Letters to the Editors

Making the team requires ability

Editor: Re: Parents call for kinder sports, Monday Citrus Times: Kinder sports? Hey, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. That's not a cold-hearted statement. It's a fact and reality that everyone must learn in life.

Yes, every child deserves a chance to participate in sports, and every child has that chance. All they have to do is go out for the team. However, for you to believe that "just because you try" means "you deserve to play on the team" is simply untrue.

You may not like it, but there are some people out there more suited for certain things than you. Accept it. Those parents who teach their children that they should "make" the team, regardless of skill and ability, are setting those children up for self-esteem issues later.

Instead, parents would better serve their children's growth by teaching them the real goal is to put forth the "effort." Even if you fail your immediate aim, you have learned to apply yourself in a positive, optimistic manner. The subtle problem is we have made team sports too important. You can still play if you want: Get a sandlot game going with your friends over the weekend.

The "real world" point is, you have to apply yourself to attain success. You're not born knowing this, you have to learn it. However, you also have to learn your true skills, your true abilities and your true nature. That's where "not making" the team (or failure) comes into play. A reality-based parent will say, "Okay, you didn't make the team, but you learned how to try. Now, let's take what you learned and try other things that might suit you better."

Throwing "success" at every child for any and all reasons sounds nice. There would be fewer tears, fewer complaints and fewer hurt feelings.

Parents may even believe they are being good parents by trying to change the world to suit their children. But it ends there. The problems begin when children are bewildered by a world that does not favor incompetence.

It would be nice if everyone could win. Well, guess what, everyone can win . . . but not at the same thing. Do right by the kids. Teach them this.
-- George Kaplan,Inverness

Thurman served well

Editor: The Nov. 5 election, which ended U.S. Rep. Karen Thurman's 10 years of generous governmental service to our veterans, elderly and many other folks, gave us all a lesson in politics. Though most of her campaign funding may have come from wealthy contributors, she found time to balance her representation to include all of us.

We found her straightforward and honest, even when she disagreed with us. She was always able to respond to written questions, even though her busy schedule sometimes delayed her replies.

Her congressional service failed to provide her opponents with any scandal, and those who knew her personally recognized in her the courage, decency and integrity we hope to find in our representatives. As a result, her opponents over the years had to resort to innuendo and half-truths to obscure her voting record.

This campaign was the dirtiest we ever witnessed. We congratulate Karen Thurman for refusing to publicize or take legal advantage when her opponent's husband was caught pulling up her campaign signs.

We thank you, Karen Thurman, yourself and your staff, for helping us believe there is still some hope in our electoral system. Those who have not followed Karen Thurman's career, those who believe everything they hear and read during a campaign and those who may have taken umbrage when she opposed their views have removed her from office.

We hope her replacement provides us with the courage, decency and integrity our citizens should expect in their representatives.
-- Lee and Patricia Cloward,Inverness

Share your views

The Citrus Times welcomes letters from readers for publication.

Because of space limitations, letters should be of reasonable length.

Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

All letters must be signed and must contain the writer's address and telephone number. Addresses and telephone numbers will not be printed.

Send your letter to Citrus Times, 301 W Main St., Inverness, FL 34450. To fax a letter call 860-7320. Send letters by electronic mail (in text only format) to citrus@sptimes.com.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright