Usually, shouting is from a group of teenagers at the high school next door, or a homeless man on the sidewalk. Sometimes it is the vietnamese couple living across the hall, who sound like they are arguing all of the time, although I am beginning to understand that all words in vietnamese sound angry no matter what the intent behind them.
Five minutes passed and the shouting continued. I decided that a raised voice for this long a period of time was worth the effort to stick my head out the window and make sure everything was okay. To my dismay, I found the voice coming though an open window in the high school locker room across the sidewalk from my window. The boys basketball coach was pissed. So pissed you'd think these young boys had just burnt down his house or slept with his wife. For fifteen minutes, the entire half time break, he screamed and yelled at these boys. For what? I would guess failing to score a point, or perhaps messing up a play. Really serious stuff that will forever shape there futures, I'm sure.
I have no patience or tolerance for these coaches. Why volunteer your time and efforts to work with children, when all it causes is a loss of patience and an increase in blood pressure. If a coach were able to stay calm and think clearly, wouldn't he realize that the point of coaching is to teach kids sportsmanship and skills for a game they can play the rest of the their lives?
Over the years I have watched as coaches have yelled at my brothers, my boyfriends and my cousins. It has never set quite right with me, but I am finding that as I head toward the age where I want to begin a family of my own, seeing coaches speaking to children this way makes my blood boil.
I understand that I am not a patient person and in knowing this about myself I do not plan on ever coaching a sport. Perhaps it would benefit schools to really get to know people before allowing them to coach their kids. Yes, victory is nice, but is there any correlation between the decibel at which the yelling occurs and the number of victories incurred? I'd like to see the research on that!
There are so many things working against kids today. There is anger and hatred everywhere. On TV, in their homes and communities, even between friends. How can screaming at a group of young men help them learn to be loving, kind adults who will love their wives and children, serve their communities and pass on their talents to future generations. It seems completely counterintuitive to me, but maybe I am missing the point.
