Dear Coach...

Dear Coach,
Congratulations on an undefeated season! You had several tremendous athletes that helped make it possible. I know that my son was not one of the prized members of your team, but aside from the time he was sick, he was practicing and lifting weights regularly with the rest of the team.
I fully understand competitive athletics. I follow it regularly and have for many years. I also had no expectations that my son should get equal playing time with some of your players that clearly had abilities surpassing his. But, what I did expect was for my son to be treated with respect as a full fledged member of the team.
Sir, if you don't mind me telling you, putting a player in for, literally 3 seconds, in the last play of the game is an insult to all of the time and hard work he put in. And, not only him, but others just like him.
Parents such as myself are realistic in our expectations and also understand your job as a coach is to put the best athletes on the field and win games. But, how about when it's the last couple games of the season? Couldn't you have given some other boys several snaps, instead of several seconds???? Three snaps, that's three downs, three PLAYS!!! Is that asking too much? I think not!! I heard parents yelling from the stands this season at you for the same reason. Let some other kids play in the second half, especially when the game is not in question anymore.
Joey related to me what transpired last night on the sideline at your last game of the season. After only playing for 3 seconds last week, he was given an apology by one of your assistants and promised playing time this week. Imagine his disappointment when he stood in the rain and cold for three hours waiting to play, only to hear his name called to go in with 5 SECONDS left in the game. He declined to go in. And, Coach, I couldn't blame him. It was a promise broken by the coaching staff and an insult to my son.
Go ahead and tell me I don't understand athletics! Go ahead and tell me I'm a cry baby! You can tell me what you want, it really doesn't matter. I just wish, egomaniacal coaches like yourself would realize that what you do as a coach is more than just win football games.
Signed,
Disappointed