Recently, Arroyo High School beat Bloomington High School 161-2 in girl’s high school game in California. Afterward, the coach, Michael Anderson, was suspended for two games for “lack of compassion.” Administrators said they wanted to impress upon him the concept of, “Winning with Honor.” In his defense, parents who attended the game indicated that Coach Anderson took his starters out in the 3rd quarter and instructed his team to hold the ball for the entirety of the shot clock before shooting.
Pro Argument: One team is clearly better than the other. The coach wants to improve his players for tougher games in the future. He asked them to run their plays and play hard. He played the starters for the first half and took them out for the second half. Not sure what the coach is supposed to do. Should he ask the girls to throw interceptions or intentionally miss shots? Should his team let the other team score? Hmmm…
Con Argument: High school sports is about much more than winning and losing. It’s about teaching important life lessons. And, you don’t learn anything from a 161-2 victory or loss. It’s just humiliation. Coaches and players need to understand how to treat opposing teams with respect. That coach should have tried harder to not humiliate the other team. There is no excuse for this type of behavior.
Your Turn: What are your thoughts on this game? Is this a clear example of poor sportsmanship?
