This past weekend my oldest daughter had a softball tournament. The tournament was going great until…the ump made a bad call in the championship game.
It was a close game and our girls lost by one run. And that run you could blame on an error. An error that many parents thought was caused by interference. The ump disagreed.
Long story short, some parents were not happy with the call. One went so far as to confront the ump after the game to show him the rulebook.
Why? Why do parents feel the need to yell or argue with umps, coaches, or players?
Can it be credited to a parent wanting to defend their kid? Maybe. Could it be caused due to pride? Or parents are upset that they lost…I mean their kids lost…
Do you ever watch the kid of the screaming parent? You can see the shame and embarrassment in their eyes.
Parents, we can do better.
Is it ok to challenge a bad call? Yes. But you also have to accept the call and move on.
Insult an umpire? No.
Throw a fit because you blame someone else for your kid’s loss? No.
Teach your kid resilience instead. You win some and you lose some.
Real winners react the same in each situation. Accept the outcome and move forward.
It’s a game that no one will remember in a few years. If this one sporting event is what defines your kid, you got bigger issues than a bad call.