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Log Entry 2/27/6   My reflections on Saturday's game (by Tom Sinclair)

(Author's Disclosure Statement: After spousal review, I do openly admit that I have verbally criticized and insulted game officials and have regularly shouted coaching advice from the stands to my child and other children, too. I don't want to sleep on the couch again tonight, dear. I repent!)

Our boys played hard. As of Saturday afternoon our varsity boys had played 10 games in 13 days. They played their hearts out. They just ran out of gas. Kids get tired. Coaches get fatigued. Parents get tuckered out, too. Now we all get 17 days to recuperate and regroup before the next contest. 

We lost a couple of key players to freak accidents. Can't predict that. Probably can't prevent it either. I understand that they'll be back before the next game. That's very good.

What troubled me about Saturday's game is not the number of recent games played or the accidents, but rather how we, as fans (and parents), reacted when things weren't going our way. I acknowledge that the officiating left much to be desired. And the opponent's play was very physical and intimidating. And our boys were leg weary. And the score was not in our favor.

But... We criticized and berated the officials. We were critical of the other team's style of play and their coach. We were loud. We hoped that they all heard us. I believe they did.

But, other people heard us, too. Our boys.

Our boys did not play that game in a sound-proof box. They heard every comment. They heard every insult. Their play reflected it. I've watched the game tapes and as the rancor increased, the level of play decreased. Short controlled passes gave way to long bombs. Controlled first touches gave way to 10-yard shin bounces. We, as parents, affected the game. We, as parents, affected the outcome. But not the way we wanted to.

Am I saying that, as parents, we lost the game? No. Please don't misunderstand. The score may have been exactly the same if we'd all had soccer socks stuffed in our mouths held in by some of Stacey's athletic tape.

We affected our kids. We affected their play. We coached from the stands. We got in the way of their coach.

Our kids know our voice. They've heard it all their lives. I believe that they heard us before they were born.

But our kids have had four weeks to get to know their coach's voice. Which one do you think they may hear more clearly?

I think we owe it to our kids and their coach to let his voice be the one heard to criticize and instruct. I think we owe it to our boys to set an example of good sportsmanship from the stands regardless of the competence of the game officials. Let our voices be the ones that are heard encouraging, supporting, and cheering. We will all be better for it.

Having said all of that, if you hear me misbehaving at a game, please hit me with something large... but soft. Thank you.

Tom Sinclair

Former Shouting Parent Trying to Turn Over a New Leaf  :)

P.S. If you have a rebuttal statement or wish to confess your parental sins, write it up and fire it to me at T @ bellsouth.net.