PATROLLING SOCCER'S SIDELINES
By Len Oliver
A few years ago, I wrote a widely circulated statement on “Soccer Ethics.” We talked about coach and parent behavior—letting the kids play and have fun, practicing good sportsmanship, avoiding criticism of our young referees, encouraging fun and skill development over “winning at all costs” and remembering it’s only a game.
As the season gets underway, it’s worth reviewing and expanding upon those ideas.
Coaches
Being a coach is a privilege to interact with your son or daughter and with other youngsters in a sport they love to play. It’s a unique opportunity to help guide their development while the kids experience the joys of acquiring skills in a sport they can enjoy for a lifetime, playing competitively with a team, understanding discipline, being an individual within the team context and knowing they are part of a global game.
Parents
How wonderful! You discover that your kids like to run, kick a ball, be with teammates, score goals, mix it up and win balls, and come off the pitch sweating and breathless but satisfied in having participated in a totally equal-opportunity sporting event—size, agility, speed and aggressiveness are secondary to being out there, touching the ball and contributing to the team’s efforts. You can help by supporting the team, not just your kid, by avoiding “sideline coaching.” By showing your own good sportsmanship. And by being a supportive soccer parent.
