We've all heard about hockey parents yelling from the stands. But now more and more parents are taking that same aggression to soccer fields.
"A lot of the parents get really involved in the game, sort of get lost in the game. They don't act like they should be, or their age -- not maturely," said player Kathleen Hoy.
"They can get really mad, start saying stuff that's not really appropriate," added player Becky Leese.
That inappropriate behaviour includes swearing, name-calling and yelling from the stands. It can also fuel aggression on the field.
"I think that should be strongly discouraged because the kids are there to learn and develop, and as parents we want to encourage the kids," one parent told CTV Ottawa.
Soccer clubs in Ottawa say the aggressive behaviour on the sidelines has to stop.
"That type of environment detracts from the fun of the game, and some of our kids will quit after a while because of that type of environment," said Bill Michalopulos, coach and president of Ottawa South United Club.
Many Ottawa soccer teams are now trying to combat the bad behaviour by putting emphasis on skill rather than score, and they're hoping that will encourage better conduct by both players and parents.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Claudia Cautillo
