One senior and two juniors cut. Two sophomores moved up on the varsity boys basketball team. What message is being sent to our kids-that if you are not good enough quit or get out. Is winning really the only thing that matters?
What happened to kids participating in extracurricular activities to assist with building self-confidence and self-esteem, as well as, learning how to work as a team and give encouragement to teammates. These are skills learned that can help in the future with having good self-esteem to achieve bigger and better things that life has to offer.
The emphasis on winning is way overrated. I was told, “It is the nature of the beast,” What does this mean?? Cutting kids from teams? Don't get me wrong, winning is a good thing, but at what cost are we willing to go to accomplish this? My real concern is in the years to come (for those kids who are cut off a team). What happens to them and their self-esteem and self-confidence? Does this affect them socially, physically or emotionally?
I was embarrassed this past Friday as I sat in the audience for Kasson-Mantorville JV boy’s basketball game. At half time, the score was 38-7, K-M winning. Even at that score there were two players on the team that still had not played. Upon return to the court for the second half, K-M went on to play juniors and the sophomore starting team. The score went on and was 46-9. I noticed even the K-M crowd was quiet. I felt bad for the other team, the other parents, as I realized our team was not showing respect or sportsmanship. The game went on and on and finally with 3:31 to go in the game the final two players of the K-M were given to opportunity to shine. Does this make sense? Should K-M be proud of a win like this?
Participation in sports and other activities is not what it used to be. In fact now, kids are feeling very intimidated (bullied) by coaches and are feeling more and more reluctant to even say anything about this issue as there is a perception that the kids will pay the price if they or their family members challenge any of the new coaching ideas. Remember when you really looked up to and really respected someone as a coach? Are the kids today feeling like they have good role models in their coaches? Do they respect them?
If we do not monitor what our coaches and athletic director are doing, who is making the decisions in our children's lives that may affect them for the rest of their lives? I know some people will disagree and some agree. I want to be fair and most importantly, I want every kid that goes out for sports or other activities to benefit from adult mentoring in a way that prepares the kids for their future life. If some good comes of this then it is all worth the effort.
I made a phone call to my former coach, Molly Baum of Chatfield, who is now retired. I had the utmost respect for him in high school and even more respect after graduating. It was not until I had children in sports years later that I realized the importance of hiring a person who truly cared about how I was doing and encouraged me through my sports career.
To me a coach should encourage, discipline, build self-esteem and teach the kids to respect others. I think nowadays it has come down to only winning. Winning is the only thing that is important. We, as parents, and society have made this the main focus. Learning leadership skills and learning that hard work can help one accomplish goals should be most important.
One last thought about cutting players… We know that only 16 players can dress for playoffs. If you have 20 people on the roster dress 16 of them, sit four and if they win the game, then for the next playoff game sit the four that previously played and dress the other four that did not play. Realistically, only about eight players are going to get into a playoff game anyway unless it is a blowout. I am sure if finances were an issue the booster club could step in and help purchase additional uniforms.
I hope expressing these opinions, can only bring positive changes in our Kasson-Mantorville leadership and coaches. Please take on the challenge to teach the kids that winning isn’t everything.
A concerned parent
Mark Bernard, Mantorville
I totally agree.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% as well. Are those 2 Sophmore boys that were brought up winning the games for the boys basketball team...Doubt it! Like all sports and coaches....Keep the kids age groups together...builds a much stronger team and program. There are no excuses!!
ReplyDeleteReally surprised that someone who is commenting on this blog doesn't actually read the Independent otherwise you would have seen the article:
Delete"Chad Aaker free throws seals win for KoMets"
which was in the Independent January 18th update. Also you haven't watched basketball lately either. I can't think of a single school in the area that only plays kids from one class together. That is a fairly ridiculous notion as the goal of the varsity team is to field the most successful team possible.
I disagree. I don't like cutting either,but it almost impossible to keep that many kids involved during practice let alone a game. I feel playing everyone even is unfair for someone who worked hard all summer and got better. Some of these kids may have not work at it as much as others.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the coaches being respected by the players. It's tuff for the kids to respect the coaches if when they get home the parents don't.
Getting 18 players on the floor in the first half of a blowout game seems like an accomplishment, given the half is 16 minutes in length. On to the important stuff....
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the author of this letter. The critical question is to ask, "Why do we have athletics in schools?" First and formost it has to be to provide opportunities for young adults to develop life skills such as winning gracefully, losing with class, learning how to work for someone, learning how to work with others as a part of a group, how do deal constructively with disappointment and success, and that teams (groups) are more important than individuals.
The author suggests, in thought, that competition is the enemy (and then quickly covers it up by saying something like "I like to win too, BUT". He/She suggests that the goal should be to make individuals feel good about themselves. I completely DISAGREE, the goal should be to make individuals feel good about themselves given the limitations we ALL have whether physically, emotionally, or intellectually. To be content with what we are seems far superior to simply "making people feel good about themselves, just because." We must be honest with ourselves and our kids and promote selfawareness, capitalism, truth, and teach life lessons along the way.
Seemingly, a culture exists that detracts from the truth. This culture blames organizations and individuals outside their cozy little world for things not going how they would prefer. Perhaps the answer should be to look inward and accept that not every kid on a basketball team of 20 can start. I do wish every kid could be a star...perhaps the most important lesson is to teach a kid how not to be a star...gracefully.