As the mom of a senior Yarmouth soccer player I was in the stands last week when, with two minutes left in Falmouth’s win over Yarmouth in the Western Maine Class B finals, the entire Falmouth High School fan section emptied out of the bleachers. They positioned themselves in front of the Yarmouth student and parent fan section. With their backs to their own team, they proceeded to jeer, taunt, curse and fire cans of confetti directly at us. We sat in stunned silence. When a group started chanting “Yarmouth sucks” in front of the parents’ section, which included many grandparents and younger children, I got up from my seat and walked over to the them. I told them I thought their behavior was showing poor sportsmanship. At which point one of them sneered and told me to “shut up” and the group walked off laughing.

I’ve heard of sore losers, but sore winners? At a time when kids should be happy and celebratory and cheering their team on, they instead think it’s OK to behave like this? I’m fortunate to know lots of great Falmouth kids through my son’s friendships and know this doesn’t represent them or their parents. Is there a forceful minority that have created this culture? We all want what is best for our kids and this is not them at their best.

Page Eastburn O’Rourke
Yarmouth