To Whom It May Concern

Medina Valley has some of the most humble, classiest, and most enthusiastic fans that one would ever hope to see. However, I feel that it is incumbent upon me, as the Athletic Director, to address the issue of sportsmanship as frankly as I possibly can. I understand that in doing so, I run the risk of stepping on a few toes and that it is likely that I will upset one or two of you. I hope that you’ll not jump to any conclusions, but that you will allow this ‘open letter’ to be the catalyst for future moments of introspection and thought…

To Whom It May Concern,

I am hoping to address an issue that has troubled me for some time. My concern rests with the mindset of some fans – our fans, their fans and everyone else’s fans – that seems to base their very existence upon the athletic performances of boys and girls. This is an issue that has become more prevalent in our society over the past two decades. Only recently, it manifested itself in the beating death of a youth softball coach at the hands of an upset parent – and closer to home, in the shooting of Canton (Texas) High School Athletic Director, Gary Joe Kinne.

Many adults, it seems, place far too much emphasis on the outcome of games being played by young men and women who compete, by the way, primarily because of the enjoyment they derive from athletic competition. Personally, I find it distressing that a bad throw, a base-running error or even a bad call by the umpire can have the ability to cause high levels of anxiety and distress in an adult. Surely, the stress that accompanies the need to evaluate or second-guess every play has got to take its toll on a parent / fan. One most certainly cannot feel that arriving at the stadium, the gymnasium or ballpark and chewing on an umpire or coach provides a suitable way to unwind from a hard day at work. Perhaps some fans are living vicariously through teen-aged sons or daughters. Having lost the athletic prowess of their youth they feel that their own value depends greatly upon the abilities of their offspring. Ideally, adults should have established within themselves an identity of their own – a healthy self-image…which is not dependent upon the abilities of their children. In far too many instances, however, it appears that the ranting and yelling of a fan stems from that person’s need to supplement or strengthen the ego which - somehow – might have been inadvertently damaged by the actions of a student-athlete, an umpire or a coach.  

The need to second-guess coaches and/or coaching strategy is as old as the games we play. I am sure that everyone wonders why football coaches bother to run plays right up the middle that do not seem to gain any yardage. Surely, we have all asked ourselves why third base coaches hold runners up at third…when it was obvious from the bleachers that the runner would have scored because the first baseman cut off the throw from the outfield. Hindsight and the freedom to ‘make the call’ that the coach did not seem to liberate the fan because, in reality, he/she knows that absolutely nothing is actually dependent upon what he/she decides. Decisions are made much easier and more freely when they are made from the relative “safety” of the grandstands or from the outfield bleachers. For example, the twenty-five seconds on the football play clock seem to tick by much more slowly when one is not standing on the sidelines with players who are awaiting instructions, coaches offering advice, the band playing loudly, the need to know the down and distance, etc… The decision to hold or send a runner is made much simpler when one is leaning on the fence in the vicinity of the left-field foul pole – and has the ability to see everything - the outfielders, the ball, the runner and the cut-off infielder. However, the same decision is much more difficult to make when seen from the narrow perspective of the coach. Am I making excuses? No. Am I trying to shirk responsibility? Not one bit. Am I asking that fans be cognizant of the fact that their perspective of the game is much different than that of the coach? Yes. Coaches do make mistakes…just like doctors, lawyers, pilots, etc... We have all made our share…and will likely make many more before we hang up the whistle. However, the incessant second-guessing of the vocal, rabid fan changes nothing. By their actions, fans have the ability to teach our student-athletes to make the best of what happens during a contest…to bounce back from a bad call or to move beyond the self-doubt that might exist after one has committed an error. Help make athletic competition be a part of the educational process – not the antithesis of it. I promise you that ‘your’ coach will second-guess him or her self plenty of times before they lay their head on a pillow at night!

Winning is nice. We all want to win. But, realize that one is not going to help his/her team in any way, shape or form by ranting, raving and second-guessing. Players, coaches and umpires typically respond to “positives” much better than they do to “negatives.” This is fact. All an adult must do is give thought to what motivates him or herself at their place of employment. Most likely, it is a pat on the back or a kind word by your superior. Rarely does one feel empowered by criticism. So, how about the umpires or game officials? Will they call a better game because fans are “in their ear?” I don’t think so. They are human. They appreciate criticism just about as much as any of us.

Is officiating getting worse with each passing year? Some may believe it is. If so, why is there a decline in quality? Perhaps the rabid fan has taken the ‘fun’ out of the job of officiating. Maybe the best officials have become disgusted with the vulgarity and the constant bad-mouthing they receive. The state of Texas does have a shortage of officials in virtually every sport and is continuously recruiting. The opportunity is there for the “intense” fan to step right into the middle of the action, if he/she dares.

Exactly, why does the loud and unhappy fan feel the need to act out? Perhaps, he hopes to impress those around them with their “competitive fire?” If so, this is a poor way to make a positive impression. The vocal, caustic fan does, however, make an impression – a negative one - upon our athletes, his neighbors and the fans from the other schools. The rabid fan does also manage to make everyone’s day a little less enjoyable. Furthermore, the intense fan runs the risk of getting their school reported to the ‘powers that be’ due to unsportsmanlike behavior. Umpires/Officials talk to each other, they meet weekly, and they compare notes. Rabid fan, you may rest assured that your reputation precedes you. You have probably already been discussed as one who likes to “ride the umps.” Are you willing to risk sanctions for ‘your’ team because you lack self-control?

The whole high school athletic experience would be so much more fun if it were approached in a totally positive and holistic manner…and not as life or death. Whether you realize it or not, our sons or daughters decided to participate in athletics for fun, not because they saw games as an opportunity to make a statement to the world. Enjoy! Relax…and even smile a little! The games should be fun! We have fantastic kids involved in our programs. Support them, please.

Please…Come to the games. Cheer for the kids. Have a great time. Have class.

Respectfully, Brian Emerson

I invite you to read “The Man in the Arena” by Theodore Roosevelt.

“It is not the critic that counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcomings, who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, knowing his place shall never be with those timid and cold souls who know neither victory or defeat.”