Are we a nation of poor sports?

Ladies and gentlemen of the Sportsmanship blogosphere. We have a major problem with fan behavior brewing in this country. I submit to you that if we do not stem the tide of violent, disrespectful and classless behavior among fans, sports as we know them may be irreparably damaged. The title of this post is meant to provoke thought, discussion and solutions. Without further delay, I will present my case in three parts.

Exhibit A

The New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers met last Sunday in a regular season rematch of last year's NFC Championship Game. New York defeated  San Francisco at home, 26-3. Apparently, Giants and 49ers fans didn't get enough action watching the two teams. Several men and women engaged in reality-show style fisticuffs in the parking lot after the game (email subscribers click here).

Exhibit B

On Sunday, October 7, the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Baltimore Ravens at Arrowhead Stadium. Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel took a vicious hit on a pass play and laid nearly motionless on the field. As trainers and medical personnel rushed to Cassel's aid, fans cheered. That's right. Chiefs fans cheered their starting quarterback suffering an injury and having to be helped off the field. Kansas City offensive lineman Eric Winston had a few choice words for his own fans (email subscribers click here).

Exhibit C

In the first ever National League Wild Card Game, the St. Louis Cardinals took on the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field in Atlanta. A Braves rally all but ended in the 8th inning after an umpire controversially invoked the infield fly rule on a ball hit to shallow left field. Atlanta fans showed their displeasure by showering the field with seemingly endless amounts of garbage (email subscribers click here).

And there you have it. Are fans out of control? Are we a nation of spoiled brats that throw temper tantrums when we don't get our way? Do we deserve a better football team when we cheer our own guys getting hurt? If we don't think our team put up enough of a fight, should we start another one on the parking lot? Your thoughts are certainly welcome. The prosecution rests. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Read More

Football coach knocks out opposing player during game

Nathan Harris, a Salt Lake City area youth football coach, was charged with child abuse after knocking out a 13-year-old player on the opposing team. The video below shows the incident in its entirety. Watch closely as to how the play ends (email subscribers click here).



Simply put, this kind of behavior is wholly unacceptable. If the allegations prove true, this coach should never be allowed to work with kids again. Our first responsibility to kids is their safety. When a coach chooses to compromise safety, the whole program is compromised. When the authorities get involved, it's obviously gone beyond league control. Don't let things get that far. Make sure your coaches and parents are aware of your league's expectations.

The St. Louis Sports Commission's Sportsmanship Initiative has several tools to help you communicate expectations and help coaches and parents keep youth sports in the proper perspective. Please visit sportsmanship.org for more information on how to get involved and improve the sports experience for your kids. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Read More

Braves fans throw trash as young people show class

"They're throwing stuff on the field in Atlanta," said one parent during a timeout at the 7th grade volleyball game between St. Angela Merici and St. Norbert on Friday evening. The St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves were playing in the National League Wild Card Game. Breaks in the action on the court provided opportunities for parents to check the Cardinals score on their phones. There was talk that officials could stop the game because of fan behavior. A controversial call based on MLB's Infield Fly Rule effectively ended a Braves rally and fans responded by throwing large amounts of trash on the field. The game was delayed for nearly 20 minutes as officials tried to restore order. When the game ended, a victorious Cardinals team had to sprint off the field as fans once again began showering the field with litter.

Poor sportsmanship leaves a real mess.

Meanwhile, the 7th grade volleyball teams from St. Angela and St. Norbert played a spirited contest featuring some great serves, long rallies, and most of all...respect. Sportsmanship Brigade members tried mightily to find that one kid or two that stood out from the others, but to no avail. Every kid stood out. St. Norbert's seven girls and St. Angela's nine showed us what good play, determination and sportsmanship were all about. We asked both coaches if they would take their respective teams out for pizza - on us. Words just don't do the moment justice. So, here's a visual:

16 girls showing good sportsmanship is greater than 40,000 not. 

The Sportsmanship Brigade is a group of Sports Commission volunteers who attend youth sporting events looking for acts of good sportsmanship. Athletes, coaches, parents, fans and officials who exhibit good sportsmanship are rewarded with a certificate of recognition and a gift card to a local business. With just a $10 or greater donation, you can enhance the Brigade's efforts. Your gift supports the prizes we provide our weekly winners. Please click here to donate. The Sportsmanship Brigade is a program of the St. Louis Sports Foundation, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization. So, your gift is tax deductible. For more on the Brigade, including scheduling and volunteering information, please visit sportsmanship.org or call 314-345-5130. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Read More

Possibly the dirtiest player in youth football

I know the title of this post is not nice, but it may very well be true. The video below depicts highlights - check that - lowlights of a youth football game in Oregon (email subscribers click here). This video was submitted to Oregon City youth football officials after the play of mostly one child. Keep your eyes on no. 11 for the first three minutes or so. Blocks in the back, kicking other kids on the ground and face mask penalties just scratch the surface with this kid. If you are appalled by the young man's behavior, you should be outraged by his coach.

Kids are copycats and for the most part do what they're told or otherwise taught. The boy is no older than nine. His coaches taught him to play like this and he's following orders. How do I know? Well, the evidence is pretty clear. The kid was never pulled from the game. Any one of those dirty plays would cause most coaches to sit a kid for the remainder of the contest. This youngster was allowed to pummel everyone in his path.

To its credit, the league suspended the player and coach for one game. That may seem lenient to some, but most youth leagues only play 8-10 games anyway. The larger issue is not the punishment but the poor coaching and instruction that took place beforehand. Make sure this doesn't happen in your league. The Sports Commission is teaming with Coaching Coaches, LLC to provide low-cost training for youth coaches in all sports with the goal of making the youth sports experience as enjoyable as possible for your kids.

If you want to learn more about Coaching Coaches, which has programs for coaches and parents, call 314-345-5130 or email salexander@stlsports.org.  For information on our entire Sportsmanship Initiative, including many programs you can take advantage of right now, please visit our website at sportsmanship.org. Until next time...

Be a Good Sport!

-Sol

Read More