Unfair to kick blame upstairs

Re Clerical error gets soccer team demoted,

March 26 It has been said that there are two great motivators in life: avoidance of poverty, and deadlines.

Sports teaches us many life lessons. In this case it is that missing deadlines has negative consequences and sometimes results in severe penalties.

Unfortunately the consequences here affect a team of young soccer players that cannot play at their achieved level because some adult did not take notice of three communications regarding a deadline.

The focus of their disappointment and feelings of unfairness should be on the person who let them down, not the officials of the High Park Football Club. Fairness occurs when everyone plays by the same rules. John Marshall, Brampton Fifty-nine out of 60 other groups understood and complied with Ontario Soccer Association rules and paid their registration fees on time. CSL President Bert Lobo affirms there were two email reminders of the Jan. 16 deadline outlined at a meeting in November.

The club administrator screwed up. That person should stand up, accept blame and move forward. Further, they have an obligation to apologize to the parents and players for their error.

Hopefully these 12-year-old boys may just take this lesson on rules and responsibilities forward into their adult lives and, rather than blaming others, as the club administrator did for his error, will avoid such errors as adults or at least be man enough to accept responsibility for their actions. William Connacher, Toronto Re Why I’m a mean mom, Living March 26 I read this article by Denise Schipani with a somewhat bemused smile on my face. To all the mean moms out there, please take note: children are catching on, we really are. The teenage rebellion has yet to be vanquished, but as much as it pains us to admit it, mother knows best sometimes.

We understand that you’d have diabetic couch potatoes on your hands if you let us eat nothing but sugar, and, I’m sure, with time, we’ll appreciate the nagging. But take it from a kid first hand, we are going to screw up no matter how you raise us, it’s inevitable. Sophie Brzozowski, Toronto

You can bet your kids will screw up