I have 2 kids who have played at the House of Sports and coach their teams over there. This year we are wrapping up our 2nd season, which will most likely my family's last. Quite honestly, I can't tell you how many uncomfortable and tense situations I have encountered at this very facility. It is awful.
Barkley was certainly wrong but he is by no means the only problem at this place. Heck I'm sure the parent who was slugged was out of line as I have witnessed poor behavior from the parents too. No doubt there were complaints to the refs as someone thought a call should have gone the other way. Ironic as pretty much every play at the youth level (did you see how young those kids are in the video?) could be stopped every 3rd second. The level of play is far from polished, yet parents and coaches whine all game long.
Their slogan is "We Create Champions," yet all they seem to have is an uber-expensive facility (4 ridiculous basketball courts, insane indoor lax/soccer field, etc.) and a belief that they
and only they know what's best for youth sports. Early on one of their senior reps even said they believe they can put other facilities out of business, including the CYO basketball establishment down here! A couple of their coaches apparently have playing ties to SU & other strong programs (I have learned that successful players don't necessarily translate to great coaches, but they do). Not even 2 years old yet they've figured it all out. Amazing.
I am sure there are other similar facilities around the country that do nothing to curb this sick and twisted culture that has grown in sports, in particular with the sport of basketball. Until varsity, the score really means little. A 3 point win or a 4 point loss are basically the same thing from a competitive stand point, and there are lessons in both outcomes. Parents, coaches, etc. should literally shut up and focus solely on the players' development.