A STEP TOO FAR?

How a can of worms just exploded in youth sports

How a can of worms just exploded in youth sports
The Supreme Court came to a decision this week. Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images.

Since the Astros seem to be doing fine without my help and a decision on Deshaun Watson’s future is still a few days away, I’m going to touch on a different subject from a different point of view on sports.

Earlier this week the U.S. Supreme court ruled that a public school district in Washington State deprived a high school football coach of his First Amendment rights of free speech and religious expression by suspending him after he refused to stop leading prayer sessions with his players on the field after games.

The ruling determined that the school board overstepped its authority, even though the coach is a government employee and the football field was public property.

I’m not going to get into separation of church and state, First Amendment rights or constitutional debate, conservative vs. liberal, secular vs. religion-affiliated, or the coach’s dedication to his faith.

I’m saying it’s not a good idea for a coach at a public school to lead players in prayers connected to one denomination of the U.S. religious community. Here’s why:

Several years ago, I was a manager in a youth baseball league. The age group for the kids was 12-13 years old. League officials discovered that one of the managers was instructing his players to kneel in the dugout while he recited a Christian prayer.

The league asked the coach to stop leading his young players in prayer. He did. After the season, the coach and I discussed the matter. He explained that his faith was so strong, he wanted to spread the comfort it brought him.

I offered my view that parents, those who wish to, send their kids to churches and temples and mosques, where qualified religion instructors guide the children spiritually. These leaders often get to know the families in their congregation and understand their needs. I didn’t believe that parents who register their kids for youth baseball expect the coach to offer religious guidance. You’re a kids’ baseball coach. You’re out of your league. We're still good. We say hello at local burger joints.

A couple of years later, I was covering the Little League World Series in South Williamsport. I attended a press conference with one of the coaches. He said he was disappointed that his team didn’t win the championship, but he was pleased that he got the chance to instill some religion in his players through prayer.

That was Little League, the most public and American of institutions. I think a Little League coach should teach kids how to catch fly balls, hit a baseball and never slide into a base head-first. And that’s pretty much it. Oh, and never tell a child “just don’t strike out” because that guarantees he’ll be back in the dugout in three pitches.

A youth sports coach is a pretty powerful person in a neighborhood. They’re volunteering their time, so thanks for that. If a player feels uncomfortable praying to an entity that isn’t part of his family’s faith, that’s unfair to the player, who may not want to upset or alienate his coach. The idea is to find commonality among a team, not divide the players.

There are few people more influential in a town than the high school football coach. Players and their parents often do not want to upset the coach or create a problem that has nothing to do with skill level. Or give the coach reason to think the kid is not a “team player,” not one of the guys. At least not one of the coach’s guys.

The Washington State public school coach did not force his players to join him on the field for prayer after games. But some parents of players on that team said their kids felt compelled to join the prayer session. At least do it in private, so fans can't see who's on the field and who's not.

It creates a situation where if a player doesn’t go on the field for prayers, and the coach later benches him – for whatever reason – it could be a problem. You know how competitive high school football can be. College scholarships are riding on a player’s on-field performance. Parents could say to the coach, you benched my kid because he didn’t pray with you and you’re a bigot.

It just creates problems that aren’t necessary.

I know, this is America and the Supreme Court is the final word on what is constitutional and what isn’t. So now public school coaches can lead their players in public prayer on public property.

Doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

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The Texans are back in action next week against the Dolphins. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.

But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.

“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”

Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.

Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.

“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”

The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.

They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.

Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.

Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.

Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.

“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”

While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.

He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.

Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.

Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.

“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”

The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.

“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”

The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.

Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.

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