Kid Zone: Sticking to Fair Play

Kid Zone: Sticking to Fair Play

Join 12-year-olds Mikaeel and Ella every month as they share perspectives on life as a child sees it.

Ella:

Have you noticed a time in professional sports when a team or player acted unfairly? How did it make you feel?

Well, I didn’t see this, but I heard about the time when Mike Tyson, the boxer, bit Evander Holyfield’s ear off. I think that would definitely be considered unfair play. When I heard this, I was amazed that could ever happen.

Have you ever experienced unfair play yourself?

Yes, I have experienced unfair play before. While playing at recess, I feel like sometimes the people who play that sport on a team outside school, think they are the best players and don’t pass to me and some of my friends. To me that is unfair play.

What can coaches/associations/players do to ensure sport is kept fair?

I think coaches can make sure they have their players play by the rules even if it means that they lose. And I think players should familiarize themselves with the rules and use them.

Which sports are the easiest/most difficult to keep fair?

I think hockey is a sport that is hard to keep fair because there are a lot of rules and sometimes a lot of people in one place, so it is hard for the referees to see. I think that swimming is an easy sport to keep fair because if you just stay in your lane, you won’t bother anybody.

We’re not keeping it all serious here – tell us a sports joke!

What sport do waiters do so well at? Tennis, because they are such great servers!

Mikaeel:

Have you noticed a time in professional sports when a team or player acted unfairly? How did it make you feel?

Once I did when Tom Brady deflated the balls to make them easier to catch. I thought it was unfair to the other team because the New England Patriots went to the Super Bowl because of it.

Have you ever experienced unfair play yourself? No, I have not.

What can coaches/associations/players do to ensure sport is kept fair?

Coaches/associations/players can keep sports fair by making sure kids and the referees know all the rules.

Which sports are the easiest/most difficult to keep fair?

I think it would be easiest to cheat in golf and hardest to cheat in basketball because I don’t think they do drug tests in golf and they do drug tests in basketball.

We’re not keeping it all serious here – tell us a sports joke!

Why did the golfer wear 2 pairs of pants? In case he got a hole in one!