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Rules on matside
parents
Posted by Coach
on 12/23/2007, 9:29 am
Board Administrator
I'll try
Posted by Coach on 12/23/2007, 9:23 am, in reply to "Somebody cut to ..."
In theory, wrestling should be like any other sport. That is, parents,
photographers (without press passes), and others are not allowed on
sidelines of Football or Basketball games, in dugouts, and the like. In
wrestling, in some states (and in some areas of our own state), this
etiqette is practiced, that is, spectators watch from the appropriate
location, in the stands, behind ropes, etc. Generally, our grass roots
wrestling has created generations of parents and fans who feel entitled to
be on the edge of the mat, citing reasons like "I paid good money," "It's my
kid out there," "Everyone else does it," "I just want photos," and any
number of other reasons. It's hard to blame them because it is the usual and
common practice, and has been for years. At the same time, the only reason
it got this way is the lack of volunteers to cover everything necessary (reffing,
table help, pairings, concessions, admissions, etc). Security was way down
the list of priorities, as tournaments simply ran out of help. Eventually, a
monster was created, people were everywhere and anywhere during tournaments,
and there was no way to get the genie back in the bottle. Now, USA Wrestling
is trying to enforce matside coaches only (put the genie back), and there
are growing pains. Referees are forced to also act as matside security,
which is unfair to them, but also necessary, as there still is not enough
help to provide security.
Well-meaning parents who say "I paid good money and I only want to take a
photo of my son" are part of the problem (unwittingly, perhaps) because they
perpetuate the past practice and don't support the new rules. If you allow
one, you have to allow all. A referee, in his dual role as security guard,
can't make value judgments on each person, that is, "well, this is just a
nice mom, so I'll let her stay, but this big old loud dad has to go."
Referees and other tournament workers are required to enforce the rules,
period. Hopefully they will do so in a professional, friendly manner, but
dealing with angry or sneaky genie all day gets old, and by necessity they
likely become short, curt, and perhaps even rude, because they are trying to
focus on their number one job, reffing. They wouldn't get rude to a parent
if the parent was in the stands, bottom line.
From a coaches perspective, here are some things for parents to think about.
1. The coach may be polite and accommodating to you, but he usually doesn't
want you screaming over his shoulder at your child. He would much prefer you
in the stands.
2. Your wrestler already has more stimuli than his young brain can manage,
and 2 or more people screaming at him hurts his chances. He needs one calm,
reasoned, experienced voice in his corner.
3. Your wrestler needs to learn to be independent out there. I believe it's
okay for a wrestler to go coach-less occasionally (not his first match,
obviously), so he gains the confidence and fortitude to stand on his own two
feet out there.
He certainly needs to be able to wrestle without dad or mom there, because
come Dome-time (or wherever), dad and mom won't be there.
4. As a high school coach, I see tournaments where security is enforced, and
often parents have a real problem with it, because they were trained at our
grass roots level. I also see tournaments where security is not enforced,
and instead, the fans are relied on to follow proper etiquette, and these
tournaments ALWAYS end up with fans all over the mats, in people's way,
getting mixed up in coaching, disrupting the tournament, blocking views, and
on and on.
There are places in this country where fans and parents respect the sport
enough to follow the rules. Their grass roots level has likely taught them
proper etiquette. WA is trying to backtrack and get there, and to get there,
rules need to be clear (something USA Wrestling is striving for this year),
and rules need to be enforced, however painful this may be for both enforcer
and enforcee. Parents and fans can help by being part of the solution, and
by not perpetuating the problem. It will be a long, painful struggle, but a
necessary one. |
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