THE GRAY LINE TOUR

Published 12:00 am Sunday, September 17, 2000

Leonard Gray / L’Observateur / September 17, 2000

There’s plenty to be proud of with River Parishes sports with a long history of champions and championship teams. Many have gone on to illustriouscareers in college sports and a few have even become professional athletes.

Most of these young people got strong positive reinforcement and support from parents, friends and fans in their athletic endeavors.

Most parents of student-athletes are quite proud of their sons and daughters, and brag of their accomplishments. But it’s getting them toactually show up which can be a challenge. “Work,” they say, often keepsthem from coming on Friday nights. While that is often true, keep in mindit is an important and vital part of being a good parent to demonstrate open support for their children’s activities.

However, it’s becoming obvious at some area schools that many parents have apparently forgotten the good they can do by simply showing up.

Some football crowds pack the stands, but many of them are band and cheerleader and dance team parents. They’re there to see their sons anddaughters perform in pre-game and halftime shows. The game itself isalmost incidental.

However, football parents seem to be in short supply in a few places, naming no names.

This is not isolated to football, by the way. Go to almost any track meetand you’ll be very, very few fans of any stripe. Granted, it could be difficultfollowing some of the field events from the stands, but track events should be viewed by more than the other teams.

Basketball is an apparent exception, for home town crowds generally pack the stands, taking advantage of the shelter against the night. Baseball,however, is sometimes spotty in attendance.

Don’t even talk about girls’ sports.

However, when I think about those football players sweating buckets in the August heat to prepare for a season which usually extends to early December, only to never see Mom or Dad in the stands, I feel for them.

When I think of these kids standing on soggy, rain-soaked sidelines or shivering in the first blasts of winter, for them just to know their parent is on hand, perhaps with a Thermos of hot chocolate after the game, will keep them going.

Those players work hard and sweat hard and take chances with their physical well-being and risk injuries. Coaches, for one, would love it if when aplayer is hurt, that Mom or Dad is on hand for their son.

Athletics are not central to a high school career – academics is the core and should always remain so.

However, for those students who participate in sports, they should be able to look up into the stands after making that big play and see a parent smiling down at them, showing support and love.

And let’s also slip in a plug for those heroes of any athletic season in the River Parishes – coaches’ spouses. Truly, there’s a special place in heavenfor those people.

LEONARD GRAY is a reporter for L’Observateur.

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