A good article about Coaches and Parents here in America

On the flipside-- does it drive anyone else crazy when you see a kid (maybe your own kid)-- make the same mistake over and over and over and the coach never says anything??? #whyparentsscream #pleasecoachscreamwhenyouneedto #pleaserespectyourcoach
 
On the flipside-- does it drive anyone else crazy when you see a kid (maybe your own kid)-- make the same mistake over and over and over and the coach never says anything??? #whyparentsscream #pleasecoachscreamwhenyouneedto #pleaserespectyourcoach
Please don’t get me started on my kid or anyone else’s. I see this all the time and in some cases for years.
 
You also have the instance where the kids on the team don't pay attention to things the other team does repeatedly.

The other team may play goal kicks and corner kicks short, and you would think that after they do it for the first half of the game, the kids would think to look for that and be ready for it.

Alas, usually not.

My other pet peeve is not facing the ball. I tell my kids all of the time, just because it's a free kick or the keeper has the ball, don't switch off and put your back to them. A quick restart and they aren't ready for it.
 
That was a great show. It was heartbreaking to watch them struggle and try to avoid relegation and what it meant to the club.

There are a few behind the scenes shows on Netflix. For the opposite view, watch the Juventus one for a team at the top of the table. Also, the Man City one on Amazon is quite good.

The best soccer show on Netflix I think is actually a fictional one in Spanish-- Club de Cuervos. Everything that's wrong with professional soccer. Satires everything from owners, to the TV holders, the league, the coaches, the players, the governments, FIFA and the world cup bid.
 
The best soccer show on Netflix I think is actually a fictional one in Spanish-- Club de Cuervos. Everything that's wrong with professional soccer. Satires everything from owners, to the TV holders, the league, the coaches, the players, the governments, FIFA and the world cup bid.

Watch the movie Bad Parents. It came out in 2012, lots of known stars. Absolutely hilarious.
 
Watch the movie Bad Parents. It came out in 2012, lots of known stars. Absolutely hilarious.

I relate to the main character so much that this particular film always hits a little too close to home to be funny. In any case, should be mandatory viewing for new parents to club soccer. o_O
 
I relate to the main character so much that this particular film always hits a little too close to home to be funny. In any case, should be mandatory viewing for new parents to club soccer. o_O
I hear ya. I can place a parent or coach with almost every character, it is a little scary....
 
On the flipside-- does it drive anyone else crazy when you see a kid (maybe your own kid)-- make the same mistake over and over and over and the coach never says anything??? #whyparentsscream #pleasecoachscreamwhenyouneedto #pleaserespectyourcoach
Yes!!! And that's why we knew it was time to look for a new coach!!
 
My other pet peeve is not facing the ball. I tell my kids all of the time, just because it's a free kick or the keeper has the ball, don't switch off and put your back to them. A quick restart and they aren't ready for it.

This one kills me...every single game it happens...and it seems like such an easy fix
 
I actually disagree with much of the article. The problem with soccer and many other sports is that winning does not matter anymore. It's not the coach's fault or the athlete's fault. The fault is the same you see in AAU basketball. Too many tournaments, not enough training. Winning tournaments does not mean anything anymore and is just an afterthought. Remember when the NCAA tournament was great? It still kind of is, but nothing like it used to be back in the 80s and 90s...Look at the Olympics (not soccer or other pro team sports). Do you think these athletes were told not to care about winning?

As for coaching, it's fine to "joystick" as long as you follow up as to why you were telling the player what to do, rather than just screaming at him what to do without explanation. That goes back to positive reinforcement vs. negative reinforcement. Yes, parents need to shut up. Cheer on the good plays and moan at the bad. We live in an age where feelings matter more than facts which is a problem with our society, not just sports. A coach should lay down the law from the very beginning. No direction from parents or you can go play rec!!!

Anyways, you want to fix the problem, fix the issue of money corrupting youth sports and you will see a return. One league, one tournament per season, and one national tournament per u14 and up. Follow the same model with DA and ECNL for the elite teams.

Bottom line, make winning matter again. Read about the Greats in their sport, Vince Lombardi, Morgan Wootten, Lou Holtz, John Wooden, and AJAX School, FCB Academy.
 
As for coaching, it's fine to "joystick" as long as you follow up as to why you were telling the player what to do, rather than just screaming at him what to do without explanation.

Joysticking in soccer is always going to be an exercise in futility. Soccer is one of the sports where off ball movement is just as important as ball movement. As anyone who has played FIFA will see, it's impossible for a coach to keep his eye on all of the players. If the coach is yelling at a defender to block the shot, he's not coaching (or watching) the goalkeeper whose out of position. If the coach is yelling at the winger to push it towards the outside, he's not coaching (or watching) the midfielder whose asking for the impossible pass. Some sports (like water polo and ice hockey) are in a similar boat. Other sports, like football (set plays/pauses in play), basketball (fewer players, man on man or zone defenses), baseball (sequential play/positional coaches/pauses in play), don't have that problem.

And that's before you get to the speed of the game (and by the time the player hears the instruction it's too late to adapt), the development of young athletes brains (that they can process less than we adults can, and so may not even hear the instruction), and the fact that in the technical area the coaches are in horrible position to issue instructions (which is why goalkeepers are taught to issue cues to the defender). It's why the new training is encouraging youth coaches (given that most have unlimited substitutions) to instead of yelling the instruction sub the player out and coach the player when he has the full attention of the coach.

Joystick coaching soccer would look very different than the current game: a defensive and offensive coach stationed at either end, radio communication between the coaches at higher levels, and frequent time outs.
 
I actually disagree with much of the article. The problem with soccer and many other sports is that winning does not matter anymore. It's not the coach's fault or the athlete's fault. The fault is the same you see in AAU basketball. Too many tournaments, not enough training. Winning tournaments does not mean anything anymore and is just an afterthought. Remember when the NCAA tournament was great? It still kind of is, but nothing like it used to be back in the 80s and 90s...Look at the Olympics (not soccer or other pro team sports). Do you think these athletes were told not to care about winning?

As for coaching, it's fine to "joystick" as long as you follow up as to why you were telling the player what to do, rather than just screaming at him what to do without explanation. That goes back to positive reinforcement vs. negative reinforcement. Yes, parents need to shut up. Cheer on the good plays and moan at the bad. We live in an age where feelings matter more than facts which is a problem with our society, not just sports. A coach should lay down the law from the very beginning. No direction from parents or you can go play rec!!!

Anyways, you want to fix the problem, fix the issue of money corrupting youth sports and you will see a return. One league, one tournament per season, and one national tournament per u14 and up. Follow the same model with DA and ECNL for the elite teams.

Bottom line, make winning matter again. Read about the Greats in their sport, Vince Lombardi, Morgan Wootten, Lou Holtz, John Wooden, and AJAX School, FCB Academy.

I'd agree with this, but skew it a bit differently. The focus increasingly seems to be about individual achievements over team play. Finding a way to contribute to a team victory should be the goal.

Even the best youth players should have this notion instilled in them from the get go, and sadly, some of those who do sacrifice their own "show" for the team, seem to get overlooked. We love and need our superstars, but at the end of the day, it's about a team winning a game. Agree, even bigger money out there if this were the emphasis.
 
I'd agree with this, but skew it a bit differently. The focus increasingly seems to be about individual achievements over team play.

That's true not only in the US but worldwide. At the younger levels, one player can really make a difference in the outcome of a game. At the pros, the strikers and the CMs are usually the ones to pull in the big bucks.

The issue with soccer is that it's set up like a rock band. Everyone wants to be the singer (striker) out in front, with all the fame and glory, and the big paycheck to match, but breaking into that slot is very difficult and you have to be the best of the best. A good guitarist (midfielder) can achieve fame and glory but not all guitarists are created equal and there are a lot of them. A keyboardist (winger) may get a flourish here and there, but they are a bit of a luxury. The drummer (keeper) is instrumental in keeping the band in time, lot's of talented musicians could fill in, but it takes a special ear and a little bit of craziness to be a proficient drummer, but they don't get a lot of the recognition in the band and the way they approach music is very different. A talented bass player (defender) will always work but it's a position rarely understood and even more rarely appreciated.
 
My other pet peeve is not facing the ball. I tell my kids all of the time, just because it's a free kick or the keeper has the ball, don't switch off and put your back to them. A quick restart and they aren't ready for it.
Happens all the time. Since my daughter is a keeper I notice this more than others might. Goes to roll or throw it out, and they are jogging with back to the keeper. Turn your head.

Must admit our coach does some joystick coaching, although it is usually team oriented. Most common phrases are Press, Switch the ball, or Play the keeper, those type of things.
 
My kid was out for a year, injury. When he returned I wanted to find a coach who didn't yell all game and make the kids nervous and afraid to make a mistake. The coach he ended up with, is what I hope will be, the new generation of coaches. The guy is only about 24, played in college, still plays in an adult league but more importantly starts every practice with about a 20 minute review of what was covered in the previous practice or game.

Maybe it's his youth but his enthusiasm for the game is contagious and the boys can see it. We need more coaches like this.

20 minutes of review?? That's over coaching. your review should be last 2-3 minutes after practice: What was the biggest thing that stuck out today in training. 20 minutes ONLY leaves you with less opportunities to get touches on the ball...and we all know they need more. As for the yelling coaches, I don't have a problem with it. There's a HUGE difference. between yelling and being demeaning/shaming. Our coach always yells at the kids but he's affirmative in his comments. "GrRRRREAT job, or WORK WORK WORK, TOUCH...bottom line is this...when kids are in college they're not going to have pampered coaches patting them on the back when they lose possession nor will they have mommy and daddy to back them up. They're adults AND it's gonna cost coaches jobs if they don't perform like they're projected. it's kind of unfair that it has to be that way but it's college athletics at its finest.
 
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