In our society and in nature, adults are supposed to nurture children, lead by example and create a template by which to live.
This happens on a daily basis, with many adults and parents teaching children how to be respectful, how to be kind and how to be a good person. This education continues through a child’s developing years and into their teens.
Sometimes, however, adults can lose themselves and inadvertently teach our youth bad habits.
Never is that more apparent than during school sporting events, as was the case Thursday at the Biddeford versus Windham Western Class A Regional quarterfinal baseball game.
Fans from the Windham side became unruly during the late innings after the umpires didn’t make calls that favored the Eagles. Booing and name-calling ensued, and at one point, the homeplate umpire called timeout and began to chastise the fans, threatening to eject several of the adults for unruly behavior. This prompted Windham Athletic Director Rich Drummond to come onto the baseball diamond and help calm the crowd.
Sports can be exciting, and they can trigger an array of emotions in a short period of time that range from euphoria to anger, depending on how one’s team is performing.
To react is human nature, but adult fans who are watching high school games must remember that they are there to support their team and foster good sportsmanship, regardless of perceived good and bad calls. Adult fans must set an example for the younger fans and demonstrate composure even if the call or game didn’t go their way.
It is a sport, after all, and Windham versus Biddeford was a high school game that is played more for education and experience than for true competition where a lot of money or a business’ bottom line is at stake, such as in professional sports.
These baseball players are 14-18 years old and their exploits on the field should never be treated as anything more than children playing a game.
It has become apparent in our culture that we are losing sight of why we have school-sponsored athletic programs. Where once many athletes competed in three different sports for their schools every year, they are now becoming more specialized as they devote most of their attention to a single sport in the hopes of landing a scholarship to college or perhaps making it to the professional ranks.
This has led to more youth leagues, 12 months of saturated playing and to the negating of the experience of a young athlete learning the true nature of playing for their community across multiple sports such as football, basketball, baseball, soccer and so on.
Our society must realize that our youths’ involvement in athletic events should be cherished, as many athletes will never play in college and will only have their high school years to learn how to develop character through athletics. Cheering for one’s team is encouraged, but cheering against the opponent or chastising an official should never be tolerated.
Setting goals for one’s child is great and should be expected and used for education, as should the spirit of competition, but let’s not forget the greater importance of setting proper examples of good sportsmanship.
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Today’s editorial was written by Sports Editor Al Edwards on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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