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T O P I C     R E V I E W ginger We, as adults, need to remember that all pee wee sports (soccer, tball, flag football, tackle football) are for the kids. The adults are getting out of hand. Let's try to make the games enjoyable for the children. goallen Here, here. I've coached and/or simply observed youth athletics at a variety of different levels. Notwithstanding what you will hear from some, the kids just want to have fun. Generally speaking, when the parents get involved, things run aschew. The primary objectives of extracurricular activities ought to be to have fun, socialize, develop skills, and offer team building and teamwork opportunities. I'm constantly amazed at the pressure applied to young children to compete. This is simply nothing more than the parents pushing an agenda. The reality is that a very small percentage of kids earn athletic scholarships (much less than 1%). Of those, a miniscule percentage are full scholarships. Therefore, what price is being paid, and by whom? (Note: that's a rhetorical question) Encourage your children, work with your children, support your children...but let them be children. ginger Very well said! Thank you. Maurice When I was playing "mighty-mite" football many years back I remember very vividly a situation where parents and an opposing coach got out of hand and my coach went off on him reminding him: "this is for the kids, we're here to teach them the sport of football and more importantly, sportsmanship." He got a standing ovation from our parents and the other coach looked like a buffoon. lol I got out of being involved in coaching and refereeing ice hockey several years ago because the parents were getting WAY out of hand. I knew it was time to leave when during our ref seminar we were given a little class on "what to do when you're assaulted". This was prompted on the ref admins because of a couple of assaults on referee's the year before, I knew then it was time to hang up the skates and get out of the sport altogether. The sad part is the parents with the biggest mouths usually tend to be the ones who never even played the game. It's for your children, let THEM play and learn the sport and learn to enjoy it THEMSELVES. Winning is not important until you get to the appropriate ages of intense competition, when the children are young just let them have fun. I loved reffing the Mite C's when I had the chance, they were the cutest little things out there. The ones where their jersey's were just about dragging on the ice and their skates looked like something you hang from your rearview mirror because they're so small. lol It took them forever to get up and down the ice but ya know what, they had FUN and (at this one teams rink) they had dunkin munchkins and juice for BOTH teams after the game, made it a really nice family outing. Even the refs got juice! boredgirl75002 Well, I have seen it all. 3rd grade girls playing basketball being hackled by opposing team PARENTS from the stands coming off the floor crying! This beats all for me. I love coaching my little ones and enforce good sportsmanship. What does it tell them when the other PARENTS are being the bad sports! IT'S 3RD GRADE BASKETBALL!! It feels like the NBA finals most of the time during our games. Seems everyone is out for blood. It's a wonder kids even want to play anymore. My wish is all spectators really evaluate how they are acting and realize IT'S 3RD GRADE BASKETBALL!! allensince1979 boredgirl, Please don't give up. Hang in there for the kids. These parents are the ones who never bother to do anything themselves but complain. Probably the same miserable people that come on this board and attack other people and call them names when they don't agree with their post. Thanks for what you do for the kids. AR3years Try videotaping the CROWD during the game. This works in basketball, baseball, and soccer at least. Either the immature, out of control parents see you taping and behave themselves, or you have some good material to show at league meetings as an example. Another thing that will put bad fans in there place is have one of the kids from really either team politely ask the culpret to "please remember that we are just kids and out here to have fun". This is much more effective than a referee, other parent, or even coach addressing the problem and can really make the bad fan feel small. Have some fun with it!