Saturday, April 12, 2008

Im THAT Parent!!!!!

Ok...just to clear things up from the start, this is Nathan and NOT Marne. Just a little disclaimer so I dont get shot in my sleep.
I took Colby to his soccer game this morning. For those who dont know Colby, he is gentle and kind and couldnt hurt a fly...basically the exact opposite of me. But he loves sports and is Extremely good at them...the exact opposite of me. So anyway, his team is playing the "Snakes" and they are the best team in the league by far. Mostly because they have this one kid who is a star, and unfortunately he knows it. His dad is the coach and he lets this brat get away with anything on the field. Case in point, today this kid started out, not by trying to kick the ball, but by trying to trip and shove the players going for it. He came up behind 3 kids and had tripped them to the ground and this was in the first 2 minutes of the game. Our coaches complaints to their coach fell on deaf ears and he didnt discipline the kid at all. There are no refs...the coaches are supposed to officiate. 1 minute later Colby had a break, all alone streaking for the goal this kid runs up behind him and does a perfect slide kick, sweeping the legs and sending Colby flying face first into the ground. In a normal game it was very red card worthy...but I digress.
At this moment we should pause to contemplate that before the game, I told all the other parents that I wasnt going to say a word this time). We've had problems with this team before :)

Moving forward, I immediately jumped out of my seat screaming at their coach that this was the 4th time this kid has hurt one of ours. I guess I scared the crap out of their coach (2 of them in fact) because they both walked very fast away from me and they are big guys. But anyways, I stormed out onto the field and picked up my son and carried him off while he balled his little eyes out. My screaming sent the little brat into hysterics as well and he stormed off the field to his mother who said he wouldnt play anymore if parents were going to yell at him.
I took Colby aside, gave him a drink and told him to stop being kind to the other team. I told him he wasnt allowed to push, shove, hit or kick but he was to get that ball and score. He did, twice in the next 2 minutes and then he just walked around the rest of the game bored.

Well in the aftermath of my anger, no parents would talk to me and everyone avoided me. Their coach said that the boy was just aggressive going for the ball. I would agree if the ball was anywhere near this kid when he was tripping everyone,but it wasnt. The game played wonderfully well after that. The teams had fun and things settled down nicely. The parents of the players on my team, though they ignored me the rest of the game, commented that they were glad I did that. Our coach came up to me afterward and said she was logging a complaint with the office about the kid and his coaches letting him do that stuff.

I dont agree with me yelling....but Id had enough. I dont even blame the kid...I blame his father coach who wouldnt stop him, and his mother who blamed me for making his soccer experience a bad one. My final comment to myself...teach your kid how to play right and you wont have this issue. Im glad Colby is a good sport, and grumpy I had to tell him to stop being nice in order to play a game. Most of all...Im angry that I had to stand up and walk onto a field to make sure that no more kids got hurt....Im THAT parent now. Rednecks of the world stand up and unite.

9 comments:

***LIZ*** said...

Nate! I love this post, because I can totally see all this playing out on the field. All though, I don't agree with you yelling at the kid, even though he needed some discipline. You can see why he acts like that with parents like those. I feel sorry for that little kid, Colby is much better off!

nate and marne said...

thats just it....I didnt yell at the kid at all. I didnt go anywhere near him. I was yelling at his coach who didnt do anything to stop what his kid was doing.

Heather said...

Nathan good for you. Kris has this very same experience with Kellie's basketball team and she lost it at the coach. The parents of the girls who were sratching and tripping and such things just glared at her. Everything changed after that and the coach got "fired". Atleast I think thats how the story went. Kris was glad something was done about it and it wouldn't have been done if she haden't stepped up and yelled. Good for you.

***LIZ*** said...

My appologies I thought that you yelled at the little kid... I can't believe all the parents of your team were giving you the cold shoulder then. If we as parents don't stick up for our kids who else will?

Nicole said...

That was fun... I can totally see you doing that! I don't know if I would have had the guts... but you never know those protective instincts kick in when someone is picking on your little guy!

Laura said...

Thats too funny! My Dad used to ALWAYS get kicked out of the softball games of my sisters and I. I was always so proud that he would stand up for us. It made me feel safe! I would probably do the same! Its a whole new ball game when its YOUR kiddos being picked on!I would rather be "THAT" parent then one who teaches my child to be mean and hateful! Good Job Dad!

Jim Innes said...

Sometimes the brats and their parents need a reality check. Good on ya Nate!!

SBTVD said...
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Shellee said...

GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!!! I am proud of you for not yelling at the kid! You need to buy the movie "Kicking and screaming" for the other coach. Maybe you should get Italians on your team...
Once this kid knocked down Aaron in the parking lot and I didn't yell, but I did give him the evil eye and told him (quietly, in my most evil grown-up voice) "Don't ever touch my kid again". No wonder some of the neighborhood kids are afraid of me.