It's in the churches, it's in the community parks, it's in the schools, it's in the recreation centers - violence in youth sports is a problem, not just in the local communities but all over the country. The behavior of coaches, parents and grandparents is troubling. The results can be tragic, mentally and physically. Parents and coaches get so emotional over the sports that children participate in, that name calling, arguing, fighting and sometimes bodily harm ensue.
             Out-of-control adults in youth sports are a big, ugly problem. Go to a game, and you'll probably see at least one adult acting like a maniac. About 40 million kids play organized sports in the U.S. An astounding 18 million of them say they have been yelled at, insulted, or called names during practices and events. That's a big reason why 70 percent of kids who play organized sports will quit playing them by age 13 (Cosgrove & Aiani, May 2001).
             Adults often forget that youth sports are supposed to be fun. Players make mistakes, teams don't always play well, and officials make unpopular calls. But parents, adult spectators, and coaches sometimes get so angry that they yell and curse at players, officials, and one another. Worse, some adults get violent. Adults and kids have been attacked and injured at youth sports events. Last year, a father was killed.
             Although youth sports attempt to teach our children fairplay and teamwork, too many children are learning "Winning is everything." It's time to restructure youth sports to teach pro-social attitudes and values.
             In society today children often compete with one another to get into selective schools, on to teams and into school activities. Parents may feel that discouraging competitiveness will put their children at a disadvantage in life. "We want them to relax, have fun and not worry about being the best – but we also want them to have what it takes to be successful&q...