I came across this article about what makes a nightmare sports parent and what makes a great one and thought it was excellent and worth sharing. If you don’t have time to read it, here’s the executive summary:

The best thing to say after a match is: “I love watching you play.” 


The ideal sports parent… 

  • cheers for everybody on the team, not just their child
  • models appropriate behaviors (poise, support, sportsmanship, respect, positive attitude) 

Behaviors to avoid: 

  • breaking down the game and critiquing play on the drive home 
  • overemphasizing sports at the expense of sportsmanship 
  • having different goals than your child
  • treating your child differently after a loss than a win
  • undermining the coach
  • living your own athletic dream through your child



Those were just some of my takeaways. There are some great stories in the article, such as David Beckham being ejected from a youth game recently, so even if you like my summary it’s still worth the read.