Just Another Saturday at a Rec League Football Game

Our grandson Aiden plays on a recreation football team for children who are nine years of age and under.  Aiden and I have always had a running joke about his small statue but when I see Aiden with children his own age he is not a small young man.  He plays defensive tackle and tight end on his football team and from my observation he is on his way to becoming a pretty good football player.

His grandmother and I had not seen him play this year.  Therefore, with the Georgia Bulldogs having an open date last Saturday we made our way up to Jefferson to watch Aiden play.  His Jefferson team was playing a team from a neighboring community that  I will not name for reasons that will become apparent later.  After trailing at the half, Aiden's Jefferson team came from behind to win 22-14.

While I was thrilled for my grandson, I was deeply disturbed by what I saw on Saturday.  As the Jefferson team took control of the game the coaches, players and fans/parents for the opposing team basically imploded.  

In the words of the esteemed Larry Munson let's "Get the picture."

There was one grandstand which ran from the 30 yard line to 30 yard line on one side of the field.  Aiden's team was across the field from us and the opposing team used the sideline in front of us. Supporters of both teams were seated together with Jefferson folks sitting on one half of the bleachers and the guests on the other half.  Toni and I sat on the aisle closest to the visiting fans.

During the game I had noticed a couple of the coaches for the opposing team appeared to be wound just a bit too tight.  I also felt that the offensive scheme the team was trying to run was bit too complicated for a nine year old to grasp.  Of course everyone in the stands on a football Saturday is a coach whether those stands are at Sanford Stadium or at the Jefferson Rec League so perhaps a critique of the coaches' grasp of the game might not be appropriate.  Even so, I do think I could have done better.

That said, as Jefferson took the lead and  the opponents were unable to mount a comeback there were coaches screaming at each other on the sideline.  I noticed what I presumed to be a mother on the sideline in a shouting match with a coach.  Soon a coach and a player I assumed to be the coach's son stormed of the sideline and headed for the exit.  Another spectator for some reason had to be restrained from going after the departing coach.  A parent sitting across  the aisle from Toni and me had gone down to the fence separating the stands from the field and yelled something at someone and came back to her seat all in a huff talking of whipping some one's hind parts.  

After the game was done and Jefferson won, the teams lined up for the customary hand shake.  The opposing team's head coach looked at his charges and shouted,  "I'm ashamed of you!  You quit out there! You quit out there!"  

Their is an adage that says "Fools rush in where angel's fear to tread."  Yes, I know it was technically "none of my business" but I'd seen and heard enough.  I shouted from the stands down to the field, "That's enough coach.  They're nine for Pete's sake.  They're nine."  I received a look from said coach indicating my remarks weren't well received but he ceased berating his players.

Toni and I along with Aiden's mom and dad went and retrieved him. As we were doing so a Jefferson supporter came to me and said, "Thank you for what you said to that coach."

As Toni and I made our way back to our car the same mom who was going to whip some hind parts had her son sitting in the back of their SUV with the tailgate up berating him with a tone and  language befitting an Army drill sergeant.  We weren't sure whether she was berating him for losing a football game or for some other offense.  What we do know that she continued to berate him as we were driving away.

I didn't say anything to the woman for a couple of reasons.  One, I didn't have all the facts and two, Toni was tugging at me. I really felt for the kid. If he needed correcting, I was  glad he was receiving it; yet, the whole thing seemed really unsettling. Sure there are times one needs to correct children.  That said, I certainly would not want all me parenting decisions second guessed because my mistakes were legion.  However, a parent can have the right message to give but fail if they give it the wrong way.  I sensed that might have been taking place on Saturday but again I didn't have all the facts.

Here is where I land a couple of days removed from the events of last Saturday.

I have been around sports ever since I was a kid.  I have played on sports teams.  I have been a player's parent.  I drew a paycheck for a few years coaching high school football.  I have coached in rec leagues.  I have served as a volunteer coach for schools in communities where I pastored.  I have been a booster.  I once had an eight year run in the press box as the announcer for a high school football team.  I've traveled all the way to Pasadena to watch the Georgia Bulldogs play.  Sports are great for the building of character and they can be downright entertaining.

I believe winning is important. I do not like to be on the losing side and as long as there is a scoreboard winning matters.

Those things said there is a right way and wrong way to both win and lose.

Of course, what left me more disturbed than anything Saturday was the fact that the issues I observed involved those who should have been the examples and the role models for our youth.  As Christians we often point to the Bible as life's guidebook and that is certainly true; however, the first manual our young people have for the living of life is the emulation of what they see.

In Acts 5:15 we read of people placing their sick and infirmed friends and relatives in the streets so Peter's shadow could pass over them.  The result was that they were healed.

This leads us to contemplate our shadow.  Understanding our shadow being our ability to influence others by our interactions with them, the question of importance is, "What influence does our shadow have on those on whom it falls?"  "What do those for whom we are role models see when they see us?"

Whether we are coaching a rec league football team, parenting a child, or checking out at Publix our shadow is there.  We have the opportunity to influence others in many capacities. What will our influence be? 

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