Listen Up Soccer Parents

It is very important for a soccer coach to deal with soccer parents in the correct manner. Parents like to stay on the field and watch the game and keep giving their kids something to drink during the breaks.

Soccer coaches should speak to the parents and the kids before the session commences so that certain rules, regulations are expectations are made clear. Certain youth soccer leagues ask the parents to go through these rules in writing and leave their signature at the end of the document.

The coach himself should read out the content so that doubts are cleared then and there. By doing so, soccer parents will be made aware of the standards of the soccer coach as well as acceptable behavior during the game. This helps to avoid unpleasant situations in the future as the document can be presented at any given time.

Soccer parents should ensure that they encourage their children from the sidelines and refrain from negative comments against the other players. They should do so without coaching their children because that is the job of the soccer coach. They should not interfere with the game by telling the referee what to do.

The soccer coach should also tell the parents how they could deal with problems that may crop up. They should be instructed not to carry out detailed conversations with the coach before the game because anxiety levels are high during this time period. Similarly, soccer parents should not approach the coach during as well as immediately after the game.

However, if it is very important, they should first consult the manager and try to solve the problem. If this does not work, they should email the coach. In case a personal meeting is to be arranged, soccer parents should call and fix and appointment beforehand. This delay can cause the problem to solve itself as logic and rationality kicks in.

The soccer coach should know how to deal with soccer parents and remain calm and polite during meetings. He should listen to the problem carefully and stay unbiased. The solution should be objective as this is the only way to get rid of any problem. Arguments tend to get very heated if the coach is critical of the child.
Coaches should be careful about this and add a positive remark at the end of your statement. For example- young players tend to make mistakes but they learn from them, which helps them in the future.

In case a soccer parent does not refrain from coaching his child from the sidelines, the soccer coach should call for a meeting and ask all the parents to attend. This way, that particular parent will not feel cornered. The coach should then explain why it is necessary to follow this rule. Tell them that their children will get confused if they hear different sets of instructions during the game. They will also find it difficult to make individual decisions in the future.