05-25-2014, 10:29 AM
(05-25-2014, 08:23 AM)thekid65 Wrote: When I was 13 or so, I refereed soccer in a city league. I basically refereed kids from 2nd to 6th grade. It was funny as hell watching the real young kids play...the whole field of kids moved to the ball, there wasn't any passing, strategy, or the like. But...there WAS a winner and loser...and ya know what, all the kids seemed to have a good time.. and win or lose, coaches normally took the kids out for ice cream, or whatever, after the game.
When they were in elementary school, my nephew played Little League and my niece played girl's softball. I used to love watching their games -- they were fun and hysterical.
I don't remember any overbearing, screaming parents in the bleachers at the basketball games, but there were always a couple, at least, at the Little League games. I'm talking seriously wound-up parents (moms and dads) screaming at their kids while they were still on the field about how to play and what they should have done if they made an error...
And, Jesus Christ, if the ump made what they considered a questionable or wrong call, there were some major shit fits (I kept telling my sister to knock it off, but no....).
Have you ever seen that opposite end of the spectrum in-person; where the parents are so irrationally ultra-competitive that you cringe for their kids and the officials? That definitely lessened the fun at times.
I think you're right that it shouldn't be hard to focus on the fun AND encourage healthy competition simultaneously, but some parents think every move their kids make is a winner-move and others make their kids feel like losers for not playing like professionals at age 10.