Increased sports blowouts may lead to 'mercy rules'

Group, May/Jun 2003 by Roller, Julia

In the wake of a growing trend toward outrageously lopsided scores in girls' basketball, the National Federation of High Schools is considering adopting mandatory "mercy rules."

Many youth leagues already have such rules. For example, in some soccer leagues, coaches are fined if their teams win too many games by a margin of more than six goals, and some baseball league games automatically end if one team is winning by 10 or more runs.

The debate on sportsmanship and fair play in high school sports is fueled by scores such as the 115-2 loss suffered last season by the girls' basketball team at Lakeshore Public Academy in Hart, Michigan.

"I'm very concerned about these blowout games, because I think they're increasing in number and getting worse," says John Johnson, communications director for the Michigan High School Athletic Association. "The purpose of school sports is to educate kids. That's what makes us different from college and the pros. There's nothing to be learned in these blowout games. No one should be embarrassed in high school."

Smaller charter or prep schools that started girls' teams after Title IX, the federal law that says girls must have the same athletic opportunities as boys, often don't have enough students to stay competitive with larger schools that have more students and more focus on athletics.

"It's so frustrating and embarrassing," says Ashleigh Hendricks, whose St. Bernard basketball team recently lost 77-13 to another Cincinnati area team. "We don't have any confidence after games like that."

Sources: The New York Times, Louisiana Gannett News, The Cincinnati Enquirer

Do you agree with the so-called mercy rules? What if you were the losing team? Would you be happy to end early or disappointed to not have the opportunity to come back and win? If the National Federation of High Schools did adopt mercy rules, what kind of rules should they be?

What's the purpose of school sports? Do you agree with Johnson that the point is to educate kids? Explain. Is there a difference between team sports and more individual-centered sports, such as track and field or gymnastics? What kind of lessons might you learn from each?

Does your church or youth group participate in team sports? What, if any, is the role of team sports and competition in the community and fellowship of the church? Explain. What kind of lessons can you learn from defeat? from victory?

Scripture links: Leviticus 26:17; 1 Chronicles 22:13; Ecclesiastes 9:11; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; and 2 Timothy 2:3-5.

Julia Roller is a contributing editor for group. She's assistant editor at HarperSanFrancisco in California.