My kids played volleyball and basketball, and participated in wrestling.
I went to as may games as possible. I had a daughter and a son in basketball at the same time, one played at home and one away on the same night.
Twenty plus years later I still enjoy sports.

Shirley, this post makes me glad I don't have kids yet, because I'd be right there with you. Likely there's a difference in kid and pro sports... but sometimes it's easy to miss a minor play. It's comforting when an announcer isn't sure or messes up - so I feel that my own "oops" moments aren't as bad.
And yes - at least you are trying! :P I'd suggest just generally following what the other parents do. I haven't watched soccer in a while, but I was surprised at all the dramatics and how a player would be "injured" rolling around the field in agony- then jumping up fine when the ref called/refused to call a foul. Glad that doesn't really happen with kids.

My younger daughter has played basketball for a couple of years now, and despite the fact I'm not a basketball fan and don't know the rules, I go to every game and I cheer for every kid, regardless of which team they're on. They're still in elementary school, so I figure right now they're still learning the rules and can use all the encouragement they can get. We're a tri-town school system, so imagine my shock when a parent from our snootier community expressed shock when my 5'7" fifth grader came out onto the court. She was outraged, suggesting my child shouldn't be allowed to play because of her unfair height advantage, and wondering aloud (in a very sarcastic tone) if the kid was perhaps really fifteen and had just stayed back for five years. Aside from a cool assurance that my child was only ten, I didn't say anything, but privately thought she's the kind of parent who give sports parents a bad rap. I'd say that your showing up and cheering those kids on, regardless of which team they're on, makes you a bigger person and a better support system than the stingey parents who only want to cheer for their own kid. Okay, off my soap box!!

He's up and out on his own now, but he did both school soccer and CYO basketball, and we went to some games of both, though not every one. I have to admit, I am a child of my parent's generation in that when I was a kid, I did things in school, etc but it was my thing -- my parents worked, and while they came to some events, they didn't come to all of them. I never expected it, and it didn't mean they were bad parents.

I sort of felt the same way as a parent, and would if I had kids now -- I would make some events, but not all. It's fun to go, but if I'm tired or on deadline or had other things to do, I would assume they are out there having fun whether I'm there or not.

One thing that did drive me nuts at the games I went to, with soccer anyway, was the crazed parents -- we actually had parents once yell at US for not cheering enough. I cheered when it seemed appropriate, but I didn't go crazy about it. This woman turned around and was in our face, LOL. If I recall correctly, we were so surprised we just stared at her like she was nuts, as she obviously was. ;)

Anyway, it sounds like you have fun when you go, which is all it's about. I don't think it matters if you know all the rules, etc -- that's the kids' job. ;)

Sam

My son plays soccer too, and takes swimming lessons, and he also tried floor hockey, but I'm not sure he'll do that again. Soon enough he'll want to be playing real ice hockey.

I admit, I'm pretty much just there for the mom-support. I don't get sports and I can't really get excited unless it's my own child running for a...homer/goal/touchdown...whatever.

J.K. Coi
Immortals To Die For
www.jkcoi.com

I don't get sports much either. When my son was younger(he's 20 now) he played T-ball and then baseball, my ex boyfriend played baseball and floor hockey and rain or shine I was there cheering(and I don't think that they ever turned heat on in floor hockey arena) I even got to play scorkeeper at son's and ex boyfriends baseball games

My kids were cross country runners--a sport that requires a huge amount of heart. When they were competing it was so much fun, because there are places on the course where the spectators go and wait for the runner to go by, and then once your runner goes by, you race to another part of the course to watch them go by. The cool thing is how much things can change between viewing spots. And then, it's off to the finish line to cheer the winners. The spectators get almost as much exercise as the ruuners.

We haven't gotten into anything yet this year, but my son plays basketball, little league, and, if we can swing the time this fall, karate. And he's eight years old. :( I can't even imagine how crazy things will be when he's older...and his younger brother and sister join in, too. Don't get me wrong--I want my kids to be involved. I just think I'll need a clone to make it happen. LOL