European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 13, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 2be our guest , Monahan my family has lived in the Heidelberg Germany area for almost seven years. Each year my children have participated in the sports program offered by the Heidelberg youth services. Keeping in mind that the majority of the Hys sports offered Are played within recreational leagues i have had very Little to complain about and a lot to say thanks about. Within a recreational league the Competition is minimal and stress is on fair play sport concepts and skills rules and respect for All participants. Everyone does get a Chance to play. The sports depend on the direction of the Hys As Well As the Many Volunteer hours of the coaches and parents. They deserve a special thank you for All the time and Energy expended to help the kids least How to play Well and How to play fair. But a yes there is a but a something has been happening in the last years that has prompter me to write. Some coaches and some parents have lost sight of the goals of fair play and respect i started noticing this in my child s baseball league 10-12 years last summer. Now the problem is within Peewee soccer. Does no to the name sound cute unfortunately the Peewee soccer held has turned into a combat zone beginning each saturday at 9 . The Peewee players Are just that a cute Little 6 and 7-year-Olds. One would think that the Only goal for Peewee soccer is to introduce the game skills teach fair play and re Spect for the coaches the referee teammates and opponents. But unbeknownst to the rest of the Heidelberg Community actual scouts from the world cup arrive each week to pick and choose from the Talent Pool available within the Heidelberg Hys Peewee soccer league. This could be the Only explanation for the opening laugh Collins London England Quot you will meet a tall stranger who i holding a Small i leave you Porges Usa a 0 a is 8 3 w ? 8 3 is it 1 1 re v Quot put me Down lost Quot outrageous behaviour by coaches and parents As they try to drive these children to new Heights of athletic prowess. The following is an actual sampling of questions from the players to the referee on the Geld which Way is our goal can you hold my hair band which Way is our goal i want to throw it in this time. The other team had a turn last time. Can i take the Ball from him my Friend from school is on the other team. Can i take the Ball from him which Way is our goal these deep conversations occur As the referee constantly runs up and Down the Geld with the kids who surround the Ball As if it were a Magnet. At the same time these children including the referee Are Busy running happily endlessly and randomly up and Down the Geld there Are certain pee wee coaches and fans who like to make things More interesting. One Mother actually came on Geld stopping play Yelling loudly at her son for some imag inc pee we soccer win refusing to acknowledge the repeated requests by the referee to remove herself from the Geld so play could continue. She continued to scream imagine How embarrassed her child was. Then there Are the parents who like to hang around the goal some like to distract the opposing player attempting to score. Some like to give their own team unfair advantage by using their adult minds to give the 6-year-old kids strategy undermining the coach. None of them like to leave after repeated requests by the referee. Then you have the Man who spent the majority of one game racing up and Down the sidelines shouting four and give letter obscenities at the referee in front of the fans and children. Fortunately and unfortunately the referee did no to even hear him just continued concentrating on the play on the Geld. And then there is the coach who chewed the referee out for issuing a warning to his player who had tripped another child and held that child in a scissor lock so he could not kick. The referee quietly told the child it was dangerous to play like that and also unfair and would Call against him if he did it again. The coach thought an Oral warning was too much. A Why you ask does t the referee Stop this behaviour by the fans after All the referee can pick up the Ball and Call the game. The no. 1 reason is that Hys rules say the coaches control the parents. The no. 2 reason is that Over half the adults on the Geld Are trained killers that is what their career has trained them for and. Are extremely intimidating lets not forget the referee who got beat up last year outside Tompkins Barracks gym after making a Call that the adult players did not agree with. And if folks in their late 20s, 30s and Early 40s can to police themselves they should be doing something else not involving children. If the fans and coaches cannot exhibit enough control to allow their kids to have a Good time what a a 17-year-old referee going to do about it a v children Are not going to learn if they arc confused embarrassed and receiving mixed signals about fair play from parents. Maybe As an alternative to Good sportsmanship Hys can Start a league offering Peewee Competition in harassment and bad language developing them right through minors and bantams with school cheating shoplifting and Petty thievery. By the time they Are ready for varsity they can compete in knocking Over convenience stores or drive by shootings. Think about it. Peewee soccer parents guilty of the above or any Parent get a life and get a grip. This is your child a game not yours. If your child were playing for a German soccer team you a be laughed off or thrown off the Geld. Get a perspective. Do something better with your Energy. And above All else support your child As he or she is learning about the rules of life and real team playing. . Monahan live near Heidelberg Germany. Send in your column plus photo of yourself to be our guest sunday Magazine the stars and stripes Apoate 09211 or Postrach 11 14 37,0-64278 Darmstadt Germany. If mailing disk save text in Asci and include printout. Columns Are edited for clarity and length. Contents 7r4-6from the cover. Belting it out in Church sidelights military brats meet again. Climbing up Thomas Hill again. Odds amp ends. 10 fashion hardly peaceful with Erma Bombeck. In Tunis 11 . Networks go global. This weeks films.12-13 military circuit listings. Chuck Vinch High on 4,. A a a a a. A a a a. Television listings. 14-17 local Cable and satellite schedules. Home entertainment .18 video then to for voices. 20-21 Warren Beatty solder look. Linda Ellerbee smarting Over �?��?��?��?��?��?�,2223 politics and the press. Words amp wit 24 Tony Konheiser on the Price of decoration. The word on Clinton on Parade .27 Michael Keaton in t Batman forever. Last laugh Dave Barry headlines a problem. 28 sunday is a weekly supplement of the stars and stripes editor Bucky Fox. Cover Story design Peter Jaeger production Bernard Jensen editorial assistance Louis d. Pierce Jim Hathcock sunday n0vember43, 1994
