We thought that headline might get your attention. Our friends at Weekly School News, New Jersey’s leading satirical news publication, always find new ways to help us laugh at ourselves. So enjoy a good laugh about the sometimes fragile, always important parent-coach relationship.
Manalapan, NJ (May 24) – MMA fights at this weekend’s Soccer Tournament? You heard correctly! But, it’s not what you think.
These are no ordinary MMA fights. In an effort to bring safety and fairness to parent-coach disagreements, iSport360 is filling a void desperately needed in today’s world of youth athletics. Fights between parents and coaches have increased nearly 300,000% since 1981. This is largely due to unrealistic expectations from both sides. “This moron of a coach is killing my son’s chances of getting a scholarship,” complained a disillusioned Marty Freeman.
Freeman’s nine year-old son plays for his town’s U9 Boys D Travel Team. Freeman emptied out his son’s 529 college plan savings account in the fall after his son was credited with a goal that deflected off the back of his neck. “The coach is not playing him enough and when he does get in, he puts him on defense. He knows Jakey doesn’t like defense! Jakey has told him a million times. If this coach doesn’t shape up, Jakey will go play for another town.”
Coach Nigel Jones certainly doesn’t agree with Freeman’s viewpoint. He welcomes iSport360’s offer to officiate an MMA smackdown. “I’ve explained to Jakey’s dad a hundred times, his kid won’t play more until he gets better. And he won’t get better unless he pays me for private training twice a week.” responded Coach Jones.
MMA Fights To Foster Better Understanding
An MMA Octagon that meets safety requirements will be set up at the Recreation Center between Fields 11 and 12. Before each match, the parent and coach will select the reason for the altercation. Here are some examples: “too much practice/not enough practice”, “child unhappy with position/playing time”, or “coach doesn’t listen to parent’s strategy or game planning”. Children will also be on hand to scream incoherent directions from the sidelines of the match. They can also analyze the fighter’s style, effort, and technique the entire car ride home.
If you are a youth sport parent or coach and you really do want to work together to improve your kids’ sports experience, let’s get on the same page at www.iSport360.com.