A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article about my first day as a soccer coach. I am happy to report that it has been going fantastic. I have a great group of kids and fantastic parents. The kids show up every day with a good attitude and just want to have fun. Sometimes they try my patience when they don’t listen, but what five year old doesn’t listen sometimes?
We had a game tonight and it went really well except for one minor issue. We are in the middle of the game and I see this dad out of the corner of my eye pacing up and down the sideline. He is talking to his kid after every break in the action. I don’t really think anything of it until the second half and I start watching him more and more. He is pacing up and down the sideline following the action to every end and his toes never leave the chalk sideline. He stands out to me because most parents just sit in one spot and cheer/talk during the game.
I then start looking at his son and every time he loses the ball he looks over to his dad instead of going after the ball again. The kid is totally weighed down by the pressure of his father. I understand it is difficult as a parent to sit on the side and watch, but this is not your career. It is your child’s career and the kid is not going to succeed if he is looking at you after every mistake.
Next time you are at a game, take an inventory of how you are acting during the game and adjust it accordingly. Be a positive influence on your child and maintain a supportive attitude for both teams, because at the end of the day they are just five years old and all the kids really care about are the snacks and the drinks after the game. Maintain some perspective and if there is a person pacing the sidelines at your games, offer them a seat.
