New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 29, 2024

Letter to the Editor: Show sportsmanship as a fan of high school sports

By Community Member | August 21, 2019 12:38 pm

The start of the new school year is right around the corner. And with that, it signals the start of the new high school sports season.

I love high school sports. It’s a pleasure to watch a young athlete give 100 percent effort to try and help their team win. Working hard to win is important, even when we seem to be living in an “everybody gets a trophy” world. As we begin this new athletic year, it is important that we all keep a few things in mind.

The game officials are not out to get you. Officiating sports is a difficult job. Though it may sometimes not appear to be the case, the officials are trying their best to call a fair, clean game.

Sometimes you just get beat. Players and coaches are doing the very best they can to win games. Though fans may not always agree with a given line-up, play, or scheme, they are doing what they think best fits their personnel and gives them the best chance to win games.

“The coach doesn’t like me (or my child) that’s why I’m (oh they’re) not playing” mindset needs to change. No one wants to win more games than these high school coaches. They do their best to put the best team on the field to win games. While high schools are not professional, it is also not “little league.” There is not “everyone gets a certain amount of playing time” rule. Coaches make every effort to get everyone into the game, but the coach has an obligation to put on the field the athletes they can best help the team win.

If we can all remember, “Let the players play, the coaches coach, the officials officiate, and show courtesy and sportsmanship to the opposing layers and fans win or lose, we can have a fun and successful athletic year.

Bill Gammon
New Kent