Favoritism in school sports-

We all know that sometimes coaches develop favorites, and regardless of skill, grades, or work ethic, those favorites will see more playing time than the other athletes on the team. However favoritism in sports can have many sources of motives and agendas. Some small southern towns around here demonstrate favoritism in sports at an early age due to who their families are in that small town.

For example, if Foxtrot owned big businesses, more than likely foxtrot kids will make whatever team they are trying out for, and are guaranteed to play. My son plays basketball in a small town in North East Mississippi, he is a straight A student, and a talented and diligent athlete who is always willing to listen to his coaches and go that extra mile. He's in 8th grade, new to this small town, and recognized as an outsider. What he experienced this basketball season was disheartening. Eighteen season games played, and he got to play in maybe three. He was patient at first, and felt that if he kept practicing hard he would have his opportunity to contribute to his team out on the court. Each game came and went, and he sat on the bench watching. The moment came when they called him in, only to remove him after a minute thirty seconds and one play.

As the season went on, he remained to be just a bench player, and as the season came to an end, his attitude towards the game began to change. He became discouraged and felt like he wasn't good enough. I had talked to another mother whose son experienced the same treatment and learned even more of how unfair some of their coaching methods truly were. I sat down and talked to my son at great length, and discovered he wasn't even being practiced the same as the other players. The boys who sat the bench were not much more than water boys. The boys who started and played in these games were not any bigger, stronger, or faster, nor were they straight A students. I would never want to demean the talent of any child, I will just make it clear that certain boys played, and started in each game for the wrong reasons.

The question that must be asked is how this will affect these young student athletes? Especially when they arrive at college where athleticism and grades will be dominating factors. I mean what are we teaching children about working for their goals? I do realize that there perhaps is not much that can be said or done to change these situations. However, we all have a voice, and although I cant change much about what happened or what might happen, I can at least draw attention to the subject of favoritism in sports, and remind us all of this powerful quote; “fairness is not an attitude. It’s a professional tool that must be developed and exercised.” -Brit Hume