Youth Football Coach in Florida Slaps Referee – Is This How We Are Teaching Our Kids About Sports? [VIDEO]

A youth football coach in Florida is facing criminal charges now after he was caught on tape slapping a referee at a recent game.  Mad can't really describe how I feel about this.  I mean is this how we are teaching our children about sports?

Dion Robinson, a 43 year old assistant football coach, is now wanted by the Broward Sheriff's Office for assaulting a referee at a football game over the weekend.  The dude slapped the ref so hard, that it knocked him to the ground. The opposing coach just happened to be video taping the game when he caught it all on tape.

To the tape we go.

Details about why he did it are still not clear, but it was obviously about a call that good 'ol Dion didn't like, so he sucker slapped the zebra.  Now, the dude won't answer his door for the popo to talk to him.  What a jerk!

I see this type of behavior from parents and/or coaches too many times.  My kids have played, or are currently playing sports, and there have been several times I didn't agree with a call, but not once have I ever smacked a ref or coach around, even though I have wanted to. I mean, of course, those urges are there because you want your kid to succeed and all of that.  But, it is just the wrong kind of thinking on my part.  At least I didn't act on it, ya know.

As parents, our job is to do our best to teach our kids about life in general and support them no matter what.  In sports, we are supposed to teach our kids that sure, you want to win, because that is the name of the game, but, if you lose, it's cool - as long as you did your best.  Some people might say, "Yeah, that is just what losers say when they lose".

That is what is wrong with some parents of today.  They teach their kid that they must win at all costs, and if you lose, you are just a loser and life is over.

I don't buy into that crap.  I mean, I'm one of the most competitive people you'll meet -  I'll try to compete in pretty much anything.  But, there is a difference in being a competitive person and just being a sore loser.   If I lose, sure it stinks, but you get over it and get ready to play again.  That's the way it should be.

I just think parents today put a little too much emphasis on winning and if it doesn't go their way, or their kids way, they boil over and say things that an experienced sailor would blush about, much less all of the kids hearing this garbage.

Case and point.  My daughter plays basketball for a small town team in the area.  She is good at what she does and I'm very proud of her -win or lose.  But, at one particular game, this guy, who was actually on our side, was cursing and shouting at the ref at the top of his lungs.  It made not only myself uncomfortable, but the other parents around me.  Even the kids were giving nervous looks in his direction when he did this.  I had this urge to walk over and talk to this loudmouth, but a sheriff who happened to be working security at the game, approached the guy and made him stop before I had a chance.  The guy continued and was eventually kicked out of the game.

It's those types of things that our children don't need to see. In the case of this guy in Florida, he let his emotions take him too far and now he is going to have to pay the price.  But, the saddest thing about it, is that all of those kids witnessed this unsportsmanlike event, and some of them will actually act that way in the future.

Reminds me of the movie quote from Talladega Nights. "Ricky, if you ain't first, then you're last".  As funny as that quote is, it's sad to say that some parents actually do think that way.

What are your thoughts on kids and sports?  You don't have to agree with what I said, but I would like some of your opinions.