Sports Parents

Karen and I entered a new realm of parenthood last night. We are now official, card-carrying members of the Sports Parents Society.

This week marks the beginning of Ethan's athletic career. (One which I am sure will end with a Hall of Fame nod as a south-paw pitcher in the Major Leagues.) We ventured out as a family last night to his first t-ball practice through the Sycamore Park District.

Before practice began, one of the coaches called the parents over to check-in their children. As Ethan & I walked over, I noticed a single-file line quickly forming. I was impressed with my fellow Sports Parents as we behaved in a calm, orderly fashion. We were not going to be the kind of Sports Parents you read about in the newspapers and see in the amateur cinematography on the local news stations.

But just as quickly as I made this mental note, it began...

Other parents, who weren't willing to follow the precedence set by myself and the other Sports Parents, shunned the line and huddled around the coach waiting for any opportunity to seize her attention away from us rule-following, line-forming parents. We were gracious, though, since this was the first day of practice.

But in the midst of this whole experience, my mind had already gone back to my days in school where there were two classes of students - the jocks and the rest of us. I remembered how the jocks - so it seemed - didn't have to follow the rules. They had a personal relationship with the coaches that seemed to transcend the need to do what seemed right and appropriate by the rest of us.

I was honestly taken aback by the thoughts entering my mind about these parents. I began to jump to conclusions and form opinions about them that were completely biased and uninformed. My tension was rising, but I wasn't about to let it show...

A few minutes after check-in, with Ethan out on the field meeting the rest of his coaches, Karen and I settled onto our blanket with our two-year old daughter, Morgan, to watch practice. Almost immediately, a pair of the rule-breaking, line-shunning parents stood directly in front of us effectively blocking our view of the field and the amazing athleticism of five and six year old kids.

Even though I knew they were not going to be there permanently - they were, after all, just coming closer to hear the coach go over the rules - I was immediately frustrated with them. There was plenty of room to stand around the coach without blocking our view. How in the world could somebody be so inconsiderate? Don't they realize that this is our little boy's first-ever team practice? What would they think if I stood in front of them and blocked their view?!?

So here I am...a pastor in a church...an easy-going, roll-with-the-punches kind of guy...going internally ballistic about people I had never met. What in the world just happened to me? Why I am thinking these things?

Now I understand why Sports Parents do crazy things. I don't condone it, but I understand it.

Forty years from now, as Ethan is being inducted into the Hall of Fame, I hope the only amateur video anyone can find is of me cheering from the sidelines and congratulating my fellow Sports Parents. And there will be...as long as everybody forms a straight line and nobody blocks my view of the field.