Ugly sports parents steal limelight

It has been hyped as the toughest gridiron youth competition in the USA.

And when American TV channel Esquire Network put the Texas Youth League under the spotlight for a reality program, it sparked nationwide controversy with its exposure of ugly parents and win at all costs coaches.

Despite the sacking of two coaches and a wave of hysteria last year, the 10-part "Friday Night Tykes" series is set to return to screens.

In its first season, the program focused on eight and nine-year-old footballers who were pushed to play with professional-like intensity, resulting in a high number of injuries.

And a trailer for the next season shows little has changed with a plethora of foul-mouthed footage, injuries and young players treated like adults.

The now mostly 10-year-old children get sworn at, belittled and ordered to push themselves.

But the biggest question raised by the program is who is youth football really for - the parents or the players?

By the looks of things it's all about frustrated adults trying to live their dreams through their children and young players.

A truly ugly side of youth sport.