Parents at Central New York Pop Warner Games Need to Grow Up

There is a video making the rounds on the internet and in private Facebook messages showing parents fighting and using obscene language at a Pop Warner football game. For those unfamiliar with what Pop Warner is, it's football for children.

At one point in the video of parents and spectators arguing and fighting at the children's football game a man told a woman to "suck his (I can't even type it)." There is absolutely no excuse to act like that at a children's football game. It got so bad over the weekend at one game, the Tri-Valley Pop Warner league had to release a letter to parents and participants in the children's sport.

The North Utica Raiders Facebook page shared the letter issued by Tri-Valley Pop Warner. It reads in part,

This past weekend a few of our games experienced some unfortunate behavior from some of our spectators. As Tri-Valley representatives we have a real concern that this behavior is escalating. We have been in conversation with Eastern Region and National Pop Warner Representatives, to make sure the right decisions are being made and to make sure no one gets hurt. We are taking these incidents very seriously. Unfortunately, a few bad apples spoil it for everyone else. We as adults and representatives of our associations and organizations need to stop the finger pointing and coming up with excuses for bad behavior. A few examples heard this weekend. "Oh they have anger issues," "they are passionate about the game" or "they had a bad day." The list goes on but none of these are acceptable, there are no excuses. There will be consequences for some of the behavior witnessed.

The letter concludes by hitting on the most important point. These are sporting events FOR CHILDREN. While you are arguing, fighting and swearing at one another on the sidelines, your child and others are looking at that from the field and it's making an impression. Not a good one. While I will admit I do not have children and can't speak to what it takes to raise one, there is no doubt bad behavior can lead to other bad behaviors.

In our world today there is so much vitriol and hate. That needs to change. When it gets to a point where a man and woman can get in a physical or verbal dispute at an event that is supposed to teach teamwork and sportsmanship, it defeats the purpose entirely. On a side note, people need to cut the referees some slack too. We're all human and we need to treat each other better.