Building Men for Others: Sportsmanship

Last week's Varsity game against Mar Vista was a tale of two games.  The Varsity Patriots fought hard and overcame an 18 - 0 deficit to comeback and take a 22 - 18 lead in the 4th quarter.  With 9 seconds left in the game, the Mariners threw a pass for a touchdown that ended in controversy.  The bottom line was this:  The Official was standing at the goal line and the Mar Vista player knocked over the pylon at the goal line, a drill we practice for conditioning period.

Agree or disagree, when an official makes a call, that is a judgement call on their part.  How we act and how we conduct ourselves in the face of adversity defines the character of who we are as people.

Now I was not present at the game. (It was board game night with the family)  But I spoke to Coach Martinez and he gave me an idea what happened after the game.

I knew we had a large number of Freshman players that attended the game.  It is good to see them at the Varsity games and it gives them a goal to reach playing on Friday night and being on the PPR.

So I asked them how the game ended.  They told me the referee blew the call and Mar Vista won the game.  I asked them how the ref blew the game.  Several players told me that the runner was out of bounds.  I could see that some of them were really upset by the referee's decision.  I then asked my players if the Mar Vista player knocked down the pylon like we do at practice.  They all said yes.  That provoked some thought on their part.  Stopping to think about the pylon made them realize that it was indeed a touchdown.

I then asked my players what happened next.  They said several Varsity players began to argue with the referees and some threw their helmets to the ground.  As the referees left the field, my players told me that everyone in the stands began to 'BOO' the referees as they left the field.  I didn't ask if any of my players participated in 'BOO'ing of the refs.  I just didn't want to know.

I will admit, I am an old school kind of guy.  I believe in leading by example, earning what you get and treating everybody with respect until they earn my dis-respect.  As a player, I never threw my helmet and never lost my composure.  I never argue with referees (I will say "I object!"  It's the cop in me) because I know it's a hard job.

So I huddled my players before the start of yesterday's practice and I went over my expectations on how to be a man.  I told my players they are expected to keep their poise and to not lose control of their emotions.  I told them if they ever threw their helmet on the ground, they were telling me they don't want it and I will keep it for the remainder of the year.  As a Patriot, they represent their family, the coaching staff and more important, the school itself.  BOOing is not acceptable, not in high school athletics.  REALLY!!!  I mean, was there a threat of thermal-nuclear war related to the outcome of this game?  NO!

I remember my senior year at Henry.  The ASB Adviser, Mr. Miller, was so impressed with how the football team conducted themselves during the season, that he and the yearbook staff titled the yearbook "A Touch of Class".  So I expect my players, the families of my players and the fans of the Patriot Football team to act with a "Touch of Class."