Banned Near Boston ... YMCA Banishes Parents
 

Not trying to indict all of Boston here.....wasn't there an episode a year or two ago in which two hockey parents were engaged in a fight during their son's game which resulted in one of the parents dying?

I believe the one who died was an official; his son was watching.


Edit:

Looks like I was wrong and you were right.

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P1-29783689.html

Edit 2:
Looks like the deceased father was on the ice with the kids; probably officiating.

Let me see if I understand this. They're kicking the parents out but letting the coaches stay in? What's wrong with this picture? :rolleyes:

And...it's the coaches that are deciding, as a group, to ban the parents!

We have been members of the YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo for the past 19 years our sons have participated in YMCA sports from before elementary school all the way through jr. high school and I can tell you that in YMCA sports it is not the coaches that cause the problems it is the parents that cause the problems when there are problems.

MTD, Sr.

Several years ago I worked as a basketball referee for our local Y. Our program was similar to the one mentioned in the OP. One year I suggested to the basketball program director that we designate one of our Saturday game days as a "Rollout the Basketballs Day". No coaches, no parents, just the kids on the teams, the refs, a scorer/clock person and one Y staff member assigned to each team to monitor equal playing time and to act in simply a supervisory capacity for the kids playing. It was a blast. It was like the after school driveway and play ground games many of us enjoyed as kids. With some "arms length" direction from their assigned Y staff member, the kids did everything. Coached themselves, called the timeouts, huddled and created their own plays, and did their own subs. How did they determine the 5 starters?. They shot free throws!
First 5 to make one started. Y supervisor simply monitored for equal playing time for all players.....they did not coach...the kids coached themselves. They even figured out when to have someone sit down because of foul trouble. It was great, kids had a blast, lots of laughs, no coach yelling at them for taking a shot too far out or turning the ball over.
I would love to do the same thing one day with youth baseball/softball.

The only coach I've ever had DQd was in a YMCA game. Of course, that was his last YMCA game, too.

First 9 to hit home runs in batting practice start? You may be there a while. ;)

Both of my parents coached at one time or another and I was a football coach for a couple of years. From that experience, I think that most of the time it is truly the coaches that have a harder time with the parents/fans than we do.

After a game, at least we can beat feet and head to our cars. The coaches have to stick around and listen to "Why did Billy only play X amount of minutes?" or "Why isn't Suzy a starter?"

Then there are the fans that think they can run a better team but, much like officiating, won't put their butts on the line to find out.

Sad-Very Sad
 

When did we get to this point?

I completely agree with what this league and its administrators decided to do! Wish it would happen in high schools before police have to get involved in some scenarios.

It would have been nice to see the parents response to the ban. Too bad the reporter didn't interview a parent or two.

I have witnessed National Tournament AAU games where the stands were cleared and the games were completed while the parents stood outside due to bad behavior.

Sad commentary on the role of parents and sportsmanship in this country.

They should have the theme music from The Departed for warm ups!!

Well said. I understand your perspective since I've coached 3 of my 4 kids through basketball and baseball seasons since they were little little to now as 7th graders and upper elementary ages.

Sometimes I can only cringe at the things heard coming out of the mouths of my parents or the opposition's parents during a game that are directed at their kids or the officials. As an official, I can only shake my head and get the heck out of there when the buzzer sounds.