Is shouting at youth sports acceptable?
Some parents on the sidelines can get very carried away.
Across the UK, hundreds of thousands of boys and girls take part in sporting events at school and for sports clubs. In recent years, there have been more cases of parents becoming emotional and aggressive as they support their children from the sidelines. As well as shouting and arguing, there have been reports of bad language, rude gestures and threatening behaviour – towards the referee, the opposing team and other parents. Some people shout instructions to their children. Many sports clubs and schools hand out rules on how to behave – and some have banned parents from coming to events at all. Some parents say they are just supporting their children and trying to help them. What do you think? Is it ok to shout at youth matches?
Yes – sport should be noisy and passionate
You can’t tell parents not to cheer when their child is competing – they are proud of their children and want to encourage and support them. Besides, shouting encouragement motivates all the players to try their best. Sport is, after all, about competing. A lot of adult sports – amateur and professional – are noisy and raucous and it is important that young people get used to it. Sport is about passion, and shouting for your team or an athlete is a part of the experience and helps create an exciting atmosphere. Most parents are sensible and respectful, even if they do shout. Why should a few badly behaved people ruin it for everyone else? It is the aggressive parents who should be banned – not shouting.
No – shouting makes things stressful
The focus of junior sport should be fun – not just winning. Shouting puts too much pressure on young players. It could make them anxious and afraid to lose. It could even put them off sport. When people get aggressive it can be scary and creates a bad atmosphere for everyone. It can also be hard for the referee or teacher to control, which is unfair. Players need to focus on the sport and make their own decisions without being distracted by yelling from the sidelines. It can also be embarrassing. Clapping is a positive, supportive way to show support. Sport is also about good sportsmanship and respecting everyone involved – parents should set a good example and control their emotions.