Perspective For

Our Young Athletes

To the Editor:

In this age of excess and fierce competition, coaching has undoubtedly entered a new era. Kids begin playing sports at a young age, they specialize early on, and seasons can span an entire year. Gone are the days of walking to practice and riding your bike to the game. Once these kids get to high school there are many well-trained athletes from which to choose so the level of play is high, as are expectations. I commend anyone who takes on the challenge of coaching at this level.

As most who read the sports page know, the Newtown High School girls’ soccer team has done extremely well. The coach is obviously a gifted teacher of the sport who knows how to motivate his team. I’m sure he has poured his heart and soul into this team and the kids have obviously become highly competitive athletes as a result of this dedication. But I think he made an error in judgment last week that needs to be mentioned. Hours before a semiformal dance held once a year for the high school kids, the coach told the team not to go because they had a big state tournament game the next afternoon. Dresses had been bought, plans had been made, they’d been counting on it since school began. These are kids and they were really excited. Special times with friends…high school times that come only once. Big big deal in the life of a teenager.

When kids play on a high school team there must be commitment. If there’s a practice, you go, whether you feel like it or not. You always give 100 percent without exception. It’s not always fun, it can be intense and there will be sacrifices along the way. However, there has to be a balance. This is not professional sports, Olympic training, or college athletics. It’s high school. Of course the kids wanted to win the state game, but I suppose the coach can argue that they lost because there were some who attended the dance against his wishes. Yet perhaps their spirits were dampened and the fire that pushes an athlete to victory was extinguished! Or maybe it was just a tough game.

In any case, I have written this letter with the hope that in the future the coach may see the girls on his team as more than athletes. We want them to leave high school as responsible, mature, emotionally healthy, and happy young adults. It’s all about the balance.

Beth Davis

Elm Drive, Newtown                                                November 16, 2005