Cases of abusive parents on the sidelines of school sports and junior football clubs is continuing to grow. 

The Western Australian Football Commission’s recently launched the Stop Umpire Abuse campaign after 80 per cent of umpires said they had recently been abused.

Associate Professor at Flinders University Dr Sam Elliot told Julie-anne Sprague on 6PR Afternoons parents need to understand how to be supportive.

“It’s quite a stressful environment for parents,” said Professor Elliot.

“Sport in itself is just another setting through which these stressors can bring about certain types of parenting involvement… parents may not always have the mechanisms to cope in those moments.”

Press PLAY below to hear how parents can support their child’s sporting journey