The Five W's: A Response

Recently I found an article I can relate to all too well.  Parents heckling coaches in youth sports.  We've all seen and heard "that family" at every game cheering on their "next Derek Jeter."

- Who     What     Where     When     Why - 

Do parents of young athletes have the right to speak up when they do not like a coaching decision? What if they yell at the game officials or bark orders at their children from the sidelines?

Patrick Hite, a columnist for The News Leader in Staunton, Va., suggests that obnoxious and outspoken parents are chasing away the best coaches from youth sports. He tells the story of Rob Bennett, a Covington High School science teacher with a master’s degree who was also the town’s mayor. But the job of boys’ basketball coach recently proved too much for Mr. Bennett, and he resigned.

Bennett and his coaching staff were questioned by parents about something after every game.

“It was either over playing time, what I said to their child on the bench, why they didn’t start, why they didn’t play in this quarter, why did you play this player because he missed practice or missed 30 minutes of practice because he went to get tutored in English, why did you keep a freshman on the varsity,” Bennett said. “It was unbelievable….”

Said Bennett, “Why am I going to be miserable doing something I love to do and, for the most part, was pretty good at?”

NY Times Article