Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
Friday, June 1, 2007, Washington Post

To Play or Not to Play, That Is the Question

Some recent stories have me wondering when it's okay for athletes, including kid athletes, to miss a game.

• Future baseball Hall of Famer Roger Clemens signed a contract with the New York Yankees that allows him to skip games when he's not scheduled to pitch.
  
  
• D.C. United forward Jaime Moreno did not play in his team's match with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday because he played for the Bolivian national soccer team against Ireland.
  
  
• Tiger Woods might miss the U.S. Open this month or the AT&T National he's hosting at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda next month because his wife is expecting their first child.

Most people probably think it's okay for Woods to miss a golf tournament for his baby's birth. But what if a kid wants to go to a friend's birthday party? Is it okay to miss a game for that?

When you join a team, you make a promise to your teammates that you will try your hardest and make every game and practice that you can. So I don't think you should miss a game for a friend's birthday party. Maybe you could miss a practice, if you checked with your coach first.

Of course, kids aren't just athletes. They are family members, too. So, what if the birthday party is for a special grandparent or your mom? I think a kid can miss a game for that.

I once coached a basketball team, and every season my best player would go on a ski trip with his family. That was fine with me because doing things with family is important.

How about school? Should you miss a game to study or to attend a band concert? Kids who play sports should aim to become student-athletes. That means that academics and other school activities are just as important -- probably more important -- than sports. But don't forget the promise you made to your teammates. You owe it to them to organize your studies and activities so that you have time to practice and play on the team.

Kids shouldn't try to do so many things that they can't keep their promise to their teammates. Some kids play soccer and baseball in both spring and fall while taking piano lessons and trying to keep up with piles of homework. Maybe those kids and their parents should talk about limiting baseball to the spring and soccer to the fall.

Coaches and leagues can be very strict. Some coaches schedule games and tournaments every weekend, and they bench kids who don't make them all. Some leagues make it hard for kids who skip spring soccer or fall baseball to stay on the same team.

I think coaches and leagues should be understanding and let kids have more time for their families and important activities.

If pros such as Clemens, Moreno and Woods can miss a game or tournament every once in a while, why can't kids?