PARENT’S HANDBOOK
As a parent, your primary responsibility is to provide a positive, healthy environment that will encourage your child to continue to play soccer and improve. The technical aspects of soccer competition are the responsibility of the coach and concerns should be raised directly with your child’s coach. Parents are also responsible to ensure that both they and the players have up to date and accurate information regarding practice times and locations.. This information is provided primarily by email (it is frequently also posted on the website). Parents and players should seek clarification from their coach when necessary. Family members are welcome to watch competitions or open sessions. If you wish to speak to the coaches, please arrange to meet with them prior to or after training sessions.
Do’s and Don’ts for Parents
- Don’t impose your ambitions on your child. Remember that training and competition is your child’s activity. Improvements and progress occur at different rates for each individual. Don’t judge your child’s progress based on the performance of other players and don’t push them based on what you think they should be doing. The great thing about competition is that every person can strive to do their personal best.
- Be supportive no matter what. There is only one question to ask your child “did you have fun?” If games and practices are not fun, your child should not be forced to participate.
- Don’t coach your child. You have taken your child to a professional coach. Do not undermine that coach by trying to coach your child on the side. Your job is to support, love and hug your child no matter what. The coach is responsible for the technical part of the job. You should not offer advice on technique or race strategy. That is not your area. This will only serve to confuse your child and prevent that players/coach bond from forming.
- Have positive things to say at a competition. If you are going to show up at a competition you should cheer and applaud but never criticize your child or the coach.
- Acknowledge your child’s fears. In the early years, a competition can be cause for stress. It is appropriate for your child to be nervous. Don’t yell or belittle, just assure your child that the coach would not have suggested the event if your child was not ready to compete in it.
- Don’t criticize the officials. Nobody is perfect. Officials try their best to officiate the game, please respect that.
- Honour your child’s coach. The bond between coach and players is a special one, and one that contributes to your child’s success as well as fun. Do not criticize the coach in the presence of your child; it will only serve to hurt your child’s mentality.