those pesky potential life-altering concussions that little kids can suffer can make one reconsider pop warner football…..plus, the out of pocket expense to fund a football team and it’s equipment (as opposed to the cost of funding a soccer team) is quite enormous……
I get much more grief from parents over my strike zone when umpiring baseball — especially the ones sitting over behind first base. My favorite was when I rang out the catcher (Kyle) for one team on an outside corner pitch. The next inning, the other team’s catcher (Steve) also not rang out on pretty much the same pitch. Steve’s mother started yelling obscenities at me. He simply turned to her and yelled back “Shut up mom, it’s the same pitch that Kyle was called out on”.
nighthawks is right. Learning teamwork, muscle control skills, how to follow coaching, etc. are all valuable long term life lessons, but you can get them without losing too many brain cells in other sports. And you can learn many of those just as well, maybe even better, playing pickup games. (Sure, I got picked last a lot, but life’s like that. There’s always somebody smarter or richer than you in life as well, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do well and have a good time.)
Little League Parentitis isn’t just limited to baseball. I used to work for a Junior hockey team and at the beginning of each season, the coaches would call a meeting of the parents to tell them in so many words, “They’re yours at home, but when they’re on the ice WE decide who plays and when. You’re welcome to attend games and make noise but we don’t need your help coaching…we’ve got it handled.” As a postscript, that team (which usually had culls from other teams) won three national championships.
“Soft” players? Sorry, but soccer can be worse than football (all those pads) — the various injuries my son sustained in travel and high school soccer (including a ruptured spleen from a blindside hit while he was airborne heading a ball) will attest to that.
Sensible parents recognize it’s more important to protect children from brain trauma and from the negative social implications of encouraging children to hurt one another. And soccer is hardly a “soft” sport; just one where intelligence matters along with speed and strength.
Linguist almost 11 years ago
Why do parents forget that It’s a Kids Game ?
Joseph Houk almost 11 years ago
“Soft players”?
Nighthawks Premium Member almost 11 years ago
those pesky potential life-altering concussions that little kids can suffer can make one reconsider pop warner football…..plus, the out of pocket expense to fund a football team and it’s equipment (as opposed to the cost of funding a soccer team) is quite enormous……
Geldhart almost 11 years ago
I get much more grief from parents over my strike zone when umpiring baseball — especially the ones sitting over behind first base. My favorite was when I rang out the catcher (Kyle) for one team on an outside corner pitch. The next inning, the other team’s catcher (Steve) also not rang out on pretty much the same pitch. Steve’s mother started yelling obscenities at me. He simply turned to her and yelled back “Shut up mom, it’s the same pitch that Kyle was called out on”.
ZBicyclist Premium Member almost 11 years ago
nighthawks is right. Learning teamwork, muscle control skills, how to follow coaching, etc. are all valuable long term life lessons, but you can get them without losing too many brain cells in other sports. And you can learn many of those just as well, maybe even better, playing pickup games. (Sure, I got picked last a lot, but life’s like that. There’s always somebody smarter or richer than you in life as well, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do well and have a good time.)
Guilty Bystander almost 11 years ago
Little League Parentitis isn’t just limited to baseball. I used to work for a Junior hockey team and at the beginning of each season, the coaches would call a meeting of the parents to tell them in so many words, “They’re yours at home, but when they’re on the ice WE decide who plays and when. You’re welcome to attend games and make noise but we don’t need your help coaching…we’ve got it handled.” As a postscript, that team (which usually had culls from other teams) won three national championships.
Bruce Harper Premium Member almost 11 years ago
“Soft” players? Sorry, but soccer can be worse than football (all those pads) — the various injuries my son sustained in travel and high school soccer (including a ruptured spleen from a blindside hit while he was airborne heading a ball) will attest to that.
Spyderred almost 11 years ago
Sensible parents recognize it’s more important to protect children from brain trauma and from the negative social implications of encouraging children to hurt one another. And soccer is hardly a “soft” sport; just one where intelligence matters along with speed and strength.