If there's one thing I'd like to encourage parents to do, it's cheer for good soccer, or at the very least, good effort--not just for winning. It doesn't hurt your child one bit after taking a shot to hear "It's ok, good shot, but the keeper made a good save! Get back in and keep shooting!" By giving due credit to the opposing team, you make your child's accomplishment much more meaningful when they succeed.
Of course you want your team to win, but please cheer for your team's efforts, not the other team's mistakes. I had my team waiting to take the field yesterday as the game prior to ours was being settled by kicks from the mark. The first shooter sent her shot wide of the goal, and a parent from the opposing team immediately started yelling and cheering with the typical "WHOOO! YEEAAAHHH! ALL-RIIIIGHT!!!" This was repeated every time an opposing player missed.
My problems with this are twofold: First, it was an unforced error by a nervous 15-year-old. The keeper did not make a save, great or otherwise...what, exactly, did your team do that you're cheering for? Unless--and this brings me to the second part of my problem--you're just cheering for the failure of someone else that happens to benefit you. I can imagine the effect that had on the players on the field--both teams. If you're cheering on your team's positive effort and great performance, you're sending a message about the value of their character and actions...if you're cheering on someone else's failure that you had nothing to do with...what message are you sending?
