sports parents who meddle: WHAT A BLACK EYE FOR US SOCCER

People ask me all the time about “What’s the biggest ongoing issue when it comes to conflicts between sports parents and their kids’ coaches?”

The answer is an easy one – the number one complaint that parents have always focuses on their kid’s playing time.

As in, “Why doesn’t the coach give my youngster more playing time in the games? Can’t the coach see how terrific my youngster is?”

And as more and more of today’s sports parents become more and more heavily invested in their kid’s athletic career – including the devotion of time, finances, and emotions – parents become quickly frustrated if – in their opinion – their child isn’t playing enough in the games.

Problem is – of course – if every sports parent is feeling this frustration, then life can become very difficult very fast for the coach.

Now, let me ask you this: Do sports parents ever get so angry and upset as to try and make hurtful accusations at a coach in order to fight back if they feel their kid was not given enough playing time?

The US Men’s National Soccer Team decided not to renew head coach Greg Berhalter’s contract; it expired a couple of weeks ago. But then it was revealed that a couple of sports parents – Danielle Reyna and Claudio Reyna – had been so apparently so outraged that their 20-year-old son Gio had only played sparingly in the World Cup that the parents felt compelled to tell US Soccer that in 1991 – when Greg Berhalter was 18 years old – one evening he and his then girlfriend had been drinking heavily, they got into an argument, and in a moment of exasperation, Berhalter lashed out and kicked his girlfriend in her legs.

Greg Berhalter was so embarrassed and remorseful about this outburst when it happened three decades ago that he sought counseling for anger management.  But the good news is that he and his girlfriend got back together, they got married, and have had 4 kids, and still remain married today.

Fast forward to 2022. Gio Reyna is on the US Men’s team, but as noted, didn’t play a lot in the World Cup games. His parents decided to let US Soccer know about what Berhalter did 31 years ago, and sure enough, US Soccer decided not to renew his contract.

This, to me, sets an all-time low when it comes to sports parents meddling on behalf of their kid.

Why would US Soccer decide to use this as an excuse to fire Berhalter? This opens the door to every angry sports parent who wants to “get back” at their kid’s coach and get them fired. We had some important calls this morning. Listen here: The Sports Edge with Rick Wolff