Accountability!

Auburn University. One of the most coveted softball programs to get into, and 3 players are caught with dope and and suspended. (We won’t get into the whole business about Corey Myers resigning) 

When we posted the article on our Facebook Page – we had a myriad of reactions. We really wanted to ignore it, but the reality is it is a teachable moment. And something that we all need to think about. 

What surprised US the most is the amount of folks who said things such as “Oh, they are just college kids, having fun and doing what college kids do!” 

We had one fan that simply said, “Can they win now?” 

And yes, it is true. College athletes have been drinking and smoking dope and partying since the beginning of time.

But why is that OK? (because it is NOT)

But just because they are college students, doesn’t mean they get a pass. They are STUDENT-ATHLETES who should know better than to thumb their nose at the sport, their team mates and their school, by making decisions that should accountability. It’s called Accountability! 

Why are we just so okay with this, and writing it off as if it some pre-adult antic that should just be looked over? 

Why are we not able to hold our children, and our athletes to a higher standard? 

These athletes are receiving a stipend for playing. A salary of sorts. Okay, let’s just admit it – they are essentially being PAID to play softball. And as an ’employee’ there is a certain code of ethics that needs to be implemented and followed. End of story. That;s how life rolls….

Have we become so watered down as a society, so me oriented, so consumed with what we want and what our kids want that every rule has leeway to be broken npw?

This seems to be an overwhelming attitude and trend in youth athletics today, whether you are the parent sitting in your chair making excuses and blaming everyone for your kids issues on the field – to the parent that constantly does everything for their child to try and situate them in a situation, or the parent who is obsessively trying to find the easy way to success for their kid without forcing them to DO THE WORK!

Look, the 3rd grade teachers know which kids did the project themselves and which kids had tons of help from an engineer in the family. And so it is with everything in life.

Eventually – the truth comes out. The entitlement, the brattiness, the whining, the complaining – it all rears its ugly head at some point.  

What are we thinking and teaching our children, when we complain about our child being suspended off the high school team due to poor academic performance even though there is an expectation of academic success at the onset of the season? 

Why are we upset when players get suspended for using drugs, and essentially dissing the entire Auburn Softball program during the season by violating a code of ethics that the PLAYERS are aware of before they start? 

And you know what, is the same thing with YOUR kid. Your behavior. 

What they do and what you do, on and off the field is a representation of YOUR TEAM – SO what if you do not play for Auburn.  

We recently had a girl come to a tryout who literally screamed at her mother “Where is my Glove?” in the most obnoxious and rude manners that we had ever seen. After a few days, the mother asked if she had a spot on the team. And no…NO SHE DIDN’T. Because she represented herself as a spoiled brat, and if she behaved that way in front of total strangers during a tryout – there was no telling how she would behave during game day. 

And furthermore – what kind of insane mother creature would ALLOW her 15 year old daughter to screech at her like that in front of other people????? So NO – NO, you do not have a place on this team. 

Because THAT….would represent US! 

When they are in uniform on Game day, whether they are at Dairy Queen in between games, or in the pitching circle or in the outfield – the behavior that is ALLOWED will continue. And it represents every parent and player on the team.

And you know what else? As parents all the hard work that we do in the background, all the teaching, all the moral lessons, all the years of raising our kids to be ADULTS – comes to fruition when we see how well (or unwell) our children behave in public AND on social media. 

Because we want you to know something….when the softball road ends for you and your family, which we GUARANTEE it will, what you have really hopefully done is raised an adult who has enough self respect, and respect for others to make good decisions in life.