Children's Sports—The New Epidemic of Violence
▪ A group of high school students come together for a football game. The game ends in a brawl, with more than 100 parents, coaches, and players shouting and throwing punches after an overtime touchdown wins the game.
▪ A group of preteens are playing a game of coed football. When a ten-year-old player drops a pass, his coach throws him to the ground, breaking both of his arms.
▪ The coach of a Little League baseball team pulls one of his players from the game. The boy's father threatens to kill the coach and is sentenced to 45 days in jail.
▪ During practice at a children's ice hockey game, two fathers get in a dispute over the enforcement of game rules. One father beats the other to death in front of the victim's three children.
CHILLING reports like these have become alarmingly commonplace. On playing fields, basketball courts, ice rinks, and playgrounds, a new epidemic of violence seems to be spreading. It is the violence of parents and coaches who would rather fight than lose. Says Jeffrey Leslie, president of the Jupiter-Tequesta (Florida) Athletic Association: "I've seen parents screaming at their kids, pushing them too hard to perform; children fighting in games, incited by their parents; kids crying on the mound because their parents embarrassed . . . them." He adds: "There is nothing like youth sports to bring out the worst in parents." To protect children from such violence, some communities have had to take the drastic action of banning some parents from attending their children's sporting events.
What has resulted from this epidemic of rage? "These disgraceful behaviors of a growing number of adults," says Fred Engh, founder and president of the Florida-based National Alliance for Youth Sports, "are polluting youth sports, poisoning the fun, and sending ugly messages to millions of children."
Win at Any Cost
At the root of this problem appears to be a desire on the part of some parents to see their children outdo other children and win at any cost. Says a representative of the Institute for the Prevention of Child Abuse, in Canada: "When winning is everything, when power is everything, this creates an environment where vulnerable people suffer. In these sports, the children are the vulnerable people." An official of the Ontario (Canada) Physical and Health Education Association notes that children subjected to such pressures "may develop psychological problems at a young age. And when they get older, they [may] have a hard time coping with failure."
Not surprisingly, the rage of parents and overzealous coaches often filters down to the young athletes themselves. During one girls' volleyball game, players made seven attacks on the referees. A girl kicked out of a tennis match responded by vandalizing an official's car. After being called for a foul, a high-school wrestler smashed his forehead into a referee's forehead, knocking the referee out. "It used to be that youth sports [were] the one haven for good sportsmanship," says Darrell Burnett, a clinical child psychologist and youth sports psychologist. "Not anymore. It's not just a game anymore."
What Parents Can Do
Parents do well to remember that fun and exercise are the reasons why children enjoy sporting activities. Turning children's sports into a high-stress activity and subjecting them to verbal abuse is therefore counterproductive—and unloving. Says the Bible: "Parents, never drive your children to resentment."—Ephesians 6:4, The Jerusalem Bible.
What can help a parent to keep his or her balance in this regard? First of all, it may help if you try to keep in mind what it was like for you when you were young. Were you really able to perform at near-professional levels? Is it reasonable to expect your son or daughter to do so? After all, "children are delicate." (Genesis 33:13) Also, try to maintain a healthy view of winning and losing. The Bible calls unbridled rivalry "vanity and a striving after the wind."—Ecclesiastes 4:4.
Interestingly, a former major league baseball player encourages parents to keep winning and losing in perspective, neither getting angry when a child doesn't play well nor getting too excited when he or she wins. Instead of hinging everything on winning, parents should focus on the children's enjoyment and the benefit of their staying in shape.
Some parents have thus concluded that organized children's sports tend to fuel an unhealthy spirit of competition. This does not mean, however, that their children do not get to enjoy playing with others. Many Christian parents, for example, have found that their children enjoy playing with fellow believers in a backyard or at a local park. This way the parents have more control over their children's association. Family outings may provide further opportunities for wholesome play. Granted, a backyard game will probably not give the same thrill as being on a winning team. Never forget, though, that at best "bodily training is beneficial [only] for a little; but godly devotion is beneficial for all things." (1 Timothy 4:8) By maintaining this balanced view of sports, you can prevent your child from being a victim of the new epidemic of violence.

Hahah, very interesting! I like the 2nd pic the best, the 3rd pic has colors that are a bit off, however the moment caught is the same! :D

How amazing

23 Who among YOU people will give ear to this? Who will pay attention and listen for later times? 24 Who has given Jacob for mere pillage, and Israel to the plunderers? Is it not Jehovah, the One against whom we have sinned, and in whose ways they did not want to walk and to whose law they did not listen? 25 So He kept pouring out upon him rage, his anger, and the strength of war. And it kept consuming him all around, but he took no note; and it kept blazing up against him, but he would lay nothing to heart.

16 Nevertheless, they did not all obey the good news. For Isaiah says: "Jehovah, who put faith in the thing heard from us?" 17 So faith follows the thing heard. In turn the thing heard is through the word about Christ. 18 Nevertheless I ask, They did not fail to hear, did they? Why, in fact, "into all the earth their sound went out, and to the extremities of the inhabited earth their utterances." 19 Nevertheless I ask, Israel did not fail to know, did they? First Moses says: "I will incite YOU people to jealousy through that which is not a nation; I will incite YOU to violent anger through a stupid nation." 20 But Isaiah becomes very bold and says: "I was found by those who were not seeking me; I became manifest to those who were not asking for me." 21 But as respects Israel he says: "All day long I have spread out my hands toward a people that is disobedient and talks back."

RON - What happened to 22?

I agree with your assessment, Humza. The first image is larger and captures more. It ALSO has the distinction of being FIRST. The SECOND photo, however, captures JUST ENOUGH to get the 'feel' of the moment without overstating it. Plus, that photographer's GLARE FILTER was in place. The third looks a bit amateurish in the focus and in the muted coloring.

Still, kudos to ALL THREE photographers on the timing. An unexpected coincidence!

BTW - quit quoting scripture, RON, or I may KILL YOU!!!!

-just kidding, don't arrest me. Besides, if you want to KILL someone, never announce it.

Dear Grunt , I was a welder , carpenter , electrician, plumber , mechanic and many other things but I became better at knowing and understanding the BIBLE . I found something that is more important for those who care , not for those who do not care . It says that those who use wisdom for the benefit for all will remain , but for the rest , I do not believe you could figure it out even if I told you . To bad .

Cool story, bro. Everything you said is a lie Ron.