When I was 19 I coached a family friend’s 11yr old son's soccer team. I had been playing sports my entire life but I had never coached before. I didn’t really know what to expect. At our first practice I found the kids friendly, fun, and enthusiastic to improve their skills.

After practice one of the kid’s dads came up to me and said, “You can yell at my son, he needs it.” I didn’t know what to say but I knew I wouldn’t be yelling it his son or at anyone else.

As the season began I noticed that about half of the parents on either team spent most of the game complaining about their own child or other kids, yelling abuse at players on the field or screaming at the ref and coaches. At the time I didn’t know what to do about all the negativity the parents were spreading on the sidelines and on the field. I’m still not sure what I would do if I was in that situation again.

But one young guy who was being yelled at on the ice as he played hockey decided he’d had enough. He made this video for sports parents everywhere.

It makes me wonder, how would this be perceived if he was playing another sport, like basketball or soccer? What would the response be if he was older? Watch the video and let me know what you think.

*****

By tuval

tuval is imagining a world without violence. he works for the white ribbon campaign.