I hope she felt like a real idiot.

While my sons are 25 (yes, sons…twins) I’m past dealing with much of this but I remember it well. Gratefully, they were blessed with some really good coaches during their time playing soccer, basketball, baseball, etc. who kept the team (and parents) in check.

It wasn’t until they started playing semi-pro/pro paintball a few years back that I saw the fangs come out. As I sat back and watched, it was obvious that it was a trickle-down theory…what the coach tolerated, the players (and parents) acted out.

The icing on the cake was when an opposing player came off after losing and started screaming at my mother and I…joined in by friends/family of the player…accusing my mother of “shadowing” which gave our team an unfair advantage. I let her rant and rave and when she had finally run out of steam, quietly informed her (and her coach and the small crowd that had gathered) that my mother had Alzheimers and not only didn’t know what the game was about but didn’t know where she was or, quite possibly, who her grandsons were.

I would have loved to have captured that moment on video…just to see her and her coach rendered speechless.

It’s amazing how some parents act like total freaks and revert back to grade school behavior on the sidelines. I’ve heard parents swearing at a coach because he didn’t play their kid on first string.

What’s equally heartening, though, are the many parents who are involved in and really enjoying watching their kids try different sports and have FUN, supporting and encouraging them.