Where have all the parents gone who just turn up, watch their kid play and as long as they enjoy it everything is good. These days it’s like the parents want to be sporting directors, they want to coach (but not be the coach), pick the team, the formation, the tactics, and run the club and the coach is a mere employee.
As I write this, I know there are millions of great parents out there, and I apologise to them but unfortunately their voices are being drowned out by a toxic negativity I’ve seen sweeping the game.
This weekend I think is most likely my last involvement in coaching, hopefully my feelings will change but right after 4 years I’ve finally been worn down. The team don’t know this yet, I will tell them after the weekends game.
I’m a Coach who has just had enough of too many parents doing everything but being happy. All their kids love football and love coming, love being on our team and love our training. So the kids couldn’t be happier, but the parents on the other hand seem to complain, whinge and moan about everything, even criticise other people’s kids, Why do this?
Most coaches work full time, have families, other responsibilities, yet myself like others give up at least 1 night a week to coach your kids, plus more time away from that planning sessions, sorting fund raisers, chasing kits, sorting tournaments, answering emails, arranging weekend game, replying to text messages 11pm at night, Plus much more and we do this for FREE because we enjoy it and love seeing kids develop and grow.
YOUR kid develop and grow!!!!!
So why do parents find the need to send you messages a mile long slamming the performance of a young team in mini soccer despite the fact you win most weeks, and the messages I receive if we draw or heaven forbid lose, it’s like I have to do a press conference in front of them to apologise and explain why we lost. They’re 9 years old!!
Why when they are not happy about the littlest thing do they find it necessary to spread that with other parents and convince them they’re right and encourage them to hound the coach too?
- The point I am making is how many coaches have to walk away mainly due to how parents behave and conduct themselves and how they go on sometimes.
It’s simple….. no coaches means no grassroots, stop before it’s too late!!!!!!!!
I feel your pain. 19 years grassroots coaching myself. Imagine what I’ve seen & experienced in that time.
My best advice is to give them something to do. Keep them occupied. See which ones will take a coaching course, a referee’s course? A Safeguardimg course? Get one of them to do the admin – the texts, the phone calls.
The “busy” ones on the touchline – get them doing specific match analysis tasks on things you’ll never use, but makes them feel important.
Don’t give up. You’ll be constantly questioned & criticised, but you are the one that makes it happen. Without you the team would probably not exist.