Kids sport is all fun and games — until it isn't

Whether it's netball, hockey, soccer or footy, if you've got sporty kids, you're might be entering finals season at this time of year.

Have you noticed whether the tension on the sidelines has ramped up as the games get towards the pointy end?

Recent research from Flinders University looking into adult sideline behaviour in junior sporting leagues has found while it's all fun and games at the younger levels, as players get older, the element of competition becomes more serious.

For the adults around them — parents, coaches, umpires — that environment can foster poor behaviour. So when does sport shift from a bit of fun, to something more serious?