Youth athletics can be a wonderful thing. The teamwork, skill work, and sense of accomplishment all add up to learning experiences that can be used on and off the field. For parents, football practice can mean endless hours of shuttling the kids to and from practice, packing and unpacking bags of sweaty equipment, and sitting on the sidelines getting to know your fellow sports mums. So just who are these sidelines mums you'll be spending countless hours with? We've boiled them down to 12 types. Read on to see who they are!
Source: Getty [1]
The Oblivious Mum
She's usually sitting on the sidelines reading the paper, her book, or playing on her iPad when whoosh — the ball comes out of nowhere and hits her.
The Coach's Pet
She thinks she's the assistant coach, but she really isn't. She knows the roster backward and forward, knows the plays, and paces the field like it's her job.
The Reactor
This mum is so into the game that she actually thinks she's playing it. She dodges the ball, shoots the goal, and takes some practice swings as if she were in the lineup herself.
The Chatty Kathy
She looks at the game as her social hour, gossiping about the latest goings-on at school, in the neighbourhood, and just about everywhere else. The hallmark of this mum is when her child comes over and says, "Did you see that hit?" and she automatically replies, "It was your best one yet!" though she didn't even know he was up at bat because she was so busy talking!
Source: Esquire TV [2]
The Phantom
Her moves are stealth. She drops her kid off at practice and picks her up without anyone ever seeing her.
The Bobby Knight
She takes every call seriously, so much so that you worry she might have a heart attack on the sidelines. From screaming to throwing things, the last thing you want to do is cross this mum's path in the final moments of a game.
Source: WiffleGif [3]
The Know-It-All
This mum may not have ever picked up a racket, but she knows everything there is to know about her child's favourite sport — including the field slang — even if she doesn't use the words properly!
The Braggart
At 5 years old, her son was trying out for the travel team. At 14, there were already scouts coming to see him. Not only is this mum's son the "best one on the field" (in her opinion), everyone has to know about it!
The Snack Mum
Everyone knows half the reason little kids play the game is for the snack when it's over. Thank goodness for the snack mum — she knows orange slices and energy bars are what the other mums want their kids to eat. But she also knows that the way to the kids' hearts is with doughnuts.
Source: WiffleGif [4]
The Fashion Plate
Yoga pants and jeans are usually the sideline-mum uniform, but there's always that one mum who takes it to the next level. From her beautiful scarf to her full face of makeup, she looks like she's starring in a Ralph Lauren ad rather than just cheering on her tot.
Source: MGM [5]
The Carpool Mum
She has enough booster seats for everyone on the team, and she doesn't mind the screaming, cheering, and otherwise rambunctious behaviour of a carful of wild kids after a weekend-long tournament.
The Proud Mum
Well, isn't that what we all are?
Source: Lifetime [6]