© Conquest Education

VCAA EXAM 2008 – A WORD FROM OUR COACH

While good sportsmanship is an expected attribute of young sportsmen, it does not seem to be

exemplified by parents at the local sports club. Coach Sam’s newsletter “Club news – A word

from our coach” targets the parents of young athletes, contending that unsportsmanlike parents

are “toxic” to the club and hurting their kids, not to mention the sport. Sam alleges that good

sportsmanship is a fundamental element of both sport, and life, and should be adopted by

aggressive parents.

Sam demonstrates the destructive ramifications of “abus(ive)” parents, deterring readers from

engaging in such behaviour. An italicised anecdote is positioned at the commencement of the

newsletter, delineating the plight of young “Emily” whom was “distraught” after she was “yelled

at” by her dad, “in front of all her team-mates.” Repeating that “she didn’t care” about “her

own performance,” nor the “sledging by the other team,” or even that her “team had lost,” but

“cared desperately” about her father’s response demonstrates the influence of parental

behaviour on the young and impressionable. The fact that “Emily is just 8 years old” may shock

readers, directing them to observe the father’s reaction “for failing to shoot the goal and save

the game” as excessive and unwarranted. Readers, who have engaged in such abusive

behaviour, may also feel a sense of embarrassment at generating emotions of “distraught,”

guiding them to avoid repeating their unsportsmanlike actions in the future. Following this

emotive introduction, Sam notes how “toxic parents” have a “poisoning” effect on the club.

Readers may be now predisposed to acknowledging the detrimental consequences of their

actions, and discontinue such behaviour.

The implications of “lout(ish)” conduct on the club itself is played to inspire readers to observe

the “negative effects” of their actions on the ability of their kids, and indeed all the kids at the

club, from participating in sport. Sam claims that “many of (the) hard working volunteers left the

club disgusted,” as a result of undesirable parental behaviour, which will only culminate in more

“good parents” departing and “coaches” hanging “up their whistles.” This discouraging impact

of “sports aggressive parents” is also further emphasised in Jeff Parker’s cartoon which is

embedded towards the end of the newsletter. The oversized donkey’s profanities and extreme

“sports agress(ion)” elicits emotions of frustration, disbelief and disapproval in other audience

members. The caption “I wish these sports-aggressive parents could see themselves as we do”

alludes to the fact that in behaving in such a manner; parents are indeed being an ass. The

hyperbole of the donkey’s size and its vast contrast with the rest of the image accentuates the

immense influence which parents have on the sport, even resulting in the stopping of play.

Additionally the text on the beast’s shirt, “defeat is death,” presents an extreme and irrational

position advocating the importance of victory; compelling readers to accept that possessing

such a stance is ludicrous, obnoxious and even despised. This would instigate readers to avoid

“sports rage” and looking like an ass, and instead learn to “be a good sport.”

© Conquest Education

The importance of “good sportsmanship” is detailed by Sam, providing contrast to the adverse

effects of bad sportsmanship, and inciting readers to recognize the significance of their

sportsmanlike behaviour. The writer cunningly uses of rhetorical questions, forcing the parent

audience to evaluate their behaviour, and the ideal parents they should aspire to be. “What sort

of parent are you?” asks Sam, triggering readers’ imaginations as to how they portray

themselves as a parent to both their children and to others. By following immediately with his

answer to “what is good sportsmanship,” Sam guides readers to believing that a good parent is

one who “understand(s) that the real winners in sport are those who know how to persevere

and to behave with dignity.” This may ultimately vivify them to strive and become a parent who

knows “the fundamentals of true sportsmanship,” rather than one who focuses on the wins and

losses. Additionally, Sam claims that “young people” learn sportsmanship from “adults in their

lives, especially their parents,” impels readers to feel a sense of disappointment at their actions,

and then adjust their behaviour to be a good role model for their children. Furthermore,

paralleling sport to an act of “heroism” spurs readers believing that the capacity to “persevere”

and “behave with dignity” is far more essential than “shoot(ing) (a) goal.” Such sentiment is

reinforced with the anecdote of the “Olympic runner” who heroically “stopped to help his rival

who had fallen over.” Suggesting that “we all remember” the event directs readers to accepting

the good sportsmanship is a positively impacting act which resounds indefinitely. Readers may

seek to achieve likewise and thus become less fixated on victory and more on the “only goal

that should matter in kids’ sport” which is “good sportsmanship.”

“Good sportsmanship” is also described to have a multitude of advantages for kids, encouraging

readers to advocate their positive behaviour for the benefit of their children. A litany of the

constructive effects good sportsmanship is listed by Sam, stating that the kids can gain “ability

to cheerfully rebound from the loss,” “(shake) hands with opponents before a game” and

“congratulate the opposing team after losing a hard-fought, close or important game.” These

highly desirable traits may invigorate the reader to want and achieve such characteristics in

their children, resulting in them ceasing to be a “sports-aggressive parent” but rather a

proponent of “good sportsmanship.” Furthermore, Sam reminds readers of “the thrill of just

being part of the team” and the importance of “just (having) fun.” This challenges readers to

reconsider their emphasis on the scoreboard, possibly directing them to observe their

unreasonable expectations and behaviour towards their young kids. As such, readers may come

to the acceptance that “kids see themselves as winner” even if “numbers (are not) going in their

favour,” and thus “encourage their kids to play fair, to have fun, and to concentrate on the team

while at the same time polishing their own skills.” While the “best … parents” teach their kids

“the basics of good sportsmanship,” the dichotomy with donkey in the cartoon positioned

directly above this assertion conclusively emphasises to readers that good parenting does not

manifest itself in an ass, but rather as an encouraging influence.

Though poor behaviour of spectators in the previous season may have deterred members from

the Sports Club, Sam’s newsletter in Club News demonstrates the tremendous benefit of good

sportsmanship over “toxic” and “poisoning” behaviours of some “sports-aggressive parents.”

Hopefully, the newsletter convinces readers of the fact that “actions speak louder than …

words,” and that parents have a dramatic influence on their children, and the club itself.