I sometimes forget how important we are ...

He has to put up with her on a daily basis. That's got to be more difficult than anything we do.

My favorite are the parents who think every time they're kid gets on base it's a hit and was upset that her daughter's name wasn't in the paper every time she got a hit. Because it's real important that Sami Senior singled and was stranded on base twice.

Then she tried to tell me, that she kept herself informed on how softball was scored and amazed me with how wrong she was. As if it isn't hard enough to take pictures and keep score at once, now Mommy Moron is flapping her gums about crap she clearly doesn't understand.

 

We had a JV momma call in last week after the spring football game (this is a Class 5A school of more than 4,000 students in Texas, so spring football is kind of a big deal). The JV played early, and I got there in the middle of the fourth quarter to get ready for the varsity.

During the break in between, I got one of the coaches to tell me who scored the touchdowns in the JV game and asked if there were any other highlights worth mentioning. "Yeah, No. 83 returned an interception to the 3-yard line to set up a touchdown. I can't remember his name."

No big, since they had rosters printed up for both games. I just looked up No. 83 on the JV roster and put that name in one of the two graphs I typed up. The problem, according to momma, is that's not his name.

Sorry, ma'am, we can't help it if the school can't get the rosters right.

 

Unfortunately, this was not shocking to me at all.

At my last paper, we had a swimmer come in the SECOND DAY OF THE SEASON and complain about swim coverage. He was a junior, so he didn't get a picture in the paper those last two seasons. Even when he kicked some ass in meets. It was sweet.

He came in bitched to us for about 30 minutes, then as soon as he left, we were all like 'well he's screwed. no pics for him.'

And I always found it useful to keep track of stories, pics and even inches. It's shut more than a few parents up. I love that feeling.

But as much as we bitch about parents, I have to say I've had a great experience with track parents this spring, and gotten several compliments on some of my pics. Most of them are very nice and appreciative. And we cover the hell out of track.

 

As a

As a high school teacher (I used to be in the business, and I still string on occasion), I can tell you that high school kids do indeed read newspapers.

I have several delivered to my room, and when I look up from giving notes, a quarter of the class is readingt he paper.

But seriously, they do read it. Yes, the kids on the team do, but so do their friends and some teachers.

They read the sports stuff on their team and rivals, they read the police logs (thoroughly). "Look, Mr. T., this is why Larry hasn't been in school. He stole a car." They do read some news, too. Comics and horoscopes of course.

Some of then even see things that connect to class (like Dr. King's daughter dying while we were studying for a Civil Rights test).

 

Y'know, I've never thought of being that vindictive, but I might try it. I already get accused of holding grudges...I might as well actually do it. It would probably lower my blood pressure a little bit.

 

She shouldn't run track because she is an overreactionary ***** who doesn't even like track.

 

I like holding grudges, and we get a little laugh out of it. I try not to punish kids because of parents, most of them realize how rdiculous their parents are too. But when a kid compalining, he's dead to me.

Had a kid last night, good pitcher who was havng a bad game. He goes over to get something to drank from his dad after he comes off the field. Dad says somethign to him and kid goes off in the dugout. Pretty funny.

Parents

 

That's a pretty crappy thing to do, Bob. You don't have to take any perceived slight so personally.

You're not doing your readers a service if you're holding a grudge against certain players/teams. To me, that as fanboy as wearing a Podunk High polo to their games...

 

In my experience so far, the track and lacrosse parents have been great. Apparently the previous guy barely acknowledged their existence. Softball and baseball parents are just flippin crazy.