Violence involving parents and fans at youth sporting events continues to grow to alarming rates. In the last few years, the media has reported violent behavior by parents occurring at athletic events involving kids ranging from high school to tee-ball games. This new parental violence sweeping over youth sports has been labeled “sports rage” by the media. Sports rage is defined as “[a]ny physical attack upon another person such as striking, wounding, or otherwise touching in an offensive manner, or any malicious, verbal abuse or sustained harassment which threatens subsequent violence or bodily harm.” One reason violence occurs is because parents place a great deal of importance on their children’s athletic success.6 Parents push their kids to succeed at all costs in order to get highly competitive sports scholarships. Tensions are also likely to rise when parents see their children injured during a sporting event. In addition to parents, youth coaches are placing a lot of importance on winning which encourages violent play and coaching. . . .
