4 Types of Parents At Texas Youth Sports Games

I have 3 sons which means most of my year is spent attending sports they play ranging from football to soccer. Having done this for well over a decade, I've encountered a lot of really great parents who just want to watch their kids compete and then there's what I like to call "THAT Parent".

Video Courtesy of WPDE

You see them at all the games, they're over-the-top and at times out of control. A simple YouTube search of "Parents behaving badly at youth sports" will yield an unbelievable amount of videos showcasing this insanity. I've personally witnessed this kind of behavior myself a lot more than I care to see, so in the interest of making sure you aren't THAT PARENT, I will describe the types of parents that appear at these games and if you fall into any of these categories, please make some changes.

1
"The Bleacher Coach"
I've been described as this particular person and I'll admit that I'm guilty. I've coached a soccer team a few years back and in subsequent seasons after my coaching run, I would YELL at players from the stands to execute plays. "The Bleacher Coach" takes it a step further and comes to the bench to give "one on one" coaching to their child basically ignoring whatever the REAL coach has instructed their players to do. Why am I asking you to not be THIS PARENT? Because you're teaching your child to ignore the "team" and only worry about the "individual" and no one wants a team mate like that.
2
"My Kid Is A Star, Why Ain't He Playing"
At every game, there's always ONE that believes that their financial future will hinge on how their kid performs in MIDDLE SCHOOL. Look, pro scouts aren't at your kids games looking to sign them so relax. Besides, there's a reason your kid's not playing, have you given some consideration to the fact that MAYBE your kid's not as good as you believe?
Getty Images
Getty Images
3
"The Refs Are Wrong"
Human error happens, most referees are just trying to keep the game under control and they WILL MAKE MISTAKES. Remember that most of these folks are VOLUNTEERS or the league or district is paying them a very small amount of money and trust me, they don't get paid ENOUGH to take your screaming and yelling at them for their mistakes. Nothing wrong with a "Come on Ref!" or a small critique of their work but I've seen parents run onto fields, get physical and in some cases, law enforcement has been forced to intervene. Just a friendly reminder that Texas State Law dictates that assaulting a official is a Class B misdemeanor which if convicted, carries up to 180 days in prison, up to $2,000 fine, or both. Don't be THAT PARENT and get hauled off in handcuffs because of a "kid's game".
Getty Images
Getty Images
4
"The Incentive Parent"
This parent promises their child "gifts" strictly based on how they perform on the field which is crazy in itself. If you feel you need to do this in order to have your child perform, then why have them play in the first place? Youth sports are designed to help your child learn important life lessons like teamwork, discipline and self-esteem and how can you teach them ANY of this when you're promising them a new "XBox" if they "take the quarterback out"?

Filed Under: fights, Parents behaving badly, Texas, Youth Sports

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