Kids sports - do parents have to be so intense?

[LLJsmom]

I am totally freaked out!! I am at my sons u12 soccer game and the parents are so aggressive and crazy!! I'm on PS trying to tune these crazies out and trying to enjoy the game. I am so turned off by some parents criticizing other children. Seriously, I get being excited
about your kids' sports, but do they have to be so mean?? How about sportsmanship? And letting the kids enjoy the game?

 

[aviastar]

Do they HAVE to be? Nope, nope, nope. Are they? Yup, yup, yup.

My husband is a high school coach; you wouldn't believe the interactions he has with some parents.

 

[Smith1942]

Crazy parents are a major reason why I decided not to go into teaching.

 

[vc10um]

I was a soccer referee for the local league when I was in high school. These were not travel teams where you had to try out...these were the "sign your kids up so they learn teamwork and get some exercise" kind of teams divvied up by school grade.

The only person I ever had to eject from any game in 6 seasons was a 3rd grader's father.

 

[luv2sparkle]

What always surprises me is parents shouting at the refs. Do they really think that is going to do any good? It changes nothing and just makes them look like jerks. I know most of these people and they are nice off the field. They are not negative to the kids or the other team just at the refs for their calls.


My son's football team just made CIF. I am so excited. There will be a lot of shouting.

 

[KaeKae]

My girls played rec soccer for a few years. The first couple was in a 'non-competitive' league, where the coaches actually acted as refs. I never saw any issues.

That changed when we moved to a new area, and new league. I had quite an eye opener, when serving 'field duty.' I was assigned to patrol two games. 5 year old girls, who were precious. It was all laughter and applause there. But I was warned to keep my ears open for the u10 boys game. Just in case a parent (or more) decided to curse out/verbally attack a ref, I was to use my walkie talkie to alert security before the situation could escalate from there. It was over 100 degrees that day and the league was concerned the heat would make people worse than usual, Fortunately, that did not happen on my watch, but it did make me aware that some parents get crazy about the game.

I'm much more suited to being a band or orchestra parent.

 

[House Cat]

I thought soccer was going to be nice and calm with subdued parents, you know, civilized. Oh.my.goodness! was I ever wrong!!! There is this one dad that screams so loud at his son that I almost feel that I have been traumatized by the end of the game! I usually try and sit all of the way at the end of the field away from him, but it doesn't really help. Many of the parents feel the need to totally coach from the sidelines! I can't believe it! My prediction is that these kids who are being pushed like this will eventually quit. They look so stressed out.

I am just happy that my 8 year old is out there having a bit of fun! This isn't FIFA or anything!!! I'm just trying to enjoy the cuteness factor of the event!

 

[LLJsmom]

There were multiple parents shouting at a kid that wasn't even their kid!! Really?? I could not stand it so I finally said really loudly, "Sure XXX, get the ball, but no pressure!" The parents behind me realized how ridiculous they were sounding, and just laughed and chilled out a little.