SEATTLE -- A coach wanting to do away with the term “midget football” says this isn't a story about political correctness. A few years ago he wouldn't have thought twice about the phrase, that was until his niece was born with dwarfism. Now this is a personal story about giving people the respect they deserve.
As summer starts winding down, football season is just starting up. The pads were on for Friday night practice for the youngest player to those on the varsity squad.
Football is a sport steeped in tradition and as long as youth football has been around so has the midget division.
One local coach known only as craig fired up the airwaves on NewsTalk 97-3 KIRO fm - by non descript players calling on local leagues to abondon using what he calls the m-word... to describe those players sandwiched between the 89ers and pee wees.
“If we just fill in the term midget, we are teaching our kids is that -- that is an acceptable word and that’s something we can use and we are just reinforcing that and as a society that is not where we want to be going towards,” said Craig.
He says his league now uses the terms rookies and cubs for its youngest and smallest players. He thinks others should follow the lead.
Parents keeping an eye on practice were worried more about how their sons are playing the game, not what the divisions are called.
“I can see people taking offense to it, but you can take offense to many words,” said one parent.
Words can carry a lot of meaning, sometimes it is the wrong one. Little People of America represents those of short stature and considers the "m" word akin to a racial slur.
One football parent wonders maybe it is time to have a conversation about the "m" word.
“I can see why they would want to change it. It is a word that’s kind of outdated and offensive to some people. I don't think there is anything wrong with changing it.”
Lyn Higginbotham, President of the Northwest Junior Football League’s Burien Bearcats clarified the league's use of the word.
“The use of midget in our league refers to an age bracket not the size of the person."
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