Parents can be AWFUL – Youth Soccer

Why is it embarrassingly funny to see parents pacing on the sidelines during a youth soccer game? I can’t speak too much on other sports. From my experience on the coaching sideline, parents can be AWFUL. Let’s talk about why that is.

Why does it mean so much?

I must have coached over a thousand games at the youngest levels of soccer. Some teams are more competitive than others, but EVERY team has a parent or two that go the extra mile of energy on the parents sideline. To this day I am not sure why a 40 minute game means so much to them. This isn’t the FIFA World Cup. It doesn’t matter what the score is. At any given moment, that parent will make sure their voice is heard that curdles my blood.

Now, let me be clear. I hear so much positivity throughout a game. Parents are cheering on their kid(s) and that is great. That doesn’t bother me at all. It’s the parents that are trying to coach and distract attention away from the game.

Let’s talk about the differences.

Hints that your coaching from the sidelines

• Instructing their kid or someone else’s kid on what to do during the game. It doesn’t matter if the ball is in play or out of play.
• Waving your kid over to the parents sideline at halftime to have a little chat is surprisingly a move I’ve seen pulled multiple times.
• Moving up and down the parents sideline with the play. This is obviously letting your kid know you’re there and watching closely.
• Arm waving your kid which direction to go.
• Verbally shouting to your kid to ”work harder!”, ”shoot it!”, ”be more physical!”, ”don’t let them push you around!”

We get it, you’re into the game and want to win. Surely you were even better as a young kid. Please settle down. Let’s look at the alternative and much more encouraged approach to watching your kids soccer game.

Hints that your supporting from the sidelines

• You’re sitting in your Target $19.99 fold up chair cleaning your sunglasses waiting for the game to start. This is a good. Keep it up!
• When you see a good play made, you clap and maybe even shout ”great play!” It doesn’t even have to be your kid.
• During a close game or even a lopsided game, you can be heard encouraging the team like ”get another one” or ”keep working hard everyone”.
• You miss part of the game because you need to hit the snack-shack.
• The most effort exuded during a 40 minute game is setting up the folding team bench up and packing it back up.

Where do you lie?

I’m not saying I don’t like you if you lie in the coaching from the sideline category. It’s just that I find you extremely distracting and obnoxious. I’m sure other coaches would say the same. Let’s all play our part in making the game more enjoyable for the kids. Coaches don’t like when the kids are looking over at the parents sidelines more than the actual playing field.