
How bad is shouting and abuse from the sidelines?
From Lunchtime Live by Newstalk
April 30, 2026 · 22 min · Season 1
About this episode
The episode discusses the unacceptable behavior of shouting and abuse from parents and management at children's sports events.
How bad has our behavior become on pitch sidelines, not just in adult sports, but at children’s matches? One listener got in touch to express his shock and disgust at what he witnessed at his son’s Feile competition over the weekend. The competition, which was the focus of 14 and 15 year old players, saw management and parents hurling abuse at the young players as well as the other teams management. Is this acceptable behavior, or does more need to be done to put a stop to this? Joining Andrea to discuss is Paddy Osbourne, former Coach and Referee, Lisa O’Sullivan Shaw (@modernirishmom on Instagram), Antonio Montero, Coach and Founder of the Silent Sideline Campaign and listeners.
People in this episode
Host: Andrea
Guests: Paddy Osbourne, Lisa O’Sullivan Shaw, Antonio Montero
Topics covered
- sports behavior
- sideline abuse
- children's sports
- parental involvement
- coaching ethics
Keywords
- sidelines
- abuse
- children's matches
- sportsmanship
- coaching
- parent behavior
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