Punt, Pass & Kick

The City of Ridgeland hosted the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick competition this past weekend.   Big Guy had participated in this through his school when in grades 3-5 so Little Guy wanted the opportunity to do this as well.

I had big expectations for this event since the PP&K competitions at Big Guy's schools were always so well organized and planned.     However, I was a little disappointed.     I have to say I was also a little surprised because this is not the norm for the City of Ridgeland and especially not for our Parks and Rec.   However, using a really bad pun, they really dropped the ball on this event.

Little Guy before the PP&K competition.     All the advertisement said that the event started at 9:00.   That meant Little Guy wanted to be there at 8:45.    When we got there no one else was there.     When they did show up they said that the event didn't start until 10:00.   Registration started at 9:00.      Hmmmm....

A friend showed up to be in the competition as well.     I was glad to see a familiar face for both myself and for Little Guy.    There were a group of kids who walked up to the park who were from out of town.   They had no adults with them and they asked if they could be a part of the competition.      Obviously that was the director's call.    I didn't have a problem with it.   What I did have a problem with was when that group of kids started "practicing".    They weren't practicing.   They were bullying all the other kids who were actually trying to practice.     Intead of the event staff watching over and managing the event they were absent.     Some of those kids stole items that weren't there.    They event went so far as to try to steal my son's football and football tee from me at my feet.   They literally walked up to my chair, picked it up and tried to walk off.    They said, "This is ours."     I told them it wasn't and the other adult standing beside me said it was my son's.     They went crazy and accused us of stealing their ball.      Again, where was the event staff?   Nowhere.

 

 

 

My friend's son won first place in his age division, but as my friend kept telling the event staff, they had put him in the wrong age division.   Ultimately what that meant was that he was disqualified from competing in the next level.

The NFL PP&K is a great event.     I especially loved when I watched Big Guy's coaches use it as part of the P.E. curriculum at school.     However, I hope that the City of Ridgeland will take this one small event and improve their implementation next year.      Some small changes could make a BIG difference!