Pook's Place

The Parents of Yu-Gi-Oh!
By Pook

            12.14.04  When I was at GenCon 2004, I was strolling through the Yu-Gi-Oh! section, when all of a sudden, I approached a somewhat gated-off area.  Sure, there were no bars, but the sign on the cardboard wall read something very interesting, “Parents’ Lounge”.  Now, I know that I’m not the only adult duelist and the game is usually classified as a “kid’s game”, but it didn’t really register to me just how many parents there are who help their children rise in the ranks of dueling. 

            Growing up, I participated in a lot of different activities.  When I was 6 or so, I played soccer for two years.  After learning that my head was the only part of my body I could successfully block a goal with, I moved onto baseball, where I remained for many, many years.  Aside from baseball, I played saxophone in the school band and sang in the choir.  During 6^th grade, I became interested in performing on stage, and began an amateur career in theater.  And you know what, for each and every event, my parents were there to cheer me on.  I learned that the same thing goes on for Yu-Gi-Oh! players. 

            There are parents who give up their weekends so that they may take their sons and daughters to local tournaments, or even drive them long distances for the chance to compete in larger events, such as the ones at GenCon.  Today, these parents are getting the recognition that is long overdue.  When I played sports or performed in shows, schedules were set by the organizations running the event.  But there is no Pee-Wee Dueling League or some other organization getting kids to participate in events.  The sole responsibility is on the parent to take care of everything, and I really think that is something that should be commended. 

            But, there is a selfish side to some parents’ commitments to their kids – pride.  Everyone knows the deal with the overzealous parents at sporting events, proclaiming that their child is the best and no other kid can compare.  It’s not at the point of fist-fighting (yet), but some Yu-Gi-Oh! parents really get into it.  One parent at GenCon, Gene, has five kids, ranging from 11 to 25.  He was there to cheer on one son who was playing Magic, and another son who was there for the Shonen Jump tournament.  He said that these events are “a lot of fun,” adding that games like this are more participatory, unlike some sports where kids may have to sit on the sidelines.  He liked that everyone gets to play, and even if you lose, you continue on in a round-robin style of tournament.  Gene compared these events to ones similar to chess, and that Yu-Gi-Oh! teaches good sportsmanship, as well as provide a good place for his son to meet new people. 

            Some parents also end up taking a more participatory role in Yu-Gi-Oh! as well.  Back in New Jersey at the store I would often play at, there was a father/son team who showed up every single week.  The father would stay out of the actual competition, but it was a well known fact that this man taught his son how to duel, and quite well, for that matter.  The kid was a pro, but on top of that, he could do all of the math in his head.  All of it.  Both players’ life points, additions and subtractions to stats, you name it.  I’m a college graduate and I still have difficulty without a calculator!  But the reason that this kid was so good at the math was that his father used Yu-Gi-Oh! as a way to help his son get better at math.  Brilliant.  I wish the game were around when I was 6 years old.  Maybe then I wouldn’t look like such a dork trying to remember how to do subtraction. 

            So they you go, parents.  This is my tribute to you.  You are the ones providing the car trips to stores, the cash for cards, and the never-ending sideline support that any competitor might require.  Most of the time, I talk about less-than-serious issues, but this week, I felt that it was time to pay respect to those who deserve it.  And kids, sometimes you may not agree with things your parents want you to do, but remember, without them, you’ll have to work for a living and buy your own cards…like some of us…I’m not going to mention any names…Happy dueling!