Community Commentary -- Paul James Baldwin

I went to Newport Harbor High School for four years, graduating in

1972. Although I didn’t go to many of the football games, I sure

couldn’t help keeping an eye on the cheerleaders around campus. But then

again, who couldn’t? Boy, were they cute.

At that time way back when, as it is now, it was a big deal to be a

cheerleader. The difference between then and now appears to be the

interference of parents in the whole process of selection.

What’s going on? Aren’t we all going overboard about all this? In

competitions, including cheerleading competitions, there will be winners

and losers. There is a lesson in life that makes us stronger to deal with

the real world when we grow up and become adults. However, it’s some of

the adults that appear to be trying to live their lost aspirations

through their children. It’s sad that this is happening on the soccer

fields, basketball courts and other athletic venues across the country.

But back to cheerleading. It was not too long ago a mother of an

aspiring cheerleader had her daughter’s rival killed. Assassinated by a

parent’s desire for her daughter to be a cheerleader. Holy cow. No wonder

some kids go crazy when they have parents that load these types of

expectations and stress onto their shoulders. I believe that the Parent

Teacher Assn. is a good organization, and this is for the real benefit of

the young people as students, but maybe other organizations (or some of

the people) in the booster club and such should butt out. It is a fact

that it is some parents, too many parents, that are bringing their own

children to tears in a process that has its inevitable winners and

losers. It is some of these parents that are the problem, not the

solution, and need to grow up.

* Paul James Baldwin is a longtime Newport Beach resident.