Author Topic: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games  (Read 12373 times)

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Offline James

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Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« on: June 05, 2013, 01:06:45 AM »
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/chicago-suburb-installs-fantastic-signs-parents-chill-youth-095119074.html

Story about a sign posted at a sports field telling spectators to calm down and remember it is a game.

One section of the sign not shown:
“Referees umpires and officials are human and make mistakes, just like players, coaches and you. No one shouts at you in front of other people when you make a mistake, so please don’t yell at them. We do not have video replay; so, we will go with their calls.”

Offline TampaSteve

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #1 on: June 06, 2013, 07:05:45 AM »
Is it me but it seems that 99 44/100% of the screaming lunatics in bars or at kids games never participated in the said sport above the "8th grade JV team" level?

Offline HLinNC

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #2 on: June 06, 2013, 10:47:40 AM »
The "my little Johnny is getting a college scholarship" segment is a growing faction.

Offline TampaSteve

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2013, 12:19:28 PM »
The "my little Johnny is getting a college scholarship" segment is a growing faction.
...and Johnny's scholarship hinges on this game... pfft
His school of choice cares nothing about his own abilities.  Only whether his team wins...
 LOL 

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2013, 09:33:16 AM »
PMS - Parental Meddling Syndrome - have caused many good coaches in our state to decide it isn't worth the hassle. Don't overlook them when trying to recruit new officials as the majority will make the transition very well. We zebras usually remain annoynous to most fans even though we may rank high on the typical big mouthed parent's blame list for Junior's failure. Top reasons Junior's team lost : (1) officials via bad calls; (2) coach via bad decisions ; (3) athletic director for scheduling such a mean opponent; (4) weatherman for not telling us that some days it rains ; (5) teammate whose mom/dad/whatever must be doing special "favors" for the coach ; (6) consession stand operator where the scent of fried onions makes Junior ill.......I'm sure there's many more...you guys can take it from here! ;D

Offline Rulesman

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #5 on: July 11, 2013, 10:50:57 AM »
PMS - Parental Meddling Syndrome - have caused many good coaches in our state to decide it isn't worth the hassle. Don't overlook them when trying to recruit new officials as the majority will make the transition very well.
Do you really believe a coach whose skin isn't thick enough to stand a parent's whining is thick enough to stand on the sideline listening to coaches whining?
"Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process we will catch excellence. I am not remotely interested in just being good."
- Vince Lombardi

Offline HLinNC

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #6 on: July 11, 2013, 12:22:40 PM »
Quote
Do you really believe a coach whose skin isn't thick enough to stand a parent's whining is thick enough to stand on the sideline listening to coaches whining?

Hence why they would only want to be  sNiCkErS

 LOL

Offline Ralph Damren

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #7 on: July 11, 2013, 12:32:08 PM »
Do you really believe a coach whose skin isn't thick enough to stand a parent's whining is thick enough to stand on the sideline listening to coaches whining?
I've had several former coaches / very successful officials tell me the two major advantages officials have over coaches are : (1) Officials are virtually annoymus ; fans/parents may boo ,but they don't know you - no phone calls at home or poor treatment in the community. (2) Officials' decisions have teeth and finality - no meetings with the school board or AD if Junior doesn't make the team. There appears to be a problem with the coaching ratio of educators to non-educators and that problem is increasing. In contact sports such as ours the value of experience of educators in zebra stripes is apparent and we should utilize it when recruiting.

Offline AlUpstateNY

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #8 on: July 12, 2013, 11:19:01 AM »
It seems so simple and so obvious that most differences between coaches and officials could be eliminated if coaches, especially at the lower levels, accepted that both they, as well as officials, have the same basic objective of helping create a positive, enjoyable physically stimulating exercise for student age athletes.  Each have totally different responsibilities that are absolutely necessary to reach the basic objective.

Just as officials are far too involved with their own responsibilities to intrude on coaches duties, coaches should be imersed in dealing with their responsibilities to even question, much less argue or complain, about game officials responsibilities.

As for spectators, controlling their behavior is the absolute responsibility of game management and any interference with either coaches or officials is simply unacceptable and should not be tolerated.  Officials are advised and instructed to TOTALLY IGNORE spectator comments, as they have absolutely no say, whatsoever,  in the performance on the field.  It should go without saying that game management should WANT, as well as INSIST, that spectators should not embarrass themselves, their children or other players by behaving inappropriately, which REQUIRES the COURAGE and the capacity to remove those insisting on behaving inappropriately from the venue, when necessary. 

It's not rocket science, sometimes adults just have to behave like adults, or they're not wanted or allowed to participate.

Offline VALJ

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #9 on: July 15, 2013, 12:54:39 PM »
I worked little league ball twice in my rookie season, and vowed to never do it again.  Three reasons:

1) After working games Wednesday and Thursday, and being on the sideline observing on Friday, doing 4 games in a row on Saturday morning meant I was no damn good to anybody til about the next Wednesday, in time to start the cycle over.

2) Probably because I was so new to the game, but I just couldn't cope emotionally with seeing a 10 year old kid go off the field on a stretcher and back board after getting his jersey and shoulder pads cut off of him.  Didn't help that I was able to hear the leg of another kid in the same game snap, either.

3) In one of the 8-9 year old games at the end of the day, we had a parent run onto the field.  Little Jimmy had scored a touchdown, and was hit about three steps into the end zone after we'd blown the whistle.  While my flag was still in the air, Jimmy's mommy had grabbed the defender who hit her little snookums by the face mask and was shaking him around by it.

Not to mention the Jon Grudens on the sideline acting like they were coaching in the Super Bowl during a bloody flag game with 6 and 7 year olds.  I know - and knew at the time, as a Little League softball coach - that coaching young kids is tough.  But the younger kids are the ones in most need of an experienced coach, and the least likely to get one.

Offline bama_stripes

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Re: Sign to try to keep parents calm at games
« Reply #10 on: July 15, 2013, 05:27:16 PM »
I worked little league ball twice in my rookie season, and vowed to never do it again. 

I've worked youth ball for the same league for 15 years.  This league only accepts teams that have access to a HS stadium, and only coaches, players, officials & cheerleaders are allowed inside the fence.  All sites must supply security, and a site manager who has no coaching duties.  We've been fortunate to have very few incidents during this time, and I've never felt myself to be in physical danger after a game.

There's another youth league in town that I wouldn't go near with the proverbial 10-foot pole.