Rethinking a Wonderful Win

On Saturday night under the lights of Parkrose High school field, the Parkrose Colts, a fifth and sixth grade football team

knocked off the league power Alberta Park Panthers in overtime 12 -6.

It was, perhaps, the team's best game of the season and kept them a perfect 4-0. Robin Richmond ran roughshod over the Panthers proving to be an unstoppable force.

For hours after the game I forgot something I saw during the game that disturbed me, and then talking to another friend who was at the game, I became even more disturbed.

During Alberta Park's first possession of the game, their quarterback who has a magnificent arm through out to the left flat after sucking in the Colt defense. The cornerback for the Colts who was abandoned to one on one coverage missed the play and the Panthers advanced to the 2 yard line before scoring their only touchdown of the game. It is unremarkable except for the fact that the Colt coaches didn't play that cornerback the rest of the game. He was blamed for the play and he had to sit the rest of the game for his mistake.

These are 10 & 11 year olds learning about their own bodies and what they are capable of at the same time they are learning a violent sport with all its intricacies. Sure #80 made a mistake but he wasn't the only one and yet you single him out because you left him out there on an island to defend a player far faster then he? You don't let him play in the rest of the most important game of the season because he missed a play? What sort of message are you sending?

Later in the game the officials called a pass interference call when a Colt's defender stuck up his hand knocking the ball away with out turning his head. The head coach for the Colts threw his clipboard on the field and cursed the refs in front of his kids.

This game was not about the kids. It was about the coach. After the game he stood in front of his team and announced, "In five years I have not beaten that team, you are the first team that got me the win. Thank you. You played a hell of a game." remember these are 10 and 11 year olds.

We wonder what has gone wrong with sports. We need to start looking at who is coaching our youth and the messages they are sending. Wrong lessons are learned too early and what should have been a fantastic win left me with a sour taste in my mouth.