School is back in session, and our local athletes are back in action. Tuesday’s Central Coast Section Sportsmanship game between Christopher and San Benito High Schools (see B1 for the story) serves as a reminder of what prep and collegiate sports are all about. Our local athletes are learning about more than just offensive and defensive strategies; they’re learning how to work with others, remain humble in victory and gracious in defeat.
The captains of both the Cougars and Balers squads opened the game with a message to the fans, which simply said the game was for them and the betterment of their teams. Too often, this message is lost on those who occupy the stands—whether it’s volleyball, water polo, football or any sport in between—as fans sometimes taunt young players.
These athletes, prep or collegiate, are not professionals and they’re not getting paid to play, though participating in sports may help them get to college or cover its costs. They’re playing for one another, for their coaches, fans and families, their schools and for their own confidence.
The fans attending the CCS Sportsmanship Game upheld the spirit of the event—only positive reinforcement echoed throughout Christopher High’s gym—but that’s not always the case. Spectators, especially parents, can get just as emotional as the athletes and sometimes seem to forget that those playing in front of them are teenagers.
Though the gyms and stadiums get noisy, the din rarely drowns out negative comments. The players can and do hear the things that are said—good or bad.
Though we’ve yet to encounter any overtly negative behavior like this from our local fans, downright cruel comments have come from the visitors. Fans heckled the Gilroy High baseball team last season for their “softball cheers,” a comment that is demeaning on several levels.
The Mustangs, who were trailing at the time, were simply trying to encourage each other but instead were made to feel like they were doing something wrong. The jeers only added fuel to Gilroy’s fire and the Mustangs got the last laugh with a walk-off homerun.
Football is a sport that’s emotional by its very nature, but sometimes the fans get too wrapped up. When we’re standing on the sidelines on Friday nights, we hear all the comments coming from the stands: “break his leg,” “smash his teeth in,” “put him on his back” are just a few of the recurring comments we overheard. If we can hear them from where we’re standing covering the games, so can the players.
Football is physical. It’s a fast-paced and hard-hitting sport, but it doesn’t need to be violent—especially not at this level. Accidents happen and people do get hurt, but encouraging these kids to intentionally send someone off in an ambulance is another thing.
It’s not just football or baseball—there have been spectators taunting athletes at virtually every sport we’ve ever covered. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
The old adage goes, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” It’s a lesson that some of these fans should take to heart.
Our athletes need our encouragement and support, but could do without the jeers. Young people today face criticism from so many outlets—their peers and social media, just to name a few—so let’s make game day a safe haven for them.
Whether our local athletes win or lose, a cheer and a smile can go a long way. No one beats themselves up more than the athletes after a game, and they don’t need the harsh words of an adult echoing in their minds. Of course, if things get too out of control, it’s up to the athletic directors and referees to remove overly rambunctious fans.
As you go out to watch our athletes play field hockey, run cross country, tee off on the golf course or go to battle on the football field—or any of the other great sports going on this fall—just remember that many of them are just teenagers. They’re student-athletes learning the game, about teamwork and responsibility.
The CCS has a simple motto for all its athletes: “Pursuing victory with honor.” That message applies for the fans, too.
