Letters to the Editor: Tone Down ‘Mean-Spirited’ H.S. Sports Reporting

FCNP.com

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Letters to the Editor: April 14 – 20, 2016

Tone Down ‘Mean-Spirited’ H.S. Sports Reporting

Editor,

I enjoy the News-Press coverage of George Mason sports by our budding young reporters. But let’s have them dial the smugness down a notch. Writing about two uber-blowouts by our boys’ soccer team, Matt Delaney writes that losing 10-0 and an invoking of the “mercy rule” midway through the second half was “surely a mark of shame for Warren County.” That sort of reporting is nasty and downright mean-spirited.

Warren County has nothing to be ashamed of at all. Despite comparable enrollment, Warren County and its fellow rural schools have nowhere near the soccer development leagues, financial resources, travel and “select” teams, parental support, or infusion of international talent that George Mason enjoys. Warren County deserves a lot of credit just for fielding a team and competing.

No, if there’s any shame it lies with George Mason’s coaching decisions. Mr. Spinello’s claim that he just wanted to give his starters some playing time together is, well, total bullfeathers. Like John Wooden’s UCLA basketball teams back in the day, his starters get more and better practice competing against their own substitutes daily in practice than they get drubbing other teams in their league. Rather than crowing about flailing weak competition, Mason should join a league for soccer that would provide more of a challenge. Both our school’s soccer schedule and our young writer’s perspective are in need of an upgrade.

Neil Shawen

Falls Church

Happy With GMHS Softball Coverage In News-Press

Editor,

I’m happy to see the recent coverage of the George Mason High Schools Girls’ softball team with Carol Sly’s great photo.
Thank you for including more more sports, especially the girls’ teams.

Sheryl Stratton

Falls Church

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