Are parents ruining sports for their kids?

I was shocked. I have heard about ‘‘sports rage” but this was ridiculous. Apparently this is an all-too-frequent scenario at various OBGC sports events. One parent at the soccer game told me about a softball parent who, last season, disagreed with a call and charged onto the field, yelling and swearing at the shocked ref.

Apparently OBGC has a parents’ code of conduct, but Saturday’s game proved that it is not enforced. Parents at Saturday’s game were violating every single tenet of the code. They were rude to each other, disrespectful to the coaches and the refs, totally unsportsmanlike with their ‘‘cheers” and some were outright abusive to their kids during the game.

At one point the coach approached the sideline and asked the parents please calm down and be respectful of the ref. They didn’t listen and kept up their jeers and screams throughout the remainder of the game.

I can’t even tell you how sick it makes me to hear a parent verbally abuse his kid in public and have it go unchecked. Where do you draw the line? If a parent hit their kid would anyone do anything about it? I see little difference between actually striking a kid and screaming, as one dad did at his daughter on the field.

Why is the game allowed to continue when abusive screams like this are occurring throughout the game? Why is it OK for a teenage ref to be driven to tears by heckling parents?

I feel that OBGC has a responsibility to the kids and families, and therefore has an obligation to ensure that the code of conduct is followed and that there are consequences for violations. I feel that OBGC should institute — and enforce — a zero tolerance policy to parents’ poor behavior.

Sports are such a big part of kids’ lives today and I think it’s deplorable that parents are allowed to behave in a way that totally eclipses the kids and the sports themselves.

Maggie McGary, Olney