[Jarons]

Yesterday, my 10 year old son had the opportunity of a lifetime to this point in his life only to have it ruined by many adults. His Pop Warner football team was invited to go play in a college football stadium in Columbia, SC. What should have been a wonderful experience was taken away by the adults from both teams and the refs.
First, he played against a team that was allowed, possibly encouraged, to play dirty for the second week in a row. My son's opponents could not block the D-line. So after several plays for losses, they resorted to tackling our defense every play and other little cheap tactics. Even worse we had an officiating crew allow this blatant stuff to happen. The crew was so bad that a police officer working security apologized to our coaching staff for the officiating These actions by the refs caused my son's coaching staff lose their composure. The coaching staff were fighting with each other. Saddest thing is that this is a great coaching staff, they have same philosophy as me: play hard, have fun, play to win, play clean. One coach in particular had to leave the game. He is my son's favorite coach. This man is a Marine/MMA fighter who would kill for any kid that he felt that was done wrong regardless which team he played for. There is the parents from the other team on our side taunting our parents and our parents taunting them.
The cool thing about this whole situation, is that the kids on my son's team kept their composure unlike last week when my son picked a kid up and tried to put him through the ground and another kid on the team was ready to fight. I talked to my son after the game. He was totally oblivious of what happened off the field and with the coaching staff. He asked me several times why every one was so upset. He played hard clean game got a few tackles, a fumble recovery, nearly recovered 2 onsides kicks. So I guess it was my experience that was ruined this weekend. Yesterday was a sad reflection of adults in general a Pop Warner football game.
Sorry that you had to read my rant. I couldn't sleep and had to get this off my chest.

[Granny Bear]

This stuff is deplorable, and I see it way too often in the younger leagues. Win at any cost, parents living vicariously through their kids, and decent people getting pulled in to a situation where they should never BE involved. I don't know the solution either; guess you just learn a lesson and make the best situation you can out of it. I know I've lost it a couple times on the boards this year, and regret posts that I've made. I also know that my situation is nothing compared to what you guys had to endure. But you just have to move forward, and learn from it what you can. At least the kids didn't get involved in that.

[Jarons]

This stuff is deplorable, and I see it way too often in the younger leagues. Win at any cost, parents living vicariously through their kids, and decent people getting pulled in to a situation where they should never BE involved. I don't know the solution either; guess you just learn a lesson and make the best situation you can out of it. I know I've lost it a couple times on the boards this year, and regret posts that I've made. I also know that my situation is nothing compared to what you guys had to endure. But you just have to move forward, and learn from it what you can. At least the kids didn't get involved in that.

Our kids were great. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the kids from South Carolina.
If I was on the coaching staff, I probably would have been in the ref's ear all day long perhaps losing control as well. They were blatantly taking away from the kids. I know the coaches meant well. I have gotten to know all them personally, they just let their emotions take over. I am so happy my son is one of two players on the team who play both ways on the team and did not get to see anything on the sidelines and stands.

[Strikeout King]

It's a shame that refs and parents would act that way in a popwarner game, towards little kids. They wouldn't like it if they were on the other end of the stick.

[Spirit100]

Yesterday, my 10 year old son had the opportunity of a lifetime to this point in his life only to have it ruined by many adults. His Pop Warner football team was invited to go play in a college football stadium in Columbia, SC. What should have been a wonderful experience was taken away by the adults from both teams and the refs.
First, he played against a team that was allowed, possibly encouraged, to play dirty for the second week in a row. My son's opponents could not block the D-line. So after several plays for losses, they resorted to tackling our defense every play and other little cheap tactics. Even worse we had an officiating crew allow this blatant stuff to happen. The crew was so bad that a police officer working security apologized to our coaching staff for the officiating These actions by the refs caused my son's coaching staff lose their composure. The coaching staff were fighting with each other. Saddest thing is that this is a great coaching staff, they have same philosophy as me: play hard, have fun, play to win, play clean. One coach in particular had to leave the game. He is my son's favorite coach. This man is a Marine/MMA fighter who would kill for any kid that he felt that was done wrong regardless which team he played for. There is the parents from the other team on our side taunting our parents and our parents taunting them.
The cool thing about this whole situation, is that the kids on my son's team kept their composure unlike last week when my son picked a kid up and tried to put him through the ground and another kid on the team was ready to fight. I talked to my son after the game. He was totally oblivious of what happened off the field and with the coaching staff. He asked me several times why every one was so upset. He played hard clean game got a few tackles, a fumble recovery, nearly recovered 2 onsides kicks. So I guess it was my experience that was ruined this weekend. Yesterday was a sad reflection of adults in general a Pop Warner football game.
Sorry that you had to read my rant. I couldn't sleep and had to get this off my chest.

Feel better? :biggrin: Hang in there Jarons and don't let the turkeys get you down. Your son is blessed to have a Father who cares as much as you do.

Have a great week! :Thumbs:

[Jarons]

^Thanks

[Granny Bear]

Spirit100 always makes a great point, Jarons!

[Spirit100]

Spirit100 always makes a great point, Jarons!

Only when amongst good company.

Which we're blessed to share on bgr!

:Thumbs: