Consider little Bobby, who, at age 4 showed a fine aptitude for swinging a baseball bat. He’s got a lot going for him, a strong arm, great eye-hand coordination and an apparent love for the game. By age 9 he’s regularly rounding the bases on the little league field and by age 15 is playing up with the bigger boys on the high school varsity team.
Or, little Suzy who’s a whiz at kicking soccer balls. She, too, has the skills to play the game, with lightening speed and agility. By age 7 she was scoring all of her team’s goals in the local soccer league and at 10 is playing up with the older girls on a traveling select soccer team.
Suzy’s destined for a full-ride athletic scholarship at a major university and Bobby’s future career in the major leagues is assured – just ask their parents. They’re the kinds of parents who are easy to find in the stands because they’re yelling at the umpires and the coaches, complaining about playing time and arguing every infraction or called strike at the plate. Often their voices are heard above the cheering crowd, berating the referees and opposing team players and challenging the coach’s authority.
Sadly, Bobby and Suzy’s parents aren’t alone, they’re joined by others confident that they’re raising the next Mia Hamm or Alex Rodriguez. They’ve lost sight of the brutal reality that in spite of their talent and athletic aptitude, little Bobby and Suzy aren’t likely to hit the sports lottery and make millions in professional contracts and flashy product endorsements.
Although well intentioned, dear mom and dad have become “helicopter parents” – hovering over their children and earning a less than stellar reputation for themselves and their budding superstar with coaches and athletic officials.
Parental misbehavior has gotten so bad in some areas that many sports are scrambling to find volunteers brave enough to officiate games, matches and tournaments. Taunts, insults and threats have replaced proper sportsmanship and spectator interference is often cited as the reason many officials are hanging up their whistles permanently. Referees are getting younger and younger too, because those older and wiser have already learned it’s not worth facing parental wrath and second-guessing.
While there’s nothing wrong with a parent encouraging their child to succeed, those with helicopter tendencies need to take a step back and make sure all flights are grounded. It would be refreshing too, if academics, sportsmanship and having fun were as valued as playing time and winning.
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