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Junior Handlers

From the Other Side of the Ring

 

To Do or Not To Do 

On Ringside Support

by Miss Brigette Lefever
 

             Lately, it seems as though there’s been an in pouring of requests for an article which addresses the issue of ringside parents. For all of those who have made that suggestion, this is it.

             Every activity has them. Whether it’s baseball, football, soccer, swimming, ballet, spelling bee’s, or dog shows, the children who are involved in these extra-curricular activities have eager parents, standing on the sidelines, watching everything. 

            Especially as a kid, it’s really nice to have support. Sometimes the world seems against you, and it always feels good to have someone rooting for you through it all. But sometimes all the rooting and cheering gets to be too much, and sometimes it’s downright embarrassing.

             Sometimes parents get carried away. Naturally, they want the best for their children, and they want their children to succeed. The line between being there as moral support, and becoming their child’s personal offense team sometimes gets a little blurry, and sometimes they do more harm than good.  

            One example of bad spectator behavior is called The Cheerleader, who is guilty of excessive enthusiasm outside the ring. So many times I’ve heard a single parent or family making all kinds of noise while their poor embarrassed child is doing their individual patterns. Dog shows are more like golf and less like football games when it comes to cheering by spectators during “game play”. Light clapping is acceptable, but until such time when the winners are announced, keep the commotion to a minimum.

Another inappropriate behavior example is The Personal Bodyguard. To these parents, there child can do nothing wrong, nor can they experience a loss without someone else being at fault. These parents sit outside the ring, berating others, and pointing out how wonderful their little darling is. Your child may very well be good, but pointing out the flaws of others is more an example of how to be a bully, and not how to be a good sport. Worse yet, is if the child is brainwashed into thinking that they are perfect, then they no longer have a drive to improve. In extreme examples of these individuals, sometimes they even go so far as to audibly blame the other juniors or the judge if their child does not win. And most of the time, these juniors sulk away in embarrassment.

 
And then there is The Coach. This individual sometimes yells at the junior while they are in the ring, shouting suggestions that seem more like orders, though they often don’t appear to have much of a clue of what they are talking about. “Smile like you mean it!”, and “Stand up straighter!” won’t make the difference in whether they win or lose, I promise. This is a dog show, not the Miss America pageant.

Of course, these are extreme examples, and most parents will have been guilty of one of these at some point. Many of the offenders are the parents of young juniors or are new to the sport and are not yet privy to proper spectator etiquette.

I can personally admit to being guilty of some “soccer mom” habits by the junior’s ring, as I often go there to watch others. Mumbling “do’s and don’ts” to myself, I’m a terribly anxious spectator, which is why I like to handle and be in the ring. For any others who may also have this problem, I suggest simply walking away as I have had to do on many an occasion. If I find that I can’t be content to just watch the ring without the possibility of annoying those beside me, then I try to quit while I’m ahead, after all, me watching won’t change the outcome.

 And as in any children’s sport or activity, it is supposed to be about the kids. They are doing this (or should be doing this) because it’s something they want to do. If they want to do it, then they will improve. And though it’s sometimes hard to watch, sometimes the best lessons are learned “the hard way”. I can certainly say that I learned more from losing than from winning.

Everyone deserves to lose sometimes, and sometimes they don’t, but it’s all part of the game. If losing is really that devastating to you or your child, then this is the wrong sport to be involved in. The best way to support your child at a show is to wish them the best of luck, watch them show their hearts out, then congratulate them for wins, or give them a “better luck next time” consolation.

                              - Brigette

 

 

Questions and comments for Brigette should be forwarded via musher1984@gmail.com. Enter BCKC in the subject line.


Archives of Brigett's columns

Introducing Miss Brigette LeFever - Sept 09

Judgement Day: Sins of the Fathers - Oct 09

Judgement Day: A Reading From the Holy Book - Nov 09

Sheep Among Wolves-Competitors Don’t Have to be Enemies - Dec 09

It’s All Fun and Games - Jan 10

 

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