A couple of bad news stories from the world of sports last week. Some of them would be funny if they were not so sad. We end on a positive note.
WOW, an early candidate for CRYBABY COACH OF THE YEAR.....
FROM PASADENA NEWS:
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_14989503
HIGH SCHOOL TRACK: Jewelry snafu costs South Pasadena
SOUTH PASADENA - There likely will be very little friendship when the South Pasadena and Monrovia high school track and field teams meet next time.
That's because a friendship bracelet decided the Rio Hondo League girls title.
With the pole vault deciding Thursday's dual meet, Monrovia needed at least a second-place finish to claim its first league title.
South Pasadena's Rachel Ma and Monrovia's Samantha Boltz and Gabby McBride all cleared 7-0. South Pasadena's Robin Laird, the Tigers' best pole vaulter, passed at the height.
With a crosswind and both teams watching, cheering wildly on makes and groaning on misses, Laird easily cleared 7-6. Monrovia co-coach Mike Knowles pointed out Laird was wearing a friendship bracelet. Any jewelry calls for automatic disqualification. The coaches called CIF-Southern Section officials to confirm the disqualification.
"I hate that," Knowles said. "I didn't want to do that. I've lost a CIF title because a girl had one diamond earring she forgot to take out in the 4 by 400 relay."
Laird's disqualification gave the Wildcats a 65-62 win.
"Our girls know," South Pasadena assistant coach C.B. Richards said.
"It's going to seem like the onus is on her and you could tell her all we can that it's not," South Pasadena coach P.J. Hernandez said. "Maybe if we could have eliminated a sweep here or there. Every point matters. For it to come to a DQ is unfortunate, but technically,
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.....This is like something out of a bad summer movie plot
From the Florida Sun-Sentinel:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/sfl-jerry-joseph-0511,0,235898,full.story
Texas high school basketball star bonds out of jail
Dillard grad Guerdwich Montimere, 22, posed as 16-year-old
Guerdwich Montimere, a 2007 Dillard High School graduate who posed as a Texas high school player, bonded out of the Ector County Detention Center early Wednesday morning by posting $500 bond.
Montimere was arrested Tuesday in Odessa after officials determined the 22-year-old was posing as high school sophomore Jerry Joseph.
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...not much of a surprise here, huh?
According to CHARACTER COUNTS:
Which Country Has the Worst Sports Parents?
YOUTH SPORTS-------------------
Which Country Has
the Worst Sports Parents?
A Reuters/Ipsos survey of 23,000 adults in 22 countries found that more than 35 percent of adults worldwide have witnessed a physically and/or verbally abusive parent at a children’s sporting event.
So, where is the most unsavory behavior and conduct observed?
Could it be Italy, whose fans are known to be rather overzealous? (Nope, but they were third with 55 percent of respondents witnessing unsavory parental behavior.)
How about Argentina, whose soccer fans are renowned for their extracurricular activities? (Uh-uh, they were fourth at 54 percent.)
Ah, then it must be Australia. They can be a might rowdy. (Nah, they were sixth at 50 percent.)
Unfortunately, the statuette for worst parent conduct went to the U.S. with a shameful 60 percent.
“It’s ironic that the United States, which prides itself in being the most civilized country in the world, has the largest group of adults having witnessed abusive behavior at children’s sporting events,” said John Wright, Ipsos senior vice president.
Here is the entire list from worst parents (top) to best parents (bottom):
United States (60%)
India (59%)
Italy (55%)
Argentina (54%)
Canada (53%)
Australia (50%)
Spain (42%)
Belgium (39%)
Great Britain (37%)
Sweden (35%)
Germany (35%)
South Korea (34%)
Poland (32%)
China (31%)
Brazil (31%)
Russia (30%)
Netherlands (28%)
France (26%)
Japan (25%)
Mexico (25%)
Czech Republic (24%)
Hungary (16%)
[marketwire.com, 4/7/10]
...now for the good news.
FROM CHARACTER COUNTS:
The Preamble: The Importance of Developing Character in Athletics
In a research paper published by the Center for the 4th and 5th Rs (School of Education, SUNY Cortland, in Cortland, New York), authors Matthew L. Davidson, Kelli Moran-Miller, and Jeffrey Pratt Beedy propose a blueprint for performance success and character development.
“Most coaches recognize that achieving excellence requires hard work, perseverance, self-discipline, and determination. In other words, performance character – the knowledge, habits, and dispositions necessary for success in sport, school, the workplace, and other performance contexts.
“But cultivating performance character is only one part of a coach’s educative charge. They also must focus on developing their players’ moral character – the intangibles of moral excellence such as integrity, honesty, and concern for others that moderate our personal desire for success with issues of justice and a concern for the greater good.”
The document goes on to discuss such aspects as 1) character develops best when it’s caught and taught, 2) character thrives within a community or team context, 3) opponents are allies, not adversaries, in character development, 4) character development enhances leadership, 5) sportsmanship is the final fruit of many vines, and many more.
Read the complete report here.
http://catholiceducation.org/articles/education/characterdevelopmentinsports.pdf
The Preamble of the Arizona Sports Summit Accord states that “The values of millions of participants and spectators are directly and dramatically influenced by the values conveyed by organized sports. Thus, sports are a major social force that shapes the quality and character of the American culture.”
Nearly 50 influential leaders in sports issued the Arizona Sports Summit Accord in 1999 to encourage greater emphasis on the ethical and character-building aspects of athletic competition.
Read the full text here.
http://josephsoninstitute.org/sports/resources/accord/index.html
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