Friday, January 16, 2009

Sportsmanship vs Christianity?

Last night my daughters schools girls basketball team won a match(first I've actually seen them win), while I should be jumping for joy(which I am... sorta), I am also really disappointed in the overall behavior of some of the adults we have encountered coaching the various teams. There are two things that pop into my mind when I think of a coaches mentality and that is example and leader. It seems that so far(I've not seen every coach) we have had an abundance of really bad attitudes all around. I honestly don't know most of them, so I can't hold them to the "Christ-like" rule, however they should still show a good example of sportsmanship thus leading their young charges in the way things are done. I enjoy a good game and truthfully as my wife says I will heckle anyone in good fun, even the eight year old who is getting all the baskets on the other team. But I am not going to lose my cool over a "game" nor am I going to pitch a fit because the call didn't go my way, make fun of the umpire/referee that may need glasses yes. Maybe I am wrong and I would love for someone to actually prove it me but good natured ribbing is not where things go south to me, in fact if I would hope that if Christ played on my team he would heckle the other team too, I know I would heckle him lol...
Can you imagine what he would say "Hey Jordan you can't touch" this as he jumps from one end of the court to the other doing several summersaults in the air finnally slamdunking the basket from the rafters breaking the backboard only to put it back together again with only his touch as he turns to the speechless Jordan with his tougne hanging further than ever before he sas "In your face son". hmm what a rabbit trail....
There is a point though that heckling can become bad I know this; im referring to the goodnatured kind, now back to the point...
The problem with coaches is the loss of control over their emotions. I remember playing third base one time and the opposing coach was so mad and had lost all control of her mouth, emotions and just about everything else, including her players. She finnaly took her clipboard and slammed it down so hard on the fench it snapped into two peices. Now for the record to the best of my knowledge there was no money on the line here, most of us in fact were actually under the age of 15 I think maybe not even that old. She was supposed to be thier leader in matters of sportsmanship, yet the only example she showed was how to break things when life didn't go right in your eyes. We all lose it at times, I myself more than others I think, however if you choose to coach you have to have a lot more self control than the normal human being. I would never willingly coach girls basketball or boys for that matter. I may eat my words one day when my kids are older and there isn't anyone to do it but for now I'm standing on that. I've seen too many coaches this year lose it over silly things that have no meaning in the long scheme of things. Whats worse is that two coaches this year I know goto church and are heavily imvolved in church, what kind of example do those people set for not only those around them that know they claim christianity but for the kids under them who know the same things? Getting excited and revved up is awesome but when it becomes an issue of atitude then its time to reevaluate why you are here.

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