Australian parents: 30% shout at kids' sport, 35% thank coaches

One in three Australian parents admit to shouting aggressively at children’s sport, yet only about 34.7% usually thank volunteer coaches, new research shows. The GroupTogether survey of 2,000-plus parents found 41.4% admit they couldn’t coach better themselves. Yet most rarely say thanks, despite junior sport relying on 2.8 million volunteers donating 158 million hours annually. Junior sports are run almost entirely by parent volunteers, who say seeing children grow in confidence makes it worthwhile. GroupTogether recommends group cards and e-gift cards to close the gratitude gap.