The lessons behind an 88-point blowout

If you’ve spent any time in organized sports, either as a player or a parent of one, you’ve probably been part of some version of what happened Monday night in Hamden. There are always games where one team is so much better than the other that the game is over before it’s even started, where the winning team could pretty much dictate the final score.

Mismatches will happen. Talent isn’t evenly distributed. Even good teams can get blown out.

But that’s not what happened when Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden beat Lyman Hall 92-4 Monday night in a Southern Connecticut Conference game. That score was an embarrassment for everyone involved, and should not have been allowed to happen. People in positions of authority need to do better.

This is not a new issue in Connecticut high school sports. The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference, which holds sway over state athletics, has instituted a variety of rules aimed at avoiding embarrassing blowouts in noncompetitive games, including the so-called 50-point rule that for many years hung a threat of suspension over any football coach who won a game by more than that margin. Other variations include a running clock, which hastens the end of a lopsided game.

The score this week in Hamden has led to calls for punishment for the winning coach, but the issue goes beyond one game. At the same time, it’s important to remember that it’s not always as simple as it might first appear.

A team that’s up big early will often replace starters with seldom-used reserves or underclassmen. Those players want to win, too. They want to show what they can do. Asking players who train hard and love the game to stop trying to win can be a big ask.

Still, there reaches a point where even the reserves aren’t gaining anything. If a score of 29-0 after the first quarter wasn’t a sign, then 56-0 at halftime should have been more than enough indication. An 80-0 score after three quarters should never have been allowed to happen.

High school sports matter deeply to many people, not least the players. For most, it’s the highest level of competition they’re ever going to reach, and their time at this level is limited. Especially in an age of COVID caution, every game is precious. No one wants to waste an opportunity to play hard and win.

That’s why the adults in the picture, coaches and administrators as well as parents, need to show some leadership. The coach knows early on whether a game is going to be competitive, and if it’s looking like a mismatch, it’s time to call off the full-court press. Yes, comebacks happen, but not from 56-0 at halftime. As important as it is to play hard, it’s just as important to teach kids a lesson in humility. It could just as easily be your team on the losing end next time.

It shouldn’t be too much to ask. Winning matters, but not as much as some basic humanity.

Winning matters, but not as much as some basic humanity. It’s something the adults in charge could stand to remember when it comes to high school sports.