Character Is What Counts in Sports and Academics

Sandy Banks’ article about kids’ sports (“Even Kids’ Sports Are No Longer About Play,” July 16) should have been column left on the Monday edition. You know, sort of the mom’s version of Monday morning quarterbacking (pun definitely intended!).

Following on the heels of the story from Boston of the hockey dads, this should be a sober reminder to all us parents what sports are all about. It’s up to us as parents to teach our kids values, and these are the “rules” about what’s important in life, whether in the classroom or on the sports field.

Sports is no different than schoolwork. We stretch our body muscles like our brain muscles. We pay attention to our coaches or teachers and learn from them, and thus better ourselves. We work with others to achieve a common goal.

All of life is a process of everlasting becoming. The fact is, as an adult, absolutely nobody will care what grade you got on the science exam in sixth grade, any more than they will care about the game you won that same season. They will, however, very much care about the person you have become in the process of all of the above.

--MAUDE HAM

Burbank