Basketball

The Handyman and I just got back from our grandson's basketball game.  It's the CHAMPIONSHIP  TOURNAMENT for  9 year old's  (city league)

As grandparents, we feel the referee's, are pretty decent.  They are local high school kids, who volunteer their time.   They make enough calls, but not too many calls  on the kids.  And they always try to explain to the  young boy what he was doing wrong when the whistle was blown.  Not in a negative way, but in a teaching way.

It's  9-year old basketball.  It's fun.  Or it's supposed to be fun....  until.... until, you get 'THAT' parent. That parent who is screaming at his kid  "get in there, don't back down, make him run into you, hands up,  don't back down, get the ball."
Wait a minute---I wrote  'his' kid.  I was trying to remain gender neutral.  But let's face it,  it's usually the father.  The one yelling.
When he is not getting thru to his own kid, he then begins to yell at the ref.

Remember--it is  9 year old, city league basketball.

This could just be me, but I don't think we should be yelling at our kids, OR the high school ref who is volunteering his time for a community youth program.
But, that's just me.

Tonight, during the game,  (and it was a close game) one of those high school ref's who is volunteering his time for a community sports program,  walked up to the yelling parent and  took off his whistle and handed it to the yelling parent and said calmly,  "Would you  like to do this?"

Hmmmm.

Yelling parent said,  "sorry dude.  I know it's tuff, I've been there."
And then he was quiet for the rest of the game.

Good call Ref!

Cam is number 47.

I guess as a grandparent, you realize it really is just a game.

It's not a matter of life and death.

Just a game.

Either that, or the Handyman and I are just not competitive people.