The Field of Screams

Written by Tommy Ford

This article is courtesy of HomeLife.

Behavior can get ugly on baseball, soccer, and football fields — and in arenas filled with ice hockey players, gymnasts, and basketball teams. Sadly, it’s often parents, not kids, who deserve a big, fat F in conduct.

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Several years ago, former Green Bay Packer Rich Wingo and his wife, Cheri, were attending their 8-year-old son’s community league baseball game. After a controversial call, they watched in disbelief as a grandmother climbed a chain-link fence to berate the umpire. Despite having experienced the passion of Packer fans, Rich was stunned.

“Watching the grandmother climb the fence was the last straw,” Rich says. “During the whole year, we were taken aback by the manipulative behavior of coaches, the abuse from parents toward the umpires, and so many coaches getting kicked out of games. We had a choice to make. We could either move to another community and hope things were better, or we could claim the park for Jesus Christ. We chose the latter.”

Rich and a handful of Christian friends and coaches volunteered to serve on the league’s board of directors and to lead the way in instituting pregame prayers on the mound and stricter codes of conduct for players, coaches, and parents. Even to this day, pregame prayers in that league are as much a part of every game as the first pitch.

“We sought God’s direction in everything we did,” Rich says. “It took some strong Christian men and a year or two to make it happen, but we saw God move through our park and through the lives of all those kids.”

Reclaiming good sportsmanship from the grip of out-of-control parents has become a major goal of many sports venues. Little League Baseball, Inc., whose 51-year-old pledge begins with “I trust in God,” recently developed a Parent Orientation Program that features a Youth Sports Parent Code of Conduct, emphasizing six pillars of character: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and good citizenship.

“Showing good sportsmanship sets such an example for our kids today,” says Chris Downs, Little League’s media relations manager. “On the whole, the large numbers of people involved in Little League see themselves as role models for their kids. We try to be proactive in teaching and educating our coaches, parents, and officials. It’s definitely working.”

Playing the right role is a parent’s job. You know the drill: “Little eyes are watching.” Well, big eyes are watching, too. And a lot of those eyes belong to non-believers. On the field and off you represent yourself, your family, and, most importantly, you represent Christ.

The choice is yours. What kind of impact will you have on your children’s playing fields?

When You Lose Control
How should you react after you’ve overreacted? If your mistake is a front-page mistake, then make a front-page apology to whomever you’ve offended. As soon as possible, seek the person out, admit you blew your top, and apologize.

Also use your situation as a teaching tool for your children, even with younger siblings who may not play sports. Be up front and tell them that “Daddy lost his cool” and that it won’t happen again. Ask for their forgiveness. They’ll appreciate your transparency.
 

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