BOONE — The top organization for boys prep sports in Iowa is urging parents and adult fans to show professionalism and respect while watching games.
According to the Iowa High School Athletic Association, over 62% of athletic directors asked in a recent national survey cited “dealing with aggressive parents and adult fans” as what they liked least about their jobs.
“Inappropriate adult behaviors at high school athletic events across the country have reached epidemic proportion,” IHSAA said in a statement.
Below are six tips IHSAA said can help facilitate a healthy and safe environmentfor watching high school sporting events:
1. Act your age
You are, after all, an adult. Act in a way that makes your family and school proud.
2. Don’t live vicariously through your children
High school sports are for them, not you. Your family’s reputation is not determined by how well your children perform on the field of play.
3. Let your children talk to the coach instead of doing it for them
High school athletes learn how to become more confident, independent and capable—but only when their parents don’t jump in and solve their problems for them.
4. Stay in your own lane
No coaching or officiating from the sidelines. Your role is to be a responsible, supportive parent, not a coach or official.
5. Remember: Participating in a high school sport is not about a college scholarship
According to the NCAA, only about 2% of all high school athletes are awarded a sports scholarship, and the average total value of that scholarship is only around $18,000.
6. Make sure your children know you love watching them play
Do not critique your child’s performance on the car ride home. Participating in high school sports is about character development, learning and having fun—not winning and losing.
“Purchasing a ticket to a high school sporting event does not give you the right to be rude, disrespectful, or verbally abusive,” IHSAA said. “Cheer loud and be proud, but please also be responsible and considerate as a spectator. The future of high school sports in Iowa is dependent on you.”
