Neff Zone Column -- September 5, 2009

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Print Edition: September 5, 2009

HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS DESERVE REAL FANS

The high school sports season is underway and by now you’ve probably attended a contest or two. Student-athletes and coaches all over northern Michigan will be trying their utmost to be the best possible representatives of their schools and communities. Officials and referees will be doing their best to ensure a level playing field for all.

I’ve been a high school player, a high school coach, a high school official, and above all a fan of high school athletics. Because of this background I can say without fear of contradiction that every athlete, coach and referee participate in high school sports because of a love of sports and a desire to do something positive. This takes a lot of effort and tremendous dedication.

When we attend a high school contest, the only honorable way to support their efforts is to be real fans, not false ones. About 99.9% of the fans that attend high school events are already "real fans." They cheer for their teams and set a good example of sportsmanship for the players on the field or court and the youngsters in the bleachers.

Unfortunately, though, there always seems to be at least one "false fan" at every event. You know who I’m talking about. The false fan is the person (almost always male) who is on his feet from the opening whistle of every contest protesting at the top of his lungs every call by an official, second guessing every decision by a coach, and casting derogatory remarks at every opposing player.

When you come across a false fan, here’s what you must realize. His odious behavior has absolutely nothing to do with supporting his team. It has everything to do with calling attention to himself, a pathetic attempt to get everyone else to "look at me." Ask yourself this: If false fan was the only person in the stands would he act this way? Of course not. The goal of his performance is to make others pay attention to him, so unless there’s an audience why put on a show?

He’s probably a has-been or never-was. If he did play high school sports it obviously was the highlight of his life and nothing he’s done since has amounted to a hill of beans so he continually needs to remind others that he once was "somebody." But remember this: An empty barrel makes the most noise.

One thing a false fan will never do is volunteer to be a high school official. You would think this would be a no-brainer for a false fan. After all, he has the eyes of an eagle because he can make calls from 200 yards away in the bleachers that referees actually on the field miss, he knows all the rules backward and forward, and he has plenty of vocal volume to make calls. Gee, why let all that talent go to waste? Why not go to www.mhsaa.com/resources/official.htm and sign up to be an official? We all know why this scenario won’t happen, don’t we? Does the term "complete fraud" describe the false fan accurately?

I’m not saying all of us don’t boo a referee’s call once in a while or yell "pass the ball" (or some other pearl of strategic wisdom) on occasion. It’s a natural part of being a fan involved in a game. But real fans cheer FOR their team, not against the opponent. Real fans tip their caps to good play by opposition players. And real fans don’t embarrass themselves, their schools or communities by exchanging low-class barbs with false fans from other schools.

All fans might benefit from reviewing these simple points about high school athletics.

*Remember that you are at a contest to support and yell for your team and to enjoy the skill and competition; not to intimidate or ridicule the other team and its fans.

*Praise student-athletes in their efforts to improve themselves as students, as athletes, and as people.

*Remember that a ticket to a school athletic event is a privilege to observe the contest, not a license to verbally assault others and be generally obnoxious. Be a positive behavior model at events through your own actions.

*Understand that you are possibly the biggest role model in a child’s life. Carrying on wildly in the stands at games and challenging the authority of coaches and officials does little to model positive behavior in the child’s presence.

*Don’t live your life through your child’s (or other student-athlete’s) athletic achievements. This is their time. This is their place. Let them play.

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Comments to neffzone@gmail.com. Read Neff Zone columns online at www.neffzone.com/cadillacnews.