PUNISHING EXCELLENCE: Mercy rule’s $200 fine in California youth football league brings protests.

Darin Kahalekulu, the assistant coach of the Oroville Eagles for the past eight years, told FoxNews.com that he agrees with the league’s enforcement of the penalties and has in the past instructed one of his players to purposely turn over the ball.

“The other coach knows what’s going on,” he said. “In the end you want the kids to learn how to be responsible.”

He said it is difficult to tell a player not to give it 100 percent, but he said it is the price to pay for an opposing player not to be demoralized.

Sometimes demoralization is necessary for people to try harder. How is it responsible to remove such a strong source of motivation?