THE FUTURE IS HARD. SO LET CHILDHOOD BE FUN
Within the fibers of American culture, there lies certain customs and
institutions that build up to form the world-renowned American DNA
that is known around the world. Think about things like fireworks on
the Fourth of July, or a greasy cheeseburger sizzling on the grill, or
even a case of ice cold beer rapidly being consumed by a group of
excited fans at a football tailgate. However, as much as all of these
glorious factors are all part of the traditional identity of the
United States, there is also one less appealing factor that continues
to be prevalent within our communities: parents who don’t understand
the line between competitive and obsessive when it comes to youth
sports. Although parents are supposed to be the role models for
self-control and thoughtful behavior. all too often it is the adults
who find themselves drunk by the hyper competitive fires of youth
sports.
My
little brother, who is fourteen, plays for a travel soccer team in
Fayetteville that is very compete and subsequently travels all
throughout the state for various games and tournaments to showcase the
talent and dedication of the children playing. A couple of years ago,
my brother’s team participated in a relatively elite tournament in
Mooresville, a large town located in western North Carolina near Lake
Norman. Given the high level of quality that was present on the field
and seductive allure of winning a tournament trophy, the intensity for
the players and for the parents was high. During the championship game
that my brother’s team had reached, the tensions that had been
building throughout the event finally exploded in a ugly way. Before
the game had even reached halftime, parents from both teams could be
seen hurling vulgar obscenities at the referee, approaching each other
with threats of violence, and creating a truly toxic atmosphere for a
bunch of kids to play a game where the objective is to simply kick a
ball. Certain parents were eventually tossed out of the game and
escorted away from the premises, while other parents had to be
threatened with the possibility of notifying the police if they could
not control themselves. Rather than celebrate their child’s athletic
achievements, some parents at this game chose to make the game all
about themselves as they embarrassed not only themselves but also
their own children.
To provide some context for this issue, travel soccer in the United
States and competitive youth sports in general are ridiculously
expensive and therefore parents understandably want to see a polished
end product which justifies the financial investment that they are
making. However, it baffles me why it is so hard for some parents to
understand that their child will never be the next Lionel Messi or
Lebron James, and that’s perfectly okay. There are some things in life
that matter more than the wins and losses of a sports game, such as
values like respect or sportsmanship. Mistakes happen, but these
values need to be taught to children like any other lesson, which
includes setting a good example for the children to emulate. Some of
my greatest memories from my childhood come from the moments playing
sports when I could express myself freely and without stress or
anxiety. Life can be brutal and usually shows no mercy, so let’s all
enjoy the moments that give us an escape from the reality of life and
soak in the fun that comes our way.
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