I’ll be the first one to admit that when either of my boys step onto a football field I want them to win. They worked hard all week, tried their best and had a fun learning experience, which are all great aspects of youth sports. But working hard all week, your objective is to come out with a win and as a parent, it’s extra fun to see your child win.

Having said that, it’s important for parents to let the competition stay on the field and out of the stands. It’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of a game, but while a parent’s job is to cheer for their child’s team, rooting too hard against opponents can get messy. 

RELATED CONTENT: Good Athletes Have More Than Talent, They Have Character

Regardless of the level of youth football we’re talking about, the main objective for kids when they step onto the field is to try to win. Even for the youngest athletes, when the core objectives are learning fundamentals and having fun, it’s still pretty cool to win. Youth football players, by nature, should be competitive.

Parents should always be there for love, support and cheering, but a rule of thumb for sports parents is to keep their sense of competitiveness to themselves at games. 

We would all love to see our kids play every snap of every game on both sides of the ball, but that’s just not realistic. If your child is taken out of a game, it’s not a license to go on a rant in the stands about playing time. Parents needs to keep their emotions in check and should wait until after the game to talk to the coach, if necessary. 

RELATED CONTENT: Parents Should Steer Away from Criticizing other Players

I’ve seen parents yell at coaches and officials, make fun of other children’s abilities, steer their own kids away from being friends with “less talented” players — the list goes on and on. Parents, what are we doing here?  

Let’s enjoy the fact that our children are playing a game they love and they’re giving it all on the field. They’re learning how to play the game, how to win and how to channel their competitive side. What we need to do is support our children, volunteer to help the program and promote, grow and improve the overall youth football experience. 

Peter is a sports anchor for the CBS Sports Radio Network, FOX News Headlines 24/7 and WCBS 880 Radio in New York.  His son Bradley plays middle school football on Long Island and is a participant in the U.S. National Team program while his younger son Jared plays flag football.   Peter, his wife Sheryl and the boys are busy cheering on the New York Jets when they’re not at a youth football field.