Brrrrrrrrrrrr!

It felt like Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers.

Wasn’t that Brett Favre warming up on the sidelines?

Ice crystals were forming in water puddles and there was a lightcoating of frost on the field Tuesday night . This was Brookhaven’sKing Field, right here in southwestern Mississippi, not theCanadian tundra.

On the field, young men and women cavorted in soccer shorts andshirts. Some of them wisely wore insulated garments beneath theiruniforms. Others wore knit caps to protect those young heads.

Brookhaven’s last home game of the year attracted a small crowdof devoted parents and friends. Most of them huddled in the standsunder blankets, wrapped from head to foot in layers of clothing. Alight breeze was blowing, plunging the chill factor well below 32degrees.

“Why can’t they play high school soccer at another timeof the year?”

That question went through my mind and the minds of severalother individuals whose bodies shivered from the freezing cold.”I’ve played soccer in worse weather,” said one veteran player.This was a girl who recalled a cold, rainy night at Terry.

Personally, I considered myself well-dressed for the frostyoccasion. Two pairs of socks, insulated underwear, a knitturtleneck beneath a wool shirt, along with a wool cap and a heavycoat.

Despite wearing lined, leather gloves, my fingers began to feelthe effects of the numbing cold first. The digits were aching. Itbecame difficult to hold a pen and write legibly on my note pad.Would the ink freeze on the next line?

Gosh!

Was this really Mississippi?

The weather felt like I had just walked into the Blue Belle icecream storage plant. No wonder the South lost the Civil War. TheConfederate soldiers didn’t have enough warm clothes to survive thewinter.

Unfortunately, November through February is designated as soccerseason by the Mississippi High School Activities Association. Dueto conflicts with other sports, the only alternative would be toconduct the season during the summer months.

That would be tough, too. Can you run nearly non-stop for 80minutes in 95-degree heat, complete with 100 percent humidity,sending rivers of sweat down to your toes?

Obviously, soccer folks are hearty folks.

We admire their zeal and the love of a sport which isn’tunderstood by most Americans. However, interest is growing.

Speaking of interest, we would like to see cheerleaders and asmall pep band present, at least at home games. These athletesdeserve that kind of support.

Speaking of support, there is a crushing need for more soccerofficials or referees, which ever you prefer calling them. Theyhave been called a lot worse.

Clyde Sbravati, soccer assignment secretary for SouthwestMississippi, shared some of his feelings on the subject ofofficials. Yes, there is a critical shortage. Yes, some of themaren’t familiar with the latest MHSAA rule changes.

From past experiences, we can honestly say that some of thesoccer fans are the most outspoken and critical we haveencountered. A loud or shrill voice can carry across a soccer fieldwhen 50 or less folks are in attendance.

By comparison, you can be at at football game with 1,000 or morein the stands and one person can’t be heard above the roar. Theycan scream obscenities, question the parentage of the officials andcoaches. But it falls on deaf ears most of the time, mainly becauseof crowd noise and the school bands who play their instruments withgusto.

Sbravati says his pool of 22 soccer officials has dwindled to12. The younger officials have been intimidated by some of thesecrazy moms and dads. They gave it up.

“I’ll see you in the parking lot after the game?” roared a250-pound parent. And that was the mother. Pop was even bigger anduglier.

The officials’ fee of $25 for an 80-minute soccer match doesn’tpay the rent, much less heal the wounds of verbal abuse. Thosederogatory adjectives can be sharper than a sword.

Ah, yes. Then comes that favorite word, Sportsmanship.

Yes, there is a frightening lack of it, especially inprofessional sports. That’s where the young athletes look whenseeking an example to follow. Behavior of those NFL, NBA and MajorLeague Baseball and Soccer players, both on and off the field, havea powerful effect on the younger generation.

Obviously, prep sports are supposed to be a fun experience. Itbegins with team sports in junior high and earlier. Participationand fair play are preached by the coaches.

Apparently, many parents are struck deaf by their desire to seeJunior make a name for himself on the athletic field. They willscream bloody murder at the opponent. Those evil forces on theopposing sideline are not human.

Fans seated on the either side of the field often forget aboutthe priorities of fair play. The refs are really human and so arethe players. They all make mistakes.