Back in the day
By MIKE MATHISON= My dad used to say that Little League parents and Pee Wee football parents were the same people and the only difference was us kids could not hear all the whining and complaining during the football games because we wore helmets.
= The rule as I grew up was to come home when the street light came on.
It didn't matter what quarter or inning the game was in that we were playing. The game stopped immediately and kids went home.
If my dad wanted me home before that, he just stood in front of our house and whistled. He was loud and you could hear it for blocks and blocks.
If I didn't begin home within 15 seconds of the whistle, some parent came out of their house, looked at me and simply said, "Now, Michael, if I heard your dad, I know you did."
You remember those days.
= High school basketball season is less than 10 games old and I am already tired of hearing folks in and around the stands complain and whine about and to the officials.
I am waiting for an official to blow the whistle, look at someone and kick them out of the gym.
What's the difference between an official blowing a call and a player blowing a layup?
Neither wants to do it.
= If kids do not give 100 percent in practice and the coach sees this, what makes the coach think the kids will give 100 percent in a game?
= Practice was important while growing up and participating in youth sports.
= During our two-a-days in high school football, one morning was reserved for running 200s.
We had to run 16 of them in under 40 seconds with a 60 second rest between attempts. For every one run over the 40 second limit, a player had to run a mile in full gear.
One of our friends, about 6-foot-8, 280 pounds, went 0-for-16 and had to run 16 miles, although not consecutively. He ran every one of them without complaining and without mom or dad complaining to the coach that it was too tough.
Because of situations like that, when he became a parent, he would not hear excuses from his children why they couldn't do things.
= When I was playing youth basketball, I showed up for a game on the wrong day, a day late. I always rode my bike to the games at the Boys Club back 37 years ago.
When I showed up at our next practice, the coach laughed at what happened and promptly put me on the second team for not being there for my teammates.
And, you're right, my mom or dad laughed at me, too, and told me I deserved what punishment I got.
= Some adversity in life through sports is good for a kid. In fact, it's really good for a kid. Those things, without parental involvement, can teach our youth good life lessons.
(Mathison, a Weirton resident, is the sports editor of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times and can be contacted at mmathison@heraldstaronline.com)
