I get calls all the time from parents complaining about one thing or another. That’s just part of the job. I know I’ve spelled some names incorrectly and typed countless stats wrong in my years at The Mirror. I assure you it’s not on purpose and there is no ill will intended. It’s flat-out my fault, and I have no excuses for my mistakes.

But there are plenty of times where parents just don’t get it, and those are the ones that drive good coaches out of coaching. They are parents who have blinders on, only watching their son or daughter on the field and not looking at the entire team.

These parents call me because the newspaper isn’t giving their child enough “ink” and, therefore, their kid isn’t going to get a college scholarship because of that. It’s a call that is so far off base, there’s no way to even respond. As I’ve said many times: If your kid is good enough, they will play in college. It doesn’t matter what select team they are on or how many newspaper articles have been written about them.

It’s worthless to disagree with these parents when they call me. I’ve learned they have an answer for everything and it’s way easier to just let them vent and not say much, if anything.

But there is the rare call where I actually have some empathy for the mom or dad and their situation. These calls usually center on “select” teams and promises some of these “so-called” coaches are making to kids. I got one of these calls recently about a program in Federal Way.

I’ll offer another piece of advice to take to the bank: If a coach of a “select” team promises a college scholarship, run away. These are coaches that have no clue and are looking to fill their roster and make money.

Youth coaches are critical to kids’ sports experiences. They can influence whether young athletes enjoy sports and want to continue playing. Some coaches can get kids excited about sports, while other coaches may discourage kids or take the fun out of sports. A good coach can keep kids’ interest in sports alive.

To put it simply, these bad coaches are abusing their power. Coaches and teachers are supposed to be just like your mom and dad. They are supposed to be people that you can trust and people that have your best interests at heart.

More and more, that isn’t happening. Aside from coaches promising college scholarships to 10-year-olds, all you have to do is look at two stories that broke earlier this week.

The first involved allegations by a student at Todd Beamer High School regarding an ongoing sexual affair a 33-year-old male teacher allegedly had with one of his female students.

According to Federal Way police, the relationship began when the girl was 15. The girl provided physical evidence of the relationship, said a police spokeswoman, who declined to give further details. A statement of probable cause reports there were four incidents of sexual intercourse, with the last incident allegedly occurring Feb 4, 2012.

The second story was the sentencing of former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted on 45 counts of child sexual abuse in June. The 68-year-old Sundusky will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.

In short, please don’t believe all the promises you hear from some coaches around town. Just let your kids enjoy the life lessons and fun that come with playing organized sports.