More whining parents

Which in and of itself makes it important.

If people want to read it, it's important.

 

Or you can contribute to the paper by going hwere your sports editor tells you to.

Ask if he/she could send someone else, sure. Flat-out refuse? No, not anytwhere I have worked.

 

I've found that extra points in high school are far from automatic like they are at the higher levels.

 

90 minutes is a lot.

Who turned you down?

 

Don't know which state you're from, but here referees only tell the coaches which kid committed the penalty.

 

Well, you're already admitting that you wouldn't write the name of a kid who missed an extra point attempt so as to not take crap from people. Why should we believe you when you say in the next breath that you're some kind of hard-hitting, fearless investigative reporter? Sorry, dude, I'm not trying to be mean here, but I don't buy the latter if you're admitting to the former.

 

Do you say "the team" threw an interception in the final minute? Did "the team" fumble on the goal line. If a kid missed a conversion in the first quarter of a game his team lost 41-6, no big deal. If they score on the last play of the game to cut it to 14-13, and he misses, the name must go in. Do your freaking job.

 

You don't see the difference between pursuing stories that are important to the community - involving ADULTS - and calling out a 16-year-old for throwing an interception or missing an extra point?

Like I said, there are mitigating circumstances. But in most cases, when it's a run-of-the-mill extra point, it's not a battle worth fighting. All reporters make those kinds of decisions in the line of duty.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that when it comes to kids, judge it on a case-by-case basis, and tread relatively lightly. You should at least have some degree of empathy for the 16-year-old student-athlete you are writing about.

 

I, of course, agree with Dick.

These are underage children (mostly, I know there are a few 18-year-olds) participating in an extra-curricular activity for educational purposes. If you want to slant the coverage positively, wear the scrapbooker title with pride.

 

If you're on the sideline . . .

JUST KIDDING!

 

Which is exactly why I'm against most coverage of high school sports in the first place.