[Lathum]

Originally Posted by BYU 14

This should never be a piece of the that preparation, ever. I have coached since 1987 and there has always been some parents that are douchebags. The difference is, what was once mostly yelling, with a rare instance of physical violence, usually pushing/wrestling, with an occasional swing, has not become this. And lets not even talk about gambling and the pressure parents put on their kids to be a meal ticket, which is much greater than it was 30+ years ago.

I coach at an inner city High School now and coach kids that come play football to get off the streets, be in a safe environment and if they have the talent, work with an eye to college, putting the classroom, at our insistence always ahead of athletics. We had a shootout less than 100 yards from our practice prior to the 2019 season opener. We were locked down last year right after practice started due to gun fire at a park on the opposite end of the school. It happens and we are always prepared for it and sadly the kids are not all that phased by it.

The difference is, these events are a product of the environment that high School is in, not because parents and coaches have no fucking perspective about what youth sports should be, and the lessons that should be taught, especially at that age.

We should not be preparing our kids and teenagers for how society currently is. We should be building them to make that society better, starting in the home, and continuing with what we do as coaches on the field. I have coached two NFL players in 35 years and quite frankly I have never cared if anyone one of my kids made it there. I want to see them on Facebook or run into them in the community being good parents, husbands and members of the community, and if some of that comes from time on the Football field, then that is a bigger accomplishment than the result of any game.

Well said my friend