blended response

Matt Kenwell
Kayleen Schumacher
English 111 7 September 2010
Dad’s That Care Too Much
Have you ever been to a little league game and ever see how much fun the little kids are having just being out on the field playing, then there is a parent yelling in the back ground to stop “goofing around” or do something embarrassing or got in another fight with a parent. This writer decided to speak out against parent behavior at little league sporting events, and I completely agree with the writer’s ideas and concepts on how parents should be acting at their children’s little league games. The message the author is trying to convey is these games are just games, a little league game at that. No parent should be pulling guns, fighting, or beating people to death. “As we have said before, adults — whether coaches, fans, parents or officials — must set examples for youngsters on and off the athletic fields,” a quote from the author, says basically the parents set examples. Plus, it is only a game, I can see maybe when kid’s get older they would get upset, but not during little league football, or for any little league sport at that. The article is very good on giving details on what exactly happened at various scenarios, and the writer gave it a good message to give to the world to think about. They can damage or possibly ruin different mindsets and dreams for the little kid’s in the sport. My thoughts are very emotional with this topic; parents that get in fights at little league games can ruin not only the game, but also the kid’s perspective on the game or on life. The author brought up very good points to support his main idea during this article, but the main idea in the article is simply, it is just a game. Parents are getting too worked up about the playing time, different plays or something the coaches should be worrying about instead of the parents. The coaches are simply there to coach, the coaches attitudes are just to simply win. When I used to play, the coach just wanted to win and they would use the utilities (players) that they had. There are kid’s going to be better than other kid’s, the coaches are just putting people places where they think they have the best chance of winning a game. Also, it is little league, something you don’t have to get that worked up about, again, when I used to play, I never really started play until my last year of little league, it is how much the kid is willing to work to get better, not the coaches fault. I can see in the future, like high school, maybe if two players were vying for playing time and one player was being chosen over another, maybe the kid and parents would be upset, but yet again, its just a game. There is no need for people, especially parents, to pull guns out and threaten some ones life, or wait for them in the parking lot to beat them to death. Maybe people need to take a step back and look at the big picture; it is a little league game. Parents are supposed to be there for the kid’s and support them, if they are beating people up, pulling guns on people, what kind of example is that setting for the little kid’s that are playing the game. After the fact, who knows if the kid’s will want to play again after that happening and that could ruin dreams. I say they just leave it up to the kid’s to decide what they want to do, or if they want to work hard and play. On top of what the author says, parents that come to the game with guns, or come to the games to yell and get in fights with the referees and coaches, just ruin the game for not only the players, but also the other parents in the stands. No one wants to hear the annoying yelling parent in the background. Most parents that go to the game just want to enjoy the game, those “annoying” parents that are they just ruin everything, they even can embarrass their own kid. This can ruin not only the parents lives by getting in trouble, but this can set a bad example for kids that are watching. Some little boy could watch this and want to try it on some one else, so they could either go to school and get in to a fight, or they can bring a gun, or do some other unlawful damage and they could think this is alright, then parents can have an even bigger problem on their hands, and in the future they could get them in to more trouble. Parents need to be the mature people and set an example, instead of just fighting and causing physical harm, they could just talk their problems out and see what has to happen for the child to get more into the game. Again I can see the little kids getting older and parents being upset that they are not playing, but again, it’s the coach’s discretion, they are just trying to put the kids in the best way to win a game, and if that means playing the better athlete, then people have to respect that. “This is not the type of example adults should be setting for their children, but it is becoming all too common.” I think that the author makes a good point about doing something to help the team instead of fighting and getting angry. I completely agree and our ideas do blend about parents getting worked up over a game, a little league football game. If parents are getting that mad about a little league game, then they should try to help, don’t punish the team. What if the a little kid had a dream of playing in the NFL or something, then his immature dad pulls a stunt, like pulling a pistol on a coach, it can change the mind of the coach and make the kid not play anymore, basically ruin the season for him because, he would never play, then the little boy would quit and never amount to his dream. The author is trying to say parents need to act more mature and talk to the coach or the person the parent has a problem with, in a civil manner (phone call, e-mail, e.t.c) instead of trying to physically hurt someone, and then the problem will never be solved. In conclusion, parents that get in fights at little league games ruin the game day experience, it can also ruin the game for the little kid that is trying to play the game, he could be excited to play and just be having fun, but some angry parent might ruin it in the end, not mentioning scar them for life. Like I said in the paragraphs before, maybe the little kid has a dream of playing in college or a wild dream of playing the NFL. Some players might want to get better, but if parents are yelling at them, or yelling at coach, threaten the coaches or referees, or try to cause some other bodily harm, and then this can either set an example by saying that it is okay to carry guns or hit someone. You would think that parents would go to support their little boys or girls, not try to ruin it. A parent should try to help, maybe try a coaching spot, or keep their mouth closed and let the little kids play and have fun, don’t ruin it because your upset over a little league game. To reiterate the point, If a parent doesn’t like the way his or her son is being treated, or the lack of playing time they are getting, they should take it up in a more civil manner then just fighting like little kids about it, at this point, the kids are being more mature then the parents are.