coaches held you accountable for your actions in my youth. You don’t hurt your team and get away unscathed.
One young man broke his ankle. I knew he was hurt by the string of profanity being screamed. I didn’t know that a 7th grader could string that many profane words together so easily. He had obviously done it before because he was good at it.
The EMS that came for him seamed to saunter in slow motion to help him. They really sauntered. This kid was in pain and he needed to get to a hospital and get treated. Quickly. You don’t call emergency personnel to a injury scene to get you to some help…slowly.
Same game. Another ambulance. This time a concussion and a prone player on the sidelines. And I had to keep telling the coaches that they couldn’t coach the kids while they were getting this kid to the hospital. They actually could think of something to say to their team that was more important than that young man laid-out on the sidelines.
I grow more and more disenchanted with grown-ups that haven’t grown-up. I understand more and more why my wise wife likes to be quietly left alone.
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