There are your typical fair weather fans. They show up when your team is winning and
disappear or have better things to do when your team is losing. On the opposite end are the fanatical fans
that do crazy things – body paint, crazy game day outfits, game day rituals, etc. Then there are those fans in the middle that
attend games and cheer you on no matter the weather or the team’s record. They buy season tickets or reserved
seating. They wear their team colors. They applaud effort, hustle, and hard work -
win or lose.
At a recent home game, the opposing team’s fans were all
over the referees. In particular, a
young lady whom I’d guess to be about a senior in high school was under the
basket on the sidelines. She stood out
to me not because of the skin tight leopard pants she was wearing, not because
she was stomping her feet, pointing her fingers, or because of the torrent of
ugly words spewing out of her mouth, but because her mother was standing right
there beside her and didn’t say a word to stop her. I was stunned. I continued to be during the rest of the game
while grown men stood and yelled at our boys and the refs. It was so disappointing to see the example
they were setting to the younger people in the gym that night.
Lastly, there is the obnoxious, egotistical fan. They are very deceptive as they blend in very
well with the other fans. But after you
discover them you stay far away from them on the bleachers. I’ve observed this fan type throughout many
years in Upwards basketball, youth baseball leagues, soccer games, football
games, and other events. It is
frustrating when this fan ridicules and belittles other members of their
child’s team as “encouragement/cheering”.
It is annoying when this person never yells at their own child when they
make the same mistake. I’ve heard this
type of fan turn to another fan in the stands and start to question why a
particular player is even on the playing field.
Why, it must be because of that player’s parents’ position in the community
or their relationship with the coach, of course. Why else would that child be playing? How this fan can demean and tear down one of
their own team’s players OUT LOUD for other fans to hear just puts me over the
edge.
People are watching and LISTENING to us all the time. Young children and youth in the stands are
soaking up the things we do. We are
setting an example to them, even by just being a fan in the stands. After one particular game, Brad, Neil and I
were talking about the game, the opposing team’s fans, and the referees. When we were finished the van was quiet. Out of the dark, from the back of the van we
hear Madeline’s sweet voice, “Why can’t they see it’s just a game?” So young, and yet so wise! Fans have to keep things in perspective. It is a game.
It’s an opportunity for our children to use the skills and athletic
talents God has given them to play and compete.
It’s also an opportunity for us, as fans, to use our voices to
encourage, support, and build up these young men and women and display good
sportsmanship.
My red shirt is clean (our team colors). The concession stand money is ready to go (for
the kids’ snacks). I’m ready to be a fan
in the stands for Calvary Academy. Go
Saints!
