Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
May 5, 2000, Washington Post

This weekend Montgomery Soccer Inc. (MSI) will experiment with a "Silent Saturday and Sunday." Kids can talk and even yell during the games, but parents are to be "supportive but silent."

MSI thinks parents need to learn how to behave. Adults scream too much at their kids and referees during games.

I have coached kids sports--soccer, basketball and baseball--for 10 years. I guess I've been lucky. I haven't seen a lot of "bad" parents.

The most embarrassing thing I ever saw happened a couple of years ago. One of my 10-year-old soccer players was racing down the field toward the goal. His father got so excited that he shouted above the crowd, "Come on, Pooh," using his son's family nickname.

I doubt my rough-and-tumble halfback wanted his giggling teammates to know he was called "Pooh" at home.

This Silent-Saturday-and-Sunday thing made me curious about what kids think about parents' behavior at games. I talked with my current fourth- and fifth-grade baseball team--seven girls and seven boys. I didn't want to know just about the really terrible things that parents do--I know they can go way overboard. I also gave my players a chance to talk about the little annoying things parents and grown-ups do.

They had plenty to say.

"They cheer so loud," Kenny Johnson said with a laugh. And then he called out in a high voice," 'That's my baby.' "

"They boss us around, even when we're on the bench," Jimmy Lehane said. " 'Drink your water. Put on your hat.' "

"What I hate is when you strike out and they say, 'Good job,' " Melanie Rosenberger chimed in.

"Yeah," Brooks Clarke agreed. "They read a magazine the whole game and then tell us that we played great. They weren't even watching."

There was more and this is just one team.

What do YOU think? Write KidsPost and tell us what parents and other grown-ups do at your games that drive you crazy. I'll print them in another column.

And you can show THAT column to your parents.