High school sporting events are an extension of the classroom. Life lessons are learned through hard work, victory and defeat. Hopefully, I also will learn these lessons.

The officials who work our games, matches and or meets are not perfect. Just like professional officials, sometimes they get it wrong.

The teams we play are not the enemy-they are guests of our school and should be treated as such.

I want you to attend my contests and I want you to cheer for our team but it’s embarrassing and distracting for me when I hear negative comments coming from you or other parents. The negative comments do not help us, they actually hurt us. Let the officials do what they are paid to do. Yes I know, sometimes it’s not great but that’s sport. Win or lose, bad calls or good calls, if I played a lot or just a little, know that I have tried my best and sometimes the best words to hear after a game are a simple “nice job, I love you and what would you like for dinner?”

Your loving student-athlete