| Pennsylvania:A parent body slammed a high school | | | | levied on the opposing player, the parent confronts |
| referee after he ordered the man's wife out of the | | | | the referee and shoves him to the ground. |
| gym for allegedly yelling obscenities during a | | | | After the school had to forfeit the game, the parent |
| basketball game. | | | | was later banned from attending all extracurricular |
| The referee was treated at a hospital for a | | | | activities involving the school for at least one year |
| concussion and released after the attack. Charged | | | | and possibly through his son's graduation. |
| with simple assault, assault on a sports official, | | | | WHAT CAUSES PARENTS TO LOSE CONTROL? |
| reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct was a | | | | According to sports psychologist Darrell Burnett, |
| 47 year old father. | | | | Ph.D., often such parents are reliving unrealized |
| Kentucky: A father of a T-ball player was briefly | | | | dreams through their children. They somehow get |
| jailed after an outburst against an umpire during a | | | | caught up in the win-at-all cost frenzy. |
| game involving 5 and 6 year-olds. | | | | The core problem comes from parents being too |
| The accused threatened to beat the umpire | | | | invested, emotionally and financially, in their children's |
| moments before walking onto the field and starting a | | | | games. They sometimes have misplaced self esteem. |
| fight with an official,according to the criminal | | | | Another factor, according to Dr. Burnett, is a general |
| complaint. A girl who was playing in the game | | | | attitude in our society encouraging us to retaliate |
| suffered a minor injury when she was struck in the | | | | when frustrated rather than using negotiation skills: |
| face during the scuffle. | | | | "somebody pushes their buttons and away they go." |
| Every day in America and around the world,sports | | | | CAN THESE PARENTS CHANGE? |
| officials are physically and verbally harassed. Most | | | | Yes, if they desire it. Learning to manage sports |
| incidents do not require police or medical assistance, | | | | anger is a process of applying two of the eight core |
| but in some cases, the harassment turns violent. | | | | tools of anger control: (1) Adjust expectations of |
| The fact that such behavior occurs at sporting | | | | performance to realistic levels and (2) communicate |
| events involving youth participants is appalling in itself, | | | | displeasure you may have with assertive |
| but the frequency in which these reports now occur | | | | communication skills. |
| is even more disturbing. | | | | SPECIFIC TIPS FOR SPORTS PARENTS |
| NASO (National Association of Sports Officials) | | | | Keep a moderate level of intensity; not completely |
| receives more than 100 reports annually that involve | | | | detached, but not overly aggressive. |
| physical contact between coaches, players, fans and | | | | Adjust your expectations to a realistic level by |
| officials. The nearly 18,000 member organization is | | | | putting the sporting event into proper perspective. |
| not the "clearinghouse for bad behavior," says NASO | | | | Other tips include: |
| President Barry Mano, but it is the belief by NASO | | | | *Don't yell at the coach or child. If you have an issue, |
| that the reports it receives is only the "tip of the | | | | discuss it assertively at the appropriate time. |
| iceberg." | | | | *Don't try to coach from the sidelines. Again, if you |
| Loss of control by parents has long-term negative | | | | have an issue with the coach, your child, or other |
| effects on the lives of the children, the school, and | | | | children, discuss it privately. |
| the parents themselves, as the following story | | | | *Stay interested, supportive and positive. |
| illustrates: | | | | *Praise the effort and the progress as achievement, |
| Florida:A Parent enters the soccer field to check on | | | | not just the outcome. |
| his son, who has been injured in a skirmish for the | | | | *Model good sportsmanship. |
| ball. Angry that a more severe penalty had not been | | | | |