1.
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Let the
coaches coach: Leave the coaching
to the coaches. This includes motivating, psyching your child up,
after game critiquing, setting goals, requiring additional
training, etc. You have entrusted the care of your child to the
coaches; they need to be free to do their job. "Too many
coaches spoil the player." |
2.
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Be your
child's best fan: Support your
child unconditionally. Do not withdraw love when your child
performs poorly. Your child should never have to perform to win
your love. |
3.
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Support all
players on the team:
Foster teamwork. Your child's teammates are not the enemy.
There will always be greater and lesser players than your child.
When a teammate plays better, your child has a wonderful
opportunity to learn. |
4.
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Do not
bribe or offer incentives:
Your job is not to motivate. Leave this to the coaching
staff. Bribes will distract your child from properly concentrating
in practice and game situations. |
5.
|
Encourage your
child to talk with the coaches: If your
child is having difficulties in practice or games, or can't make a
practice, etc., encourage her to speak directly to the coaches.
This "responsibility taking" is a big part of being a
member of any team. When your child handles the off-field tasks
(knowing the schedule, preparing equipment for practices and
games), she is establishing ownership of all aspects of the game. |
6.
|
Understand and
display appropriate game behavior: Be
supportive, cheer, but be appropriate. Players need to focus only
on the parts of the game that they can control (fitness,
positioning, decision making, skill, aggressiveness, reacting to
what the game is presenting). When a player focuses on what she
cannot control, (what others are shouting), performance suffers.
Do not tell a player what to do. Do not critique a play or player
during the game. Never yell at the referee. Ever. |
7.
|
Help your child
keep priorities straight: Help your
child maintain a focus on schoolwork, relationships and the other
things in life beside soccer. Also, if your child has made a
commitment to soccer, help her fulfill her obligation to the team. |
8.
|
Reality test:
If the team loses a match, but your child has played her best,
help her to see this as a "win" and that you are proud
of her. Remind her that she is to focus on "process" and
not "results". Her fun and satisfaction should be
derived from "striving to win". |
9.
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Keep soccer in
its proper perspective: Soccer should
not be larger than life for you. If your child's performance
produces strong emotions in you, suppress them. Your relationship
will continue with your children long after their competitive
soccer days are over. Keep your goals/needs separate from those of
your child. |
10.
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Have fun:
That is what the coaches will be trying to do! We will
challenge your child to reach beyond her "comfort level"
and improve as a player. We will do this in an environment that is
fun, yet challenging. We look forward to this process. We hope you
do too! |
