My son plays football for a local team and every summer we attend a series of one day tournaments where the kids play small mini games to try and work way to the final and win the tournament for their age group.

I love the fact that my son is passionate about a sport and enjoys playing and I support that by driving round the county, standing on the sidelines and giving him the thumbs up if he looks in my direction whilst on the pitch. For some parents it is a different story.

Recently at a tournament I was sitting waiting for the next match to start and I got to people watching (as you do) and I noticed an alarming amount of parents jumping, screaming both encouragement and abuse to both their own children and on some occasions at other people’s children. It’s great to have supportive parents that get into the spirit of things but I felt this was on a different level.

I felt so sorry for these kids that have not only a coach shouting at them, seven other boys/girls trying to get the football off them and to top it off have your parents screaming to do better and then a bunch of complete strangers booing you if you score. I am please to say it was not happening at every match in the tournament as the majority were great fun to watch and you could tell the teams were enjoying it – but I can’t help but think are these parents letting their side down and more importantly their kids by their behaviour!