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Post by Wingtman on Sept 21, 2009 11:32:45 GMT -6
Last week my players asked me if they could sit together at lunch. I said "sure sounds good". My only rule was it had to be everyone, not just a few of them, and the kids did so. We filled two tables with jerseys, the kids were a postive example in the cafe and we went out and won big.
Negitives: 1. An angry parent letter to my adminstrator, saying that our school was to cliquish anyway (they are middle school kids) and that by allowing the football team to sit together we were making the problem worse.
2. The softball team and cheerleaders felt un-included. Why cant we sit with the team? and so on....
My principal was great. She told the softball girls if they wanted to sit together on game days, that was fine...they only didnt do it because, no one from softball had asked them. She thought it was great team building and was proud of the example my boys showed.
My question is... Am I doing the right thing? I know this is a tough age, but who are we hurting? When asked if I was going to do it again this week by my principal I said "We are going to do it till we lose" ;D.
Could I handle it different? Are we seperating ourselves from the rest of the school?
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Post by phantom on Sept 21, 2009 11:36:24 GMT -6
Last week my players asked me if they could sit together at lunch. I said "sure sounds good". My only rule was it had to be everyone, not just a few of them, and the kids did so. We filled two tables with jerseys, the kids were a postive example in the cafe and we went out and won big. Negitives: 1. An angry parent letter to my adminstrator, saying that our school was to cliquish anyway (they are middle school kids) and that by allowing the football team to sit together we were making the problem worse. 2. The softball team and cheerleaders felt un-included. Why cant we sit with the team? and so on.... My principal was great. She told the softball girls if they wanted to sit together on game days, that was fine...they only didnt do it because, no one from softball had asked them. She thought it was great team building and was proud of the example my boys showed. My question is... Am I doing the right thing? I know this is a tough age, but who are we hurting? When asked if I was going to do it again this week by my principal I said "We are going to do it till we lose" ;D. Could I handle it different? Are we seperating ourselves from the rest of the school? I think it's great that they want to sit together. I don't even know why they felt like they had to ask. The other kids want to eat there? No problem. They just need to go out for the team. |
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Post by Wingtman on Sept 21, 2009 11:39:28 GMT -6
The other kids didnt seem to have a problem with it. The only complaints I got were from 2 cheerleaders and a softball girl.
My principal brought it up to me, as a FYI more then anything else.
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Post by Coach Goodnight on Sept 21, 2009 12:34:44 GMT -6
I think that it is awesome. I would approach it as a team building thing when asked or if its ever brought up in a negative way such as with the parent and the other 3.
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Post by coachinghopeful on Sept 21, 2009 13:02:58 GMT -6
I think it's great too. I'm sure all that happened was that some kid felt jealous of the unity and brotherhood shown by the team or maybe a few who usually sat at that table were mad their seats were now taken, so they went whining to their parents about how the school was playing favorites with the football team. Glad you've got a cool principal. Awesome!
As for those kids who usually sat there, I can kinda sympathize with them for being a little P.O.ed that their usual seats were taken from them because they don't play football, but they'll get over it and find someplace else. I guess the lesson to be learned here is to encourage this from the first day of school so you avoid some of these problems.
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mce86
Junior Member
Posts: 281
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Post by mce86 on Sept 21, 2009 13:40:38 GMT -6
Im going to assume there must be some type of assigned seats for lunch? I cant see any negatives in sitting as a team! Isnt it a positive thing as long as they are in a positive manner?
They best have the cleanest cafeteria table!!!
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Post by Wingtman on Sept 21, 2009 13:41:14 GMT -6
It was really ok with me for them to sit where ever the rest of the week, but like was said, on game days, its all about the brotherhood.
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Post by Wingtman on Sept 21, 2009 13:44:03 GMT -6
Lunch is open seating so to speak.
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Post by k on Sept 21, 2009 18:51:23 GMT -6
I do lunch duty. We sit 12-16 at each table(50/50 boys/girls). We have 4-6 of the kids at every table wearing their jerseys. There isn't a table at the school that doesn't have a couple kids wearing them.
I really like that... The team isn't one particular subset of the school it is EVERY subset of the school. There isn't another sport in the building that is like that. Hell safety #2 & FB #2 sit at a table where they play dungeons and dragons at lunch for god's sake. The "car guys" table sends ILB #1 and HB #2 to us. The "AP table" sends our OL. Hell my CB2, QB2, & HB3 play pokemon video games at lunch. The "slackers" give us a pair of starters. The band kids give us a pair of starters and a bunch of #2s. The wide range of characters that are united in football is awesome.
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Post by coachinghopeful on Sept 21, 2009 21:49:37 GMT -6
k, I've got to agree with you that's pretty cool too in its own right  |
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Post by Wingtman on Sept 22, 2009 7:35:42 GMT -6
Talk to assistant principal a few moments ago. Players are now sitting in the FACS room away from the student body. Does this make it worse?
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Post by Wingtman on Sept 22, 2009 9:12:35 GMT -6
I think it's great. The girls - eh, yea, why not include the cheerleaders. For everyone else...if you want to be included, then play football or cheer. and for the parent who wrote the letter - STFU and home school your kid. I would keep the players in the cafeteria with in general population, I wouldn't allow them to eat in a different room. I think that's bad. I agree but my assistant principal said to do it this way, and Im gonna "play ball". To me this whole thing is a non issue and when the next parent gets pissy because they took the football team out of the cafe and into a special room its all on them. |
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Post by wingt74 on Sept 22, 2009 9:45:31 GMT -6
I think this is part of the reason kids come out for football...to feel like they belong to a group...to have something to do at lunch, and be a part of the action on Friday night, even if it is to cheer for their teammates.
I encourage my players to sit together...I tell my captains it is THEIR responsibility to make sure everyone is included.
A lot of lineman kids, bigger...(goofy looking) have a hard time finding/making friends in school. Football is perfect for them, if there is a culture that encourages the "away from practice" camaraderie
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