Beer in the Bleachers: The Boozy Debate at Youth Sports Events
“Is that coffee… or jack and coke?”
It’s 9:06 a.m. on a Saturday, and you’re shivering in the stands of a freezing cold ice rink in the middle of somewhere you’d rather not be. Your kid’s team is down 4-0, the refs are apparently using echolocation to make calls, and the team manager just reminded you the next game is in six hours but across town. You look over and see a parent casually sip from their thermos, and suddenly you wonder: What’s in there?
Spoiler: It’s probably not just coffee.
Welcome to one of the most quietly controversial topics in youth sports—alcohol in the stands. Yes this is going to be uncomfortable, yes you may agree or disagree, but if it goes unsaid then its value diminishes.
It’s a subject no one really wants to talk about, but almost everyone has seen. From a discreet White Claw at a travel tournament tailgate to a couple of “road sodas” between back-to-back games, booze and youth sports are often teammates—whether we want to admit it or not.
But should they be?
Let’s dive in, headfirst and helmet on, to the frosty, foam-filled culture clash between parenting, hockey, and alcohol.
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🍺 Chapter 1: Why Parents Drink at Youth Sports
Let’s start with the obvious question: Why are parents drinking at youth sporting events in the first place?
1. Stress and Emotional Investment
Youth sports can be intense—not just for the players, but for the parents watching. You’re emotionally attached. Financially committed. Spiritually exhausted. And after you’ve spent thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours in a rink, and maybe watched your child sit on the bench for 45 minutes straight, your nerves start to fray.
A glass of wine or a beer can feel like a way to unwind, even in the middle of it.
As psychologist and sports parenting researcher Dr. Travis Dorsch notes:
“Parents often internalize their child’s performance, and the stress of competition can manifest in ways that aren’t always healthy.”[^1]
Alcohol becomes a coping mechanism.
2. Social Culture and Tailgating Traditions
Let’s be honest—some youth sports events feel like mini-festivals. Especially weekend long tournaments. Hotels are packed. Coolers are loaded. Parents are mingling between games, bonding in parking lots, hotel lobbies, and lobbies of questionable legality.
And what brings people together faster than shared misery and a cold one?
This culture isn’t new. In fact, in some parts of North America, tailgating is seen as part of the experience. But when the line between “fun socializing” and “visible intoxication at a kid’s game” gets blurry, so do the consequences.
3. Normalization of Booze in Everyday Life
We live in a culture where “wine mom” memes, craft beer trends, and “it’s 5 o’clock somewhere” jokes dominate social media. The line between leisure drinking and dependency can be subtle—and slippery.
And when that normalization seeps into the youth sports environment, it’s easy to forget what we’re modeling. It’s a scary thing to hear a 10 year old talking about how the boys should grab beers after the game… You read that right. Those comments in a locker room happen more often than you think.
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🚨 Chapter 2: What’s the Harm, Really?
“Okay,” some might argue, “but what’s the big deal? I’m not hurting anyone. I’m just trying to make the second period of a squirt game slightly more bearable.”
Well…
1. Role Modeling: What Kids See, They Internalize
Youth sports aren’t just about goals and assists—they’re about life lessons. Respect. Teamwork. Dealing with adversity. And yes, how to manage emotions.
When kids see parents drinking from Yeti cups or laughing loudly with a cooler nearby, they pick up cues—even if they don’t consciously understand them yet. Fastest way to get your child to say a bad word is to model it for them. Goes the same for alcohol.
A longitudinal study from the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that children exposed to parental drinking in social settings were twice as likely to engage in early alcohol use by the time they reached adolescence[^2].
And let’s not forget: Many kids are already grappling with peer pressure and identity. When their sports role models (a.k.a. us) rely on booze to “have fun” or “calm down,” it sets a baseline for what’s normal.
2. Aggression and Sideline Behavior
Nothing says “mature adult” like yelling at a teenage referee, right?
A study published in the Journal of Sport Behavior showed that alcohol presence at youth sports events correlated with increased sideline aggression, hostility, and verbal abuse toward officials and opposing teams[^3].
Have you ever been to a pro game before? Sound familiar?
We all know “that parent”—the one whose passion crosses the line. Often, those outbursts aren’t fueled by the game, but by whatever’s in their hydro flask.
Worse, this kind of behavior can escalate into physical altercations. In 2023, a brawl at a youth baseball tournament in Missouri involved five parents, two of whom admitted to drinking “heavily” throughout the day[^4].
Referees are quitting in record numbers across youth sports—and sideline abuse is one of the top reasons. Is alcohol helping or hurting that?
3. Legal Risks and Liability
Here’s a fun fact: Many venues ban alcohol for insurance reasons.
If something goes wrong—like an accident in the stands, a fight, or a DUI leaving the facility—the organizers and even individual parents could face lawsuits.
A 2022 youth soccer tournament in Ontario made headlines after police charged multiple parents for bringing open alcohol to a public field, violating provincial liquor laws[^5]. Not only were they ejected, but the league was fined and had to implement a new “zero-tolerance” policy.
The takeaway: Drinking at youth games isn’t just bad optics—it can be illegal, with real consequences. It also is considered child endangerment just putting your child in a vehicle with you after a few drinks, not just a DUI.
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🧠 Chapter 3: What the Experts Say
Let’s check in with some of the experts and organizations who have studied this intersection of parenting, alcohol, and sports.
National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS)
NAYS has issued multiple guidelines advising zero alcohol consumption at youth sporting events, noting the influence of adult behavior on child development:
“Children emulate adult behavior, especially in emotionally charged environments like sports. The presence of alcohol undermines the core values we strive to teach.”[^6]
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
In a 2019 position statement, the AAP emphasized that exposure to adult drinking—especially in family or youth-centered environments—can accelerate risk-taking behavior in children, including early substance use and reduced impulse control[^7].
The NCAA and High School Athletic Associations
While focused on older youth, these organizations also mandate alcohol-free zones in all student-athletic facilities and events, citing not just safety, but competitive integrity and community responsibility.
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🧊 Chapter 4: Real Stories from the Rink
Let’s bring it back to reality—because while research matters, sometimes it’s the real stories that hit hardest.
The “Vodka Coffee” Dad
At a 10U tournament in Pennsylvania, a few moms noticed a fellow dad sipping constantly from a metal tumbler. Every time his kid made a mistake, he’d mutter louder. By the third period, he was standing up, shouting at the coach—and slurring his words. Eventually, the referee had to kick him out of the stands. The kids? Mortified.
Tailgate turned Into Instigate
A bunch of parents hung out in between tournament games have a few libations. When the next game began for their team an entire group of parents became enraged at a few bad calls. The coaches and the refs had to step in to try and shut it down. Ultimately they made fools of themselves and their children were embarrassed like they have never been before.
The Post Stressful Games Guy
This one was me… coaching my son’s squirt team through a stressful tournament or game was all the excuse I needed to unwind with a few solid glasses of Don Julio. After all the madness was over I used alcohol as a coping mechanism and frustration numbing agent, instead of confronting my fears of failure. Fear is a bitch and it causes hate, anger, shame spirals and depression. It was so much simpler to knock a few back after a terrible game than it was to look inward and tell myself, “It’s OK to screw up.” “You did everything you could, and you left it all on the ice with those kids.” “You did a great job no matter the outcome, and your son and teammates still believe in you.” Once I stepped away entirely from alcohol I saw the game, my son, the parents, the other kids and the other coaches in a whole new light. Nothing hazy, just real. That was my choice to make, it’s not for everyone.
Stories like these aren’t rare. In fact, if you’ve been part of youth sports long enough, you probably have a version of your own.
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🧭 Chapter 5: So… What Do We Do?
Here’s the deal: No one’s saying you need to stop drinking altogether. This isn’t about prohibition. It’s about priorities and boundaries. Remember a paragraph back… I made my decission and I’m not here to make your’s.
Let’s talk solutions—practical, not preachy.
1. Set Clear Team Expectations
At the start of the season, coaches and team managers should set ground rules: What’s allowed at tournaments? What’s the policy at the rink, the hotels, the parking lot?
Make it collaborative, not authoritarian. Framing it around the well-being of the kids helps unite them.
2. Create “Dry Days” or “Dry Tournaments”
Want to shift the culture? Try a dry event.
Some organizations now host dry tournaments as a way to promote focus, health, and positive sportsmanship. The response has been mostly positive—and the parents who participate report less drama and more connection.
3. Encourage Honest Conversations
This topic shouldn’t be taboo. The more we talk openly about it—with humor, honesty, and humility—the more we shift the culture.
If you feel uncomfortable with the drinking habits of fellow parents, say something. If you’re worried about your own behavior, reflect on it. Kids deserve the best version of us—not the buzzed one.
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🏒 Final Thoughts: What Are We Really Teaching?
At the end of the day, youth sports aren’t just about winning tournaments or posting hat trick highlights on Instagram. They’re about shaping character. Teaching values. Raising kids who can handle adversity without a sippy cup full of Craft beer.
Let’s lead by example.
Have your drink—after the game, away from the rink, when the coaching hat comes off and the parenting moment is past. Celebrate responsibly. Model composure. Be the kind of adult you want your child to become.
Because if your kid goes bar-down in OT, they don’t need a champagne shower. Just a hug. And maybe a a few scoops of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
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📚 Footnotes & Sources
[^1]: Dorsch, Travis. “Parent Involvement in Youth Sports.” Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 2016.
[^2]: Jackson, Kristina M., et al. “Impact of Early Exposure to Alcohol Use.” Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 2017.
[^3]: Omli, Jens & Lavoi, Nicole M. “Background Anger in Youth Sports: A Perfect Storm?” Journal of Sport Behavior, 2011.
[^4]: Associated Press. “Parent Brawl Breaks Out at Youth Baseball Game in Missouri.” AP News, July 2023.
[^5]: CBC News. “Youth Soccer Parents Charged for Alcohol Possession at Public Fields.” June 2022.
[^6]: National Alliance for Youth Sports. “Parent Code of Conduct.” 2021.
[^7]: American Academy of Pediatrics. “Adolescent Substance Use: Challenges and Opportunities.” Pediatrics, 2019.
