Summer is a wonderful time to relax in the park with family and friends, but one troubling trend has caught my attention: disruptive sports! The other day my afternoon in the park was nearly ruined by a group of people who chose to start up a Frisbee game in the middle of the crowded field. Sure enough, the Frisbee—not to mention a few kickballs that others were kicking around amidst the sunbathers and picnicking families—often landed in people’s laps, sometimes hitting them in the head. One ball even hit a young toddler, and the mother was not happy! I don’t blame her. I went from blissfully relaxing to standing at attention and keeping an eye out to avoid being hit.
I don’t begrudge anyone the right to play Frisbee or throw a ball around, but it’s best if you pick a more isolated spot off to the side, where you won’t be a nuisance to others. Not only will you avoid accidently trampling on someone, but you’ll have more room to play and enjoy your game.
I also have a bone to pick with children who insist on rough-housing, splashing bystanders and throwing balls in public pools. Usually these kids are never accompanied by their parents, despite what the rules say, and they nearly always end up hitting some poor toddler in the face with a wayward volleyball. If you have children, please chaperone them while they are at the pool (this is a basic safety rule!) and don’t let them splash sunbathers with giant cannonballs and the like. Also, if you and your pals are gearing up to play a game of beach volleyball and other people are using the pool, ask if they mind or invite them to join the game. Many people go to the pool to relax—not be an unwilling dodgeball participant.