Did I hear that right?

I had the privilege to take in a Junior B Exhibition game this past weekend.

I must admit that I have been reluctant over the past little while to go to the rink as a spectator given my inability to turn off my ‘LTAD focussed brain’ - The things one hears in the ‘fan’ environment of any youth sport is more often than none contrary to the LTAD way of thinking…

But last Sunday afternoon, I found myself at the rink.

I was glad to be there. It was great to see the players coming in, their bag in one hand, stick in the other and a smile on their face. You could see they were excited to play the game, eager to learn. I was reminded of the reasons why this game is so great. Ringette truly is a sport you play, love and live.

I quietly made my way to a seat in the stands. The action began. There were a few really good plays throughout the game… the kind that make you go ‘wow!’. Before I knew it, the final buzzer went and the game was over.

As the teams were shaking hands I thought to myself “This has been really great. I didn’t hear one comment that was of the ‘anti-LTAD’ variety. Maybe I don’t give enough credit to our ringette parents .”

I stood up and made my way to the lobby area. As I was walking down the stairs I could overhear two parents chatting away behind me. Still happy about my experience and rather ashamed by the fact that my generalization about parents in our sport had kept me away from the ‘fan view’ this season I simply continued to make my way towards the lobby.

But I couldn’t help but hear the loud father’s comment.

“Wow, our team was horrible. Our players aren’t very good at all.”

EXCUSE ME? Did I really just hear that?

I’m pretty sure I paused for a second in the stairwell and thought to myself “Is this father not aware of the level of play he was just watching? This is not the Pros… there is no bonus at the end of the season… Oh yeah and this was an EXHIBITION GAME!!!”Upset by what I had just heard, I was tempted to say something to this man. But then I opted against it. I’m pretty sure my comment back to him would have been just as irrational as his comment given my current frustration.

As I waited in the lobby for the players and coaching staff to walk out, I couldn’t help but watch this man.

By then he was surrounded by half a dozen other parents. Clearly all waiting for their daughters to come out of the dressing room…. And clearly all equipped to analyse the game they had just watched (I’m pretty sure they could all be analysts on TSN!)

I could have written off the comment I heard in the stairwell, but as I sat there and listened to this group discuss, my level of frustration escalated.

“Our girls can’t do anything right”, “There were maybe only 2 good plays in the whole game”, “The only nice plays we saw, were clearly done by accident.”… these are some of the many comments I could hear.

Again I thought to myself… am I really hearing this?

I’m not sure what was the worst part about this whole thing, the fact that the man continued with his demoralizing comments about the players and the game OR the fact that the group around him encouraged him (their laughter filled the lobby).

Just something to think about…

What was the purpose of this game?

I’m pretty sure this was organised as a means to get a little bit extra practice time before the Holiday season… and probably also to have FUN before the break.

“In a Jr B Exhibition game in December does it matter who wins?”

-FL