Unsportsmanship

[bigrod]

Wow I didn't know we were comparing Varsity football to Upwards LOL. I coach every sport my kids play which is soccer, football, basketball and baseball. I know a little bit about coaching kids teams and no I don't run the score up (if we even get the chance). You simply can not compare 5-7 year olds to 16-18 year olds. They have already learned what it is to win and lose. This is not the BCS where they neeed to run the score up to get better computer rankings!

[elnutsmalljaws]

Wow I didn't know we were comparing Varsity football to Upwards LOL. I coach every sport my kids play which is soccer, football, basketball and baseball. I know a little bit about coaching kids teams and no I don't run the score up (if we even get the chance). You simply can not compare 5-7 year olds to 16-18 year olds. They have already learned what it is to win and lose. This is not the BCS where they neeed to run the score up to get better computer rankings!

You said Any Team Any Sport. So your saying that when your kid is 16-18, since they have already learned what it is to win and lose, they now need to learn what it means to have the score ran up on them because they can't stop the other team. Winning and Losing is a far cry different than Winning and Losing by running up the score on the other team. No matter the age, No matter the sport, Any coach that intentionally runs up the score on the other team deserves to have the same thing done to his team.

Sportsmanship - Defined as, Conduct and Attitude considered as befitting participants in sports, especially fair play, courtesy, striving spirit, treating the opponents with respect, and grace in losing.

Pretty sure running up the score does not denote "fair play" "courtesy" "striving spirit" "treating the opponents with respect" but I guess since it does not say "grace in winning" it makes it all legal.

[bigrod]

What you are not understanding is you aren't running up the score when you put backups in. If you can't stop the second and sometime third string what is a team to do? Should they run it all the way to the one and then take a knee? Should they strike out every chance after they get a lead or better yet not even swing. I understand about running up the score with first string in entire game, I'm with you on that but not a teams fault if the other team can't stop your backups.

[elnutsmalljaws]

What you are not understanding is you aren't running up the score when you put backups in. If you can't stop the second and sometime third string what is a team to do? Should they run it all the way to the one and then take a knee? Should they strike out every chance after they get a lead or better yet not even swing. I understand about running up the score with first string in entire game, I'm with you on that but not a teams fault if the other team can't stop your backups.

I read your initial post as basically if you don't want them to keep scoring then "stop them" or have the coach go to the officials and forfeit the game. You never said anything about the subs being in the game. Like I said before, don't care if St X or whomever is playing, but if one team purposely runs up the score on the other team, no matter if the first team is on the field or the subs, then that is bad sportsmanship.

[Mean Morone]

I'm not familiar with the term "back ups" on our 11-12 yr old team. They all get to play durning the course of the game. We ended up undefeated this year and and put some serious points up on the board. Or running backs racked up over 1500 yards rushing this year. Every time we had the chance to score at the end of the game wether up 42-6 or 12-6 we always took a knee. Before taking a knee, we would let the offensive lineman run the ball and they always had to run straight up the middle. The other team knew it and drilled a couple of our boys in the back field. It sure made for some good laughs on film day. I am possitive that because we respected the other teams and didn't run up the score we had a reputation as being a top notch program even though we delt some serious spankings on some pretty good teams. These boys have been working hard since July and the end result was a Championship and the respect of all the coaches, parents and players in our league.

[Tim_T]

I'm not familiar with the term "back ups" on our 11-12 yr old team. They all get to play durning the course of the game. We ended up undefeated this year and and put some serious points up on the board. Or running backs racked up over 1500 yards rushing this year. Every time we had the chance to score at the end of the game wether up 42-6 or 12-6 we always took a knee. Before taking a knee, we would let the offensive lineman run the ball and they always had to run straight up the middle. The other team knew it and drilled a couple of our boys in the back field. It sure made for some good laughs on film day. I am possitive that because we respected the other teams and didn't run up the score we had a reputation as being a top notch program even though we delt some serious spankings on some pretty good teams. These boys have been working hard since July and the end result was a Championship and the respect of all the coaches, parents and players in our league.

Morone I think you and Elwood are comparing apples to oranges. You coach youth league, I seriously doubt you platoon 22 players, 11 on offense and 11 on defense with no starters going both ways. My point about the backups being in is this. Trinity plays nobody both ways, they have a straight up first team offense and a striaght up first team defense. If they are winning big and put the entire second string offense in to get some reps, do you really expect them not to actually give them experience at running the offense? These kids have to get the expereince of actually competing on that level because they are the future Number 1 offense.

Now, if the Trinity coaching staff had their first team offense on the field at the time and didn't take a knee, then that is running up the score. If it was the second team in and they run the plays, not a problem at all, as any high school, college or pro coach would tell you.

[Redskeeter]

I agree with Tim T, if the coach has his second team on the field then he should allow them to play their best and score if they can. For some of those kids it may be the only game they get to play in all season. So why hold them back.
I have 14 years coaching experience in football up to and including the middle school level. I have had teams that have scored alot of points against me and I too have scored alot of points on other teams. Guess what happened to the kids? Not a thing. Parents get more upset about it than the kids do. Most of these kids are out here tho have fun. It is the parents who actually ruin it for the kids by complaining about crap like running the score up, complaining about refs, and complaining about coaches. Let the kids play and if they lose so be it. Guess what? Thats life, get over it.