Shut yer yaps

Aside from covering MLS and international soccer, I occasionally dabble in covering high school sports. Tonight I had the pleasure of sitting through the Temecula Valley - Chaparral game. Okay, I wouldn't call it so much as pleasure as a task, I suppose.

The game wasn't bad. Chaparral was the better side in most parts of the game. Chaparral pulled it out when Amanda Windsor struck a lethal free kick that fooled Valley's keeper. It was a 1-1 draw but Chaparral needed just that to get through to the CIF playoffs.

Stirring stuff, I know. But what I will remember most isn't really the game or the free kick or my 90-minute drive there. No, it was the performance by the parents and supporters from one side.

The calls were going against one team and that team's parents and supporters were none too pleased. After every call that went against them, the complaints grew louder.

"Put on a white jersey, ref!"

"Just give them a goal!"

"Get some glasses!"

"Call a fair game!"

And with every call that went against the team, with all the sour grapes from the peanut gallery, I grew more and more irritated. Really, I wanted to turn around and say "SHUT THE @&#$!* UP!!!!!" at the top of my lungs.

I mean, for ****'s sake. It's HIGH SCHOOL. Isn't soccer, or sports for that matter, supposed to teach these kids how to work as a team and leadership skills? Instead, these parents are teaching them how to bitch and moan and complain.

I called a high school ref I know pretty well and he told me that they're used to that stuff, which bothered me even more.

Lousy complainers.