Coaches say unsportsmanlike conduct and at times, even violent conduct from parents is far too frequent in sports today. In fact, just this weekend a Madison woman was accused of slapping and threatening her son's basketball coach at a Waukesha community center.

And with role models like that, one local coach says it's not surprising student athletes are getting the wrong idea about sportsmanship.

"I know in certain cases I've had kids, you can just see it, they're just mortified by the behavior of the parent, the one that's supposedly the adult, supposedly the one setting the good example," Eau Claire North volleyball and softball coach Perris Cooley said.

Cooley says during his 12 years of coaching, he's seen plenty of negative involvement from parents, usually after a controversial play or call. But, he also says there are plenty of parents who are setting a great example, voicing their support of the team, but in a positive manner.

Parents like Jeff Heath, who helps coach girls softball at North when he's not cheering on his son, a three-sport athlete at the school.

"One of the things we try to teach our kids is that nobody's perfect coaches, players, everybody makes mistakes, so you just have to live with it and learn to move on," Heath said.

But, he says as parents become more involved and invested in their children's sports, that's not always easy. Heath says it's common for parents to feel a sense of ownership in the game, making it hard to let go.

Still, both Heath and Cooley say it's vital for parents to set a positive example of sportsmanship, and they say whether you realize it or not, your children will look to you for guidance and model your behavior.