"Comments on Sideline Coaching" by Coach John D. Archimede
I recently watched five soccer games at different fields with children from U-10 to U-12 boys and girls teams. What I heard and saw from the coaches disturbed me very much! I have been coaching youth soccer for over 20 years and at all different ages and levels of competition and it never ceases to amaze me that coaches think that winning is the most important things when it comes to sports at any age. I feel that kids up to the age of 12 or 13 should be having FUN and not concern themselves with who won the game. Most of the time they couldn't care less except for the coaches and parents that put so much pressure on them and place the emphasis on winning above all, to nourish their egos.
In one particular game I watched, the coach yell at the players every time he felt that the made a mistake for didn't do what he expected of them. The team won the game 2-0 but, the players hung their head at the end of the match, as if they had lost because all they could hear was the coach yelling at them for the mistakes they made and not the 'good things' that they accomplished on the field of play. Can you imagine the feeling the players had after winning the game and feeling lousy about it? Wonder how they feel after a loss? This is a tragedy!
If we don't keep the game of soccer fun for youthful players they may just quit playing soccer or go to another sport and that would not be a good thing to happen. We, as coaches, need to remember that kids need to have time to be kids and enjoy their youth while they can, and stop putting the emphasis on winning, to a point that when players win a game they don't feel good about it. I think we are not helping our children grow in the proper manner.
Please coaches, think about how short your childhood was and let them play "their game" without interference, because if they have not been taught in practice they will not respond in the game by yelling negative remarks to them.
John D. Archimede Youth Soccer Coach
