Dear Obnoxious Fan,

It’s me, the girl sitting directly in front of you. Yes, I can hear you. In fact, everyone in this section can hear you. But do you know who can’t? The refs, the players, the coaches; they don’t hear a single thing. They can’t hear you, and honestly even if they could I doubt your opinion would change a thing.

I get it. You have a ton of school spirit and I admire that. I am happy that you are so passionate about the game you are watching. But please, for the love of all things basketball, stop yelling. I know the refs don’t always make the right call, but do you really have to fight every single call? You yell, “That wasn’t a foul!” when the guy basically attacked the other player. I’m sorry, but this is a game with rules. Rules that aren’t always going to favor your team. Also, the refs are human. Humans that make mistakes sometimes. Give them a break.

Believe it or not, we are actually rooting for the same team. Yes, I want us to win. As a retired player, I know a lot about the game. I also have noticed you screaming at your own team. Saying that this or that person isn’t doing anything. Would you please stop? Clearly you aren’t the coach for a reason. I bet you never even played this sport competitively. I bet you don’t know what it’s like to be that player that’s having a rough game. They know what to do. You are just here to cheer them on for your school, not to scream your opinion. Be a positive cheerleader, not the critic. The coach has his job for a reason and will do what he thinks is best for the team.

Maybe it’s because I am so used to playing on the court and not standing in the stands, but I would appreciate it if you would just watch the game. Observe it like I do, and only yell positively. It would make the game a much better experience for everyone around you.

Thanks,

Clara Jane