Michael Kinahan resigned yesterday as the coach of the Scituate, Mass. 6-7 year-old soccer team that he named Green Death after he sent an email that did not tickle the funny bones of the parents. The news was reported on March 31 in the Quincy Patriot-Ledger -- a full day before April Fool's Day. (Maybe he should have waited.)
So, imagine you are the parent of a charming 6 or 7 year-old girl. Got the picture. Now read this excerpt of the email from your daughter's soccer coach as he tried to introduce himself:
I believe winning is fun and losing is for losers. Ergo, we will strive for the "W" in each game. While we may not win every game (excuse me, I just got a little nauseated) I expect us to fight for every loose ball and play every shift as if it were the finals of the World Cup. While I spent a good Saturday morning listening to the legal liability BS, which included a 30 minute dissertation on how we need to baby the kids and especially the refs, I was disgusted. The kids will run, they will fall, get bumps, bruises and even bleed a little. Big deal, it's good for them (but I do hope the other team is the one bleeding). If the refs can't handle a little criticism, then they should turn in their whistle. The sooner they figure out how to make a decision and live with the consequences the better. My heckling of the refs is actually helping them develop as people. The political correctness police are not welcome on my sidelines.
America's youth is becoming fat, lazy and non-competitive because competition is viewed as "bad". I argue that competition is good and is important to the evolution of our species and our survival in what has become an increasingly competitive global economy and dangerous world. Second place trophies are nothing to be proud of as they serve only as a reminder that you missed your goal; their only useful purpose is as an inspiration to do that next set of reps. Do you go to a job interview and not care about winning? Don't animals eat what they kill (and yes, someone actually kills the meat we eat too – it isn't grown in plastic wrap)? And speaking of meat, I expect that the ladies be put on a diet of fish, undercooked red meat and lots of veggies. No junk food.
Michael Kinahan resigned and said, "Unfortunately, it has come to my attention that some parents and
the Board of Scituate Soccer failed to see the humor in my pre-season
email."

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