Sportsmanship in short supply

This past weekend, my younger brother participated in a 10- to 11-year-old baseball tournament in Woodstock. The talent among the teams was extraordinary; the sportsmanship on the other hand, was horrendous. Sadly though, it wasn't the players, it was a specific coach and select parents of the players of the opposing team.

As one of my brother's teammates injured his knee, the opposing coach had actually began to cheer for the injury. I was appalled with the disrespect shown. Some parents egged on the opposing team.

As the game came to an end due to the tournament's rule that states a game may not exceed an hour and 45 minutes, the coach was not thrilled, even after being in the deficit, 15-7. He told his players to remain on the field and argued the umpire's call for nearly 30 minutes that they still deserved 10 extra minutes to play, because of the earlier injury. That specific umpire left the game, bringing in the tournament commissioner who granted this coach's wish. The game continued for one extra inning with a different umpire. The score never changed.

I understand the competitive nature of travel league sports. Parents want to win as badly as the players do, especially when you're paying hundreds to be on the team. Sportsmanship is an absolute essential to any game, as it builds an athlete's character and work ethic, and should never be left out of a coach's coaching tactics. An athlete learns through coaching, and a coach becomes a role model for their players.

If a coach can't exhibit such qualities, how can a player? Coaching can be a seen as a privilege or an honor, and coaches need to respect it as so.

Elizabeth Tarzon

Round Lake