Sports And Culture

Sports and Family Culture

This article focused on sports, parents, and violence and what can be done by local schools to better the sport and learning environment for today's youth. With the shift from modernized to post-modernized thinking (circa 1968) we have encountered some of the most competitive times the sporting world has ever seen. It is important that we be more aware of the imperative limits that should be set within youth and family sports.

The article explained of a disgruntled parent who reportedly was unhappy with the football program at their local high school and how his child was being treated. The father walked into the high school field house and shot the football coach in the chest. School districts around the nation are seeing deteriorating relationships between staff members and parents. We unfortunately live in a society where we have less tolerance and a wavering sense of patients. It has now flowed over into high school and youth athletics. Parent intervention can be very embarrassing for teenagers who play the sport for the love of the game.

Many school districts have passed civility bylaws which allow coaches to remain free from parent pressure and allow them to maintain their coaching freedom. One school district formed a task force to look at ways to improve sportsmanship and to limit incidents during athletic contests. This very same school district had an incident at a basketball in which the event was canceled as a result of task force bylaws. There has been erosion in sportsmanship on many playing fields and at all levels. The unfortunate truth is that parents have been a large part of the problem. It is imperative to the situation that administrators be aware of parent's feelings when their child is concerned. I believe that the task forces should be a non biased entity, possibly consisting of teachers outside the high school. With the addition