We may well have come across at some stage the ‘Spoiler Alert’ warning. Be it in a review of a book, play or film, we are advised that if we do not want to know what happens until we have read or watched it right through ourselves, then we should stop reading the review now as important information is about to be proclaimed. The point is that in receiving such information the whole meaning, enjoyment, suspense and point of watching or reading the mentioned item will have gone. Readers or viewers want to read or watch the full story without knowing the ending. They want to follow the events, as such events would unfold in real life. Spoiler alerts are important and valid!
With sport, many people may not be able to watch a much-anticipated match live, at the time it is being played, but will look forward, thanks to modern technology, to watching it (as if live) later. They therefore do not want to know the score ahead of time as they will lose out in the excitement and suspense of the events of the match unfolding. Knowing who wins can ruin the excitement and enjoyment. Many of us will question if there is any point even watching it if we know who won.
So, if the reader of this article does not want to know what this article is going to say (but wants to be kept in suspense until the end!), fear not – all is not about to be revealed. There is no spoiler alert here. The faithful and long-suffering reader is going to have to read to the end. Let us rather watch a number of scenarios being played out before our eyes, week in, week out, on our school sports grounds, even this last weekend.
Coaches parade up and down the touchline, level with the movement of the ball, shouting instructions to players non-stop, telling them exactly where to stand on the field, what to do in the next move, yelling demands for the players to tackle harder, to stay calm (ironic!), to pass quicker, to watch the ball (though the coach wants the player to watch him give instructions at the same time). Coaches scream their delight when their team scores a try or goal and then demand more goals and tries, to run up high scores, to show how great they are. Coaches shout their complaints at the referees or umpires, questioning decisions, disputing their birth, swearing obscenities, gesticulating wildly. Coaches are playing the match, not the players; coaches are in effect mirroring ‘Play Station’ sport, moving the players on the field where they choose.
Parents stand up in front of other parents, blocking their view of the match. They shout instructions to their child, often in contradiction to the coach’s instructions, usually with absolutely no qualification or experience in playing or coaching. Parents celebrate wildly, tauntingly, in front of other parents. Parents shout encouragement to their child and their child alone, not for the team, though it is a team sport and therefore about the team’s efforts. Parents harangue children of the opposing team – one even told the opposing players to “play nicely”. Parents scream at their own child’s mistake, as if it costs them their whole reputation, business and life.
Selectors pick only their favourite players and do not put others on the field, to give them all experience, even when winning by a big margin. Sponsors who give money to schools want winning performances, putting further yet unnecessary pressure on youngsters.
So, now, here is an important spoiler alert about school sport that must be noted. Spectators are spoiling the players’ enjoyment. It is not about the parents’ enjoyment, the coaches’ ego or the school’s reputation; it is about the children. We might consider a spoilsport being someone who behaves in a way that spoils others’ pleasure by not joining in an activity; however, in school sport, too many people are spoiling sport for our children by joining in the activities too much.
So, let us be alert to this fact – the end is nigh. The end of this article, yes, but also the end of school sport is nigh, on account of the behaviour and attitudes of far too many people who are spoiling the whole experience and purpose of sport for whom it is intended. So, then, the point of all this should have become clear to all clear-thinking adults. We need to alert people to the sad fact that parents, coaches, selectors, sponsors, schools are spoiling the children’s enjoyment, education and continuity in sport. Important spoiler alert: stop spoiling sport for our children. The end.
- SPOILSPORT
