Is Mediocrity on the Rise?

I had a thought the other day stemming from a story about a high school volleyball player suing her school because she could no longer play after not making the varsity team. I think her suit is justified because, unlike football at her school, there is no JV team for the girls. When I was in high school, there were JV and freshmen teams available for the girls. I wonder what's up with this school? But that's not the point.

I think we're starting the to see the by product of the rampant political correctness and fairness that began in the 1980s. Sports teams for kids changed rules to make sure all children got a chance to participate AND not get their feelings hurt. The children and their parents started to get a feeling of entitlement. Soon, there were awards and ceremonies to reward and celebrate every aspect of children's lives.

Where is this going to lead? The signs are pointing to something dark. More and more parents are harassing, threatening, and even attacking coaches for lack of playing time for their kids. Are lawsuits next? What if this girl sued her school because she's determined to get a scholarship based on volleyball? Would she argue that by not playing on the varsity, the school is hindering her rights to a secondary education.

Parents and their children are becoming so wrapped in succeeding that they're forgetting the most important part about success: failure.

Without failure, you don't know how or where to improve. Without failure, there is no success. Without criticism, how will you know your errors? Without the cold, hard truth, how will you know that you suck at something?

To quote from The Incredibles:
Bob Parr: "It's not a graduation. He's moving from the 4th grade to the 5th grade."
Helen Parr: "It's a ceremony."
Bob Parr: "It's psychotic! They keep creating new ways to celebrate mediocrity."

I agree with Mr. Incredible. I fear for the future of sports...among other things.