Florida Sports in February

This month in Florida sports:

 One of the most exciting sporting events taking place this week is the 55th anniversary of the Daytona 500. I am truly hoping that Danica Patrick wins this race. She is already a record holder and the first woman to compete and win in NASCAR. I think it would be awesome if the first woman to win the Daytona 500 happened in my lifetime. Well over 100,000 fans will watch the races. The Budweiser sponsored event will conclude on February 24 after 8 days and 8 races.

 

 I remember my first NASCAR race when I was a teenager. My dad won tickets from his job and took both my sisters and I. It was very cold and there were tons of people watching from the stands. We treated ourselves to hot chocolate while watching the cars go around the track.

 

Growing up in Florida is a lot of fun. I have also attended the Tampa Bay Rays Fan Fest when I was younger.  I was pictured with many professional baseball players and had my baseball and helmet signed. There were tons of obstacles and events to participate in. I remember dressing up in a sumo wrestler suit and wrestling my sister. I also remember jumping onto a Velcro wall in a Velcro suit as high as I could jump. I raced my sisters through tunnels and over walls. I played on the field and ran the bases. I even took batting practice. The pitching obstacle was set up where kids could throw a baseball at a catcher target display and get their throwing speed clocked. Of course, the mascot Raymond was in attendance for photo opportunities as well.

 

Lastly, spring training is beginning to take place. Games begin on February 21. 14 teams have reported locations in Florida. The first full day of games begin February 23 until late-March with over 300 games taking place. Spring training in Florida is a major economic contributor to Florida. In Florida last year, 1.6 million fans attended spring training games. In 2009, the Major League Venture made $753 million in the Florida States Sports Foundation. 

Bullying and Abuse in Kids

Bullying and Abuse in Kids

Demitria Maldonado is a senior at the University of south Florida studying marketing. She is GRAND Magazine’s spring 2013 intern for the Marketing Practicum.

What should you do if your child is being abused while playing a sport?

I think that if your child is being abused directly (physically) or indirectly (verbally) while playing a sport, then the child may need to consider a different hobby. If the child decides to stay in the sport that abuses him, it is the parent’s decision to pull the child from the sport or the team immediately. In my opinion, no child should participate in sports that become so abusive that it causes great bodily harm or injury. Depending on the gender of the athlete and the sport, it may be common to endure some pain or abuse during competition. However, excessive or frequent abuse is not acceptable. Remember, direct abuse is physical and indirect abuse is verbal. Both have negative effects on a child’s future.

How can you know if your child’s coach is “coaching” or “abusing”?

You can tell if your child’s coach is “coaching” or “abusing” because there is a major difference between the two. Some adults may not see this difference because they are not aware of how the sport is coached. If your child is continuously bruised, bleeding, unresponsive, and/or emotionally unstable he is being abused. There are many signs that a child is being abused, parents may choose not to notice them. This may be because the parent is paying lots of money to a credible coach and believe that the coach is the best shot at their child earning a scholarship to college or joining the Olympics. You know if your child’s coach is coaching when your child looks up to their coach as a role model and friend.

How do you talk to your child to make sure they feel they aren’t being bullied on their team?

In order to talk to your child to make sure they feel they aren’t being bullied, the adult should have a private talk with the child in a comfortable setting. This may be at their home or over dinner. Never talk to your child with their peers, because the child may lie to the parent to fit in. Look into your child’s eyes, ask them open ended questions, and do not make assumptions. Offer your support and encouragement no matter what decision the child makes.

Who else can bully besides the coach?

Plenty of other people can bully besides the coach. However, actions speak louder than words. A great player may get criticism by other players because other players are jealous of them. Some parents may bully another parent’s child because they too want that child to fail and see their child take a certain position. Also, fans or players on opposing teams can bully. Rival coaches may bully the child also because they want to make the other coach lose.