Angry Parent At Jr High Football Game

[threoh8]

Having raised kids and having worked with Scouts, soldiers, and young people in various other capacities, let me do this:

[Devil's advocate]
What was the man so upset about? The OP may not have seen what set this guy off. There are at least two sides to every story.

While he may have "lost it" in this case - cursing is a clue - might there be situations where one has an obligation to protest, to stop some situation, or even remove one's child from a dangerous situation? Certainly, intervention should be done carefully, and without escalation if possible, but confrontations don't always happen by the book. That's why this forum exists, isn't it?

I've seen overzealous parents, certainly. I've also seen equally bad behavior and bad judgement from coaches and other adults on the field. Like THIS recent example. Nothing about the title "Coach" guarantees your child's safety or well-being.
[/Devil's advocate]

[johnson0317]

Satan, get thee behind me


RJ

[jocat54]

Having raised kids and having worked with Scouts, soldiers, and young people in various other capacities, let me do this:

[Devil's advocate]
What was the man so upset about? The OP may not have seen what set this guy off. There are at least two sides to every story.

While he may have "lost it" in this case - cursing is a clue - might there be situations where one has an obligation to protest, to stop some situation, or even remove one's child from a dangerous situation? Certainly, intervention should be done carefully, and without escalation if possible, but confrontations don't always happen by the book. That's why this forum exists, isn't it?

I've seen overzealous parents, certainly. I've also seen equally bad behavior and bad judgement from coaches and other adults on the field. Like THIS recent example. Nothing about the title "Coach" guarantees your child's safety or well-being.
[/Devil's advocate]

I know you are playing "Devils Advocate" but it really doesn't matter what set him(or anyone) off---NO EXCUSES for this kind of display--can't fix stupid!!

[AustinBoy]

You might want to talk to the school about changing their "field" policy.

I went and saw my nephew, age 9, play football last weekend. My sister was wearing a "field pass" around her neck as she is the official photographer. I laughed and said "really? a field pass?" She said they had too many parents getting worked up and coming out on the field. The school made it policy that no one without a Field pass can be on the field or the track surrounding it.
I said "that isnt going to stop an angry parent" she said "maybe not but the entire bleachers and security can see them coming."
Since noone is permitted without permission, they can be charged with tresspassing.

What the heck is this world coming to?

[Silverwings]

Hey, nothing bad can happen in a gun-free-zone like that, whenever I feel unsafe I run to the post office, and if it's closed, no problem I just stay in the parking lot!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7pGt_O1uM8

;oP

[mamabearCali]

GRRRR! This type of stuff drives me crazy. My husband is an umpire for college and highschool leagues. Most of the time I go with my three kids the kids look at flowers and butterflies in the field next to ours and play in the dirt beside me and we have a lovely time. Sometimes though (at least once a season) some parent or a group of parents goes nuts and I have to quick step my three kids to the car and get ready to leave in a hip and a hurry usually over nothing. This fall my son played football for the first time (he is 6 years old--so it is flag football). This is upwards--a non-serious church league--even there we had kids being coached at 5 and 6 years old how to trash talk by their parents (which drove my husband nuts cause the coaches would teach the exact opposite--and he had to unteach what had been taught!) and these are kindergarten and first graders----UUUGGGHH!

What has been nice about upwards though is that it is not at a school, but at a church, so I could carry there. Which I did and if I did not my DH did--not out of fear from the parents, but the church butts up against the local zoo--and well I know it is unlikely, but they do have all sorts of animals there including some rather large predators. So better safe than sorry. They did have one of their zoo dogs escape and run amuck at our game so I was not taking any chances.

[steelhawk]

My two youngest kids played soccer for about 6 years each. I saw upset parents some of the time, but never experienced something like you describe. One of my kids coaches was kicked out by an ump for being too vocal about her calls. They were very bad and obviously biased in favor of the other team. Everyone watching could easily see that. Even so, it didn't rise to the level described here.

[pedalman]

My wife's ex is one of those.

The 2 boys played a lot of baseball and he had minor league experience and expected his kids to follow in his foot steps.

More than once he went peeling out of the parking lot after a lost game.

Purplehood's observations are exactly right.

And, this type of behavior is only one facet of these parent's persona. If they act like this in public they
are ogres in all facets of life.

My wife's ex pays the price in that his kids don't care much about him.

But of course he says it's their fault. Aye aye aye

Unfortunately, this can most likely be attributed to Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Such a parent expects his/her false self-image to be reflected back to them by their children. Living vicariously through one's children is reprehensible, and IMO should be considered mental abuse.

[rp_photo]

My wife made the comment that that was the type of person that you have to worry about coming back with a gun and start shooting, and I made the (only half joking) comment that there is no way that could happen, after all we were in a "Gun Free Zone" and surely that would protect everyone lol

If an innocent is killed or injured by a somene using a firearm, the venue should be held more liable than if they imposed no such ban.

This would encourage venues to think twice about 30.06 and other restrictions.