As a "sports parent," I readily confess to being quite frank with coaches and officials. And I ask folks here, if a "youth" coach and/or official is not accountable to kids and their parents, then, whom is he/she accountable to? The harsh reality of the "dark side" of youth sports should make clear that the answer, all too often, is nobody.
The second point I would make is that, for every over-the-top parent I have witnessed, I have seen just as many over-the-top coaches and officials. Maybe more!
And finally, many youth sports coaches and officials PRESUME they know more about PARENTING than parents know about sports and coaching. Truth is, some don't. My shaky truce with these folks is simple: Don't tell me how to parent, and I won't tell you how to coach.
Seems a fair bargain.
