Posts
1993
Joined
2/26/2011
Location
Gig Harbor, WA, USA
Edited Date/Time
5/16/2016 12:36pm
Wondering if any of you have come across the crazy 50 parents that curse, yell and scream at their own kids, and what you did, if anything. I recently became 1 of 2 referees (shared duty) at a track and I am fielding complaints of a particular parent. I unfortunately did not catch the said parent in the act, being a race official I can't really say anything unless I or another employee see something. Curious what some of your experiences are.
Never heard of such a thing.... Must be exclusive to your track.
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Another situation a parent smacked a helmeted kid (85 rider) when he was riding off the track because of an on track questionable pass during practice, then the smacked kids dad jumped on the other dad and started wailing on him. Our dozer operator got in the middle of it to try and break it up, then he got punched and all hell broke loose. Fists were flying and a mini mom started to choke him from behind. Then I finally made it across the live track and got involved and started yanking people out of the pile from the scruffs of their necks like they were dogs. I think we tossed 7 people from the track, DQd both kids and the cops were called. Fun times. Mini parents are the worst. Lol
If they cross the line again, ask them to leave, offer them a refund for their entry fee and tell them not to come back again.
On a positive note, I race with a few guys who's kids are some of the faster mini riders in our area. They are so down to earth and it reflects in the maturity level of their sons on and off track. Since I have no kids of my own, it's really a pleasure to see them setting the example from the front of the pack.
was about having fun and riding wisely, being safe.
On that note I'm so happy I had a dad that knew how to push me but keep it fun!
Pit Row
These same parents will revert to "HE" when things don't go well....as in "HE didn't ride worth a shit!"
What made me ultimately bail out was mini dad's, I had ano inherent problem with the all get a trophy so I didn't do it, caused a ton of friction of course. The final straw was a mom of a brand new rider demanded to me that her son be allowed to choose any trophy he wanted so he was happy about himself... it ended when I threw 3 boxes of trophies out the door and told her to take them all and see where her kid ends up in 20 years... it was the end of the year and I'd had enough. I haven't been back to OMC since 2001.
I went over to have a word with him.
I was being very calm and cool, just trying to explain to the guy that at this stage, the kid would probably improve more quickly if he was having fun.
The dude started going off on me.
Veins bulging, spittle flying...
I was getting ready to defend myself from a physical attack, when four other dads came to my aid.
The guy loaded his shit and left.
The poor kid probably got yelled at all the way home for causing his asshole dad to get confronted in public.
With guys like that, it's always the kid's fault.
The hue and cry was why their little Johnnie did not get a trophy for 4th place when little Robbie in another class did get a trophy for 4th place. I checked the scoring sheets and explained that we trophy a third of the field, that their boy had finished 4th out of 5 entries and that the other young lad had finished 4th out of a field of 22 riders. They said "yeah, so what...they both finished 4th." We explained it a couple of more times to their blank faces and it ended up with us rolling around in the dirt.
About then I decided that I would rather get yelled at by judges while getting paid than be out there paying money to put on races and enduring the actions of these knuckle-dragging mouth breathers.
It is the same in every youth sport...sadly.
You see this more in individual sports than anywhere else.
I will say that the for the most part the kids that have those crazy yelling parents are usually running up front. There is a fine line I guess when it comes to pushing kids.
I think personally the worst I have ever seen was at Coyote Run (near Albany Ga.). The A class kid would get the hole shot and the other local A class kid would always start bad and by the end of the moto he caught and passed the other one in 4 straight A class moto's. The kid was a fast up and coming southeastern hot shoe so they were under pressure to perform. I even heard the dad yelling at him how much money they had just cost them as he was pushing the kid into the enclosed trailer rather forcefully. That conversation ended up continuing inside the trailer but I could not totally understand it. The kid did go pro but fizzled out. I think he may have even raced a little in Austrailia. He has since gotten out of professional racing. This all happened around 2005'ish. My youngest was there with me and saw it all as well. Shit, makes you want to get involved!!
They seem to think they can cancel their own failures by driving their kids to success.
I found that some of the best learning experiences my kids ever had, was when I let them fail.
When I compare the way they turned out as adults to some of their childhood friends who grew up either enabled, or overly driven, I can see the difference it made.
i still feel my eyes rolling at a local race this kid angrily yells at his dad "wheres my supplements"...
i always want to give the mini dad my bike and say "show him what you mean"
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