Sad trend in sports section

  I noted a sad trend in The Sun. The sports section has been our betting guide to sports for quite awhile. Betting off track, etc., is not legal in most of Arizona but this said, I don't mind the odds/pick 'em part of the section in regard to professional sports. What I do mind is seeing our local high school teams listed under the "Friday Pick 'Em."

  First off, it is offensive to me to see our local youths set up as possible betting options. OK, I can see local folks individually betting amongst themselves. But to list who you think is the favorite is not right and sends a bad message.

  When did we make it a norm to support betting on or making odds on youth games? When did you guys start thinking this was OK? Are you all bored? Obviously. You don't do much writing since most of the sports worth reading is taken off the wires. There are four pages (and four writers) dedicated to sports in The Sun and 25 percent is taken up by ads, 25 percent is dedicated to a downloaded "Stats and Facts" and the rest is about 50/50 local and off the wire news. And that is on a Friday. During the week there is mostly ads and AP reports.

  Secondly, how demoralizing can it be to see emblazoned in large print that your school is chosen to lose this week by the sports editor and writers? I have heard in the stands at local games that the "local team" stinks and is going to lose because The Sun said so. This is a time to support and nurture the sports, maturity and growth of the youths in our town. Instead you dis them.

  Continue to write about the great strides the locals are making against some pretty big opponents, the improvements the individuals and teams are showing and maybe what the teams are doing for the community. Support the local teams. They are your business.

  This is not Phoenix and you are not great sportswriters for some big paper. If you want to set up odds and see how great prognosticators you are among yourselves, that is well and good. Just do it in your office. Don't try to blow up your egos by using the youths of our community. What next, line odds on the YBBL games, the Youth Soccer League or the Pop Warner football? Pick 'Em for Woodard and Fourth Avenue sports?

STEVE CHAMPION, Yuma