Sitting and watching middle school basketball games is my Saturday activity, now that I'm guardian of my twelve year old niece. Every game this season, I sat on the cold hard bleachers cheering for her, while she cheers for her team. I sat and observe people, parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles and friends, who attended the game. It's been years since I sat and watched a middle school basketball game. My oldest son played basketball through his senior year of high school and even considered playing at the University of Central Florida. I would have loved to see that since right now UCF has a 12-0 season record, but I regress, back to middle school basketball games.
Game after game, I've been listening to parents fuss at the referees. The shouting escalates to screaming. Soon parents start yelling at coaches and then yelling in the direction of the players. I'm wondering if anyone takes into consideration that the players are only twelve to fifteen years old. It is inconceivable that parents are screaming at the kids!
I have watched parents actually stop the coach before the locker room, both at half time and after the games. I assume the parents are complaining about the coaching or that their kid was not getting enough playing time. I assume this because of the parent’s body language. However, it’s not only the parent’s bad manners I am observing. After attending every middle school game this season I witnessed the opposing cheerleaders cheer "Miss It" while my niece’s middle school team attempts free throws. Really! Is this acceptable behavior? Is it the parenting or coaching?
I know that sports have changed. It’s simply; terrible sportsmanship that I observed. Our society IS what we teach! And that is What I Know!
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