Your parents aren’t your responsibility… but there may be times when you wish you had more control over their behaviour, particularly if they’re embarrassing you at matches by shouting, yelling and abusing the coach, umpire and members of the other team.  Or your team.  Or you.

It’s hard to tell your parents they’re behaving badly. They probably think that they’re doing their best for you.  They want you to do well and so they get upset when it seems as if other people are making mistakes and you’re missing out as a result.

If you get on okay with your parents, you could try talking to them about their behaviour.  It won’t be easy.  But then it’s not easy listening to them shout from the sidelines either.

If you do decide to chat to your parents about their behaviour:

• wait until after the match
• let them know that you really like them taking an interest in your sport but that sometimes you find their comments put you off
• ask them to shout out positive things to you and your team
• suggest that your parent volunteer to be a coach or an umpire because they know the rules so well. 
  

If you don’t feel that you can talk to your parents, and lots of players don’t, have a chat with your coach.  Coaches are used to talking to parents about this sort of thing.