Re: Newbie query: why required weight?

[SandyDSA@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/7/98 8:59:31 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
katswig@deltanet.com writes:

<< If you want to compete in the big leagues (World
 Championships, etc.) you should have to compete with the little girls
 without asking them to handicap themselves.  There MAY be a physical body
 type that is more conducive to success at endurance...so what, that is
 true of all sports.  People who have it should not be penalized, just so
 that people who don't have it think that it would be more fair.  That
 isn't more fair, it is incredibly UNFAIR.
  >>
At the risk of sounding "intolerant" (quite a crime these days), I agree with
Kat. We were incredulous about the golf cart fiasco. Clearly, there are
implicatiosn in ALL sports if we start taking this idea that everyone should
be equally "handicapped" - no pun, no insult intended here. Next we will see
baseball players (my husband is a coach) wanting to see the "Mickey Rivers" of
the game carrying weight to make it more equitable to the growing number of
players who look like they need about 3 months in the gym with Jenny Craig,
the Juiceman and a personal trainer. Certainly, many quality athletes just
happen to be big - tall, muscled and strong. Why on earth should we start
being the Greta Equalizer? We see this in schools - academia at all levels now
- also in the youth sports programs where a small group of (quite frankly)
IDIOTS think that not keeping score and not maintaining team stats and
rankings would be a GOOD thing. lest our kids become too competitive. Well, in
the 22 years of teaching sports and also being marrried to a coach at the
collegiate level, I can tell you it ISN'T the KIDS - it is the doltish parents
who can't STAND to see their children at less than star status. Parents =
assist your kids in learning and becoming the best possible citizens and
competitiors you can. Then sit down and button it up. It ISN'T the KIDS! It is
the PARENTS and the win-at-all costs COACHES, from Little League to Travel
Soccer - Life ISN'T an equitable challenge - and it IS a challenge. Our kids
must learn to compete if they are to survive.  Stop trying to make everything
equal. Everything ISN'T equal - but it CAN be fun and enlightening and
fulfilling and meaningful. 

The beauty of AERC is in the minimum of regulation that seems to stymie other
sports at every turn these days. Do we REALLY want to change this in the
interest of "equality"? I don't think so. Seems as though life will lose its
flavor and spice if we don't stop trying to make everything the same, equal
and fair. Life is not fair. BEtter teach THAT to our children.

Whew! Sorry - just finished going over this with a friend who thinks keeping
score in soccer games makes her daughter "feel bad" . Seems her self esteem is
suffering. Well, GOOD! Sometiems we need to also teach them that self esteem
si earned, not gifted. Okay, off the box! Time to go muck manure before the
temp goes back up!
San