The former NFL wide receiver has warned that abusive and overbearing parents are putting coaches off youth sport, amid growing concerns over cost, pressure and mental health.
Torrey Smith has turned his attention from the NFL to youth sports, and what he sees most clearly is not a problem with the children but with the adults around them. The former wide receiver, who won two Super Bowls and played in the league from 2011 to 2018 after starring at Maryland, said in a post on X on Sunday that parents are “completely ruining youth sports in so many ways”. He added that he could understand why decent people decide to step away.
Smith’s comments tap into a wider concern that many youth coaches say is all too familiar. According to a 2025 survey by the U.S. Centre for SafeSport, 46% of coaches said they had experienced verbal harassment or abuse while coaching, and more than half of those who reported mistreatment said parents were usually the source. Even so, the same survey found that 92% of coaches felt the experience had had a positive effect on their lives.
The strain around youth sport is not limited to touchlines and scoreboards. In Ohio, Cleveland.com has reported on abusive behaviour directed at referees and on how hostile parents are contributing to a shortage of officials for youth matches. Elsewhere, parents have voiced frustration over the growing cost of participation, including hefty entry fees for youth tournaments, which adds another layer of pressure to already intense family commitments.
There are also signs that the emotional stakes can become dangerously high. Recent reporting has highlighted fears about the mental health toll of competitive youth sport, after the deaths of two young rugby players in Australia prompted calls for better support and a reassessment of the pressure placed on children. Taken together, the concerns point to a broader question that Smith’s remarks have reignited: whether adults are helping children enjoy sport, or turning it into something far harder than it needs to be.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
