The life of a Junior Football coach

[give it to gordon]

Before Kent fa banned me for 4 years for informing them that bullying was rife from parents and coaches. Long story but The FA made them overturn it or get thrown out of the FA.

Anyway I never did man of the match. It's a team game.
End of season player of the year was done my parents. Each parent would do the scores for one match.

I would never pigeon hole players at such a young age. Play them in every position to learn the game not just a position.

All players would play as close to possible the same about of minutes per season.

I would never scream and shout from the touchline just the odd word. I wouldn't allow parents to shout advice just to celebrate at goal or a good save

All the parents bought into this as they didn't like the WAAC coaches as most were around here.

I used the coaching books from Malcolm Cook to keep training interesting and fun.

When I received my ban another parent took on the team and kept the same principles.

I wasn't a WAAC coach my aim was to provide the kids with an understanding of each position and an understanding of the game.

I saw kids around 8 or 9 play at the attack or defend because they were bigger than the others. When 14,15 these kids had stopped playing because they were now the little kids. They didn't know how to play midfield or wing, or even in their old position. They had been taught to kick the ball long if defender or to run fast onto a long ball.

I was seen as abit of looney for not screaming and shouting, for not putting winning first.

I want them to enjoy football and the feeling of being part of a team. And to have fun which is the most important apart.

It took me 12 months to win my case against Kent fa once it was won I never went near football again. I loved coaching but kids football stunk.

I was about Winning At All Costs and I don't do that

The biggest complaint I received from a parent was after 6 months of bringing their lad along they said " is liam your lad " I said "yea" they said " we didn't know in other teams you can always tell the manager lad cos he wins motm every week !!

Some parents and some managers/coaches are just knobheads and think short term and think only of themselves or their kid

 

[He’stheleftbackremember]

I used to manage a kids team, I would call it wine o’clock when the text arrived

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Gather the kids in the centre circle before the match then tell the rich kid he's not playing because his dad's a spoilt brat, tell the 3 goals a game kid he's not playing because he's dad's a gobshite and tell the other one he's not playing because his dad's a rag/scouser/Morrisey fan (he's obviously a wanker so he's bound to get one of the 3)
The other kids will quickly tell their dad's to button it and you can get on with managing them.

The kid whose dad is a Morrissey fan wouldn't turn up anyway :)

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Before Kent fa banned me for 4 years for informing them that bullying was rife from parents and coaches. Long story but The FA made them overturn it or get thrown out of the FA.

Anyway I never did man of the match. It's a team game.
End of season player of the year was done my parents. Each parent would do the scores for one match.

I would never pigeon hole players at such a young age. Play them in every position to learn the game not just a position.

All players would play as close to possible the same about of minutes per season.

I would never scream and shout from the touchline just the odd word. I wouldn't allow parents to shout advice just to celebrate at goal or a good save

All the parents bought into this as they didn't like the WAAC coaches as most were around here.

I used the coaching books from Malcolm Cook to keep training interesting and fun.

When I received my ban another parent took on the team and kept the same principles.

I wasn't a WAAC coach my aim was to provide the kids with an understanding of each position and an understanding of the game.

I saw kids around 8 or 9 play at the attack or defend because they were bigger than the others. When 14,15 these kids had stopped playing because they were now the little kids. They didn't know how to play midfield or wing, or even in their old position. They had been taught to kick the ball long if defender or to run fast onto a long ball.

I was seen as abit of looney for not screaming and shouting, for not putting winning first.

I want them to enjoy football and the feeling of being part of a team. And to have fun which is the most important apart.

It took me 12 months to win my case against Kent fa once it was won I never went near football again. I loved coaching but kids football stunk.

I was about Winning At All Costs and I don't do that

The biggest complaint I received from a parent was after 6 months of bringing their lad along they said " is liam your lad " I said "yea" they said " we didn't know in other teams you can always tell the manager lad cos he wins motm every week !!

Some parents and some managers/coaches are just knobheads and think short term and think only of themselves or their kid

You never once shouted from the touch line?
With that user name!!!!!!!

 

[Mad Eyed Screamer]

Posting on here for a bit of feedback and comradeship as i cant post on the usual outlets for obvious reasons

I coach my sons U10 footy team and am just starting my 2nd season. I played football well into my 40s, and ran a few adult teams over the years but coaching a kids team was all brand new to me.

We are a lowish level team who started off last season going 8 games without finding a win but ended the season winning more than we lost. The improvement to the lads was great to see.
This season we have been placed in a higher league (probs mid level after last seasons low level) and the lads are smashing it. Theyve won first 3 games.
I am not tactical genius , i just get the lads giving there all and playing them in positions they exceed at and are happy in. I ask the lads 2 things, to try their best and to enjoy it. It seems to work.

Ive also grown into the role , it took me a long time to learn to enjoy it and not take it too serious and that totally helps too.

i feel i tick the boxes to why im there; being part of lads playing footy and them enjoying it.

Anyway now for my rant;

Ive always tried to involve the parents in everything, following advice early on of get the parents on side helps in a big way.

I write weekly match reports, i send appraisals to the boys, i encourage them all the time, i totally focus on strengths of each lad, i give equal playing time to all. I give a man of the match medal each week (club dont provide these so out my own pocket) and all lads get it equal amount of times. Theres always a reason why someone deserves it.
I involve the parents in post match chats to let them feel involved

Last night i get 3 messages off parents;
1; “what does my son have to do to get man of the match, he doesnt get it, he needs it soon”
Now this lad is the son of a millionaire, he is totally indulged so i play my amateur physiologists roll and ensure i heap praise on him because thats what he thrives on. Where as others thrive off a kick up the arse. I cant keep telling this kid how well he is playing any more than i do.
2; “my son enjoys playing for the team but doesnt like defence and wants to play midfield so he can score 3 goals a game”
This lad is our best player, its only 7 a side, he plays maybe 10% of each game in defence but has a pretty free roll to drive forward and plays most of the game centre mid anyway.
I pointed this out to said parent who then ignored the message
3; “my son never gets man of the match”. He does, as i said they all get it equally, but they will go 9 games to win it again so it sometimes feels a long time. Showed them last seasons chart for MOTM and all lads getting it the same amount of times, she just said it doesnt feel that way

Anyway, so ive vented above , got it off my chest, last nights messages knocked me sideways and had me thinking is it worth it?
I sacrifice a lot and ask for nothing back. I miss all my daughters games because they clash where as other parents in same position can alternate

We seemed to enjoy it more as a struggling team rather than the winning outfit we are now

Anyone else lived the life of a football junior coach and felt a bit disillusioned as to why you do it and is it worth all the effort?
We sacrifice a lot , we get little in return other than ear ache off parents, or so it seems

Fantastic post and love the energy and enthusiasm you bring to the club and the sacrifice you make, at your own daughters expense too.

If you are going to do MOTM, I'd suggest two different ways to do it that takes the heat off you.
1. Ask the kids at the end of the day to write down (rather than stick their hand up) as to who they think was MOTM.
Or
2. Ask the parents who stayed and watched the game to Select the MOTM in the same way.
Anytime you get a text saying my spoilt and entitled child wants to know when he's getting MOTM, you simply reply "well it's voted for by the players / parents so he just hasn't earned it yet baby...."

 

[Feed the Elk]

Half of coaching grassroots is coaching the parents to get them to buy in to what you want to achieve.
Maybe use the post match debrief (both written and verbal) to explain to get your point across.
I think communication is key so make sure you engage with all the parents, especially the quiet ones (the snipers!)

 

[manimanc]

I take it you have a WhatsApp group?

Just put the moaning cunts on ignore.

 

[Bluesince1979]

Fantastic post and love the energy and enthusiasm you bring to the club and the sacrifice you make, at your own daughters expense too.

If you are going to do MOTM, I'd suggest two different ways to do it that takes the heat off you.
1. Ask the kids at the end of the day to write down (rather than stick their hand up) as to who they think was MOTM.
Or
2. Ask the parents who stayed and watched the game to Select the MOTM in the same way.
Anytime you get a text saying my spoilt and entitled child wants to know when he's getting MOTM, you simply reply "well it's voted for by the players / parents so he just hasn't earned it yet baby...."

Trouble is, the same players will often win it and the weaker ones never will. By doing a different player each week they will ALL get it. Eventually.
Sometimes my choice can be pretty left field, ‘jonny’ got it for that awesome block, something he might not always do in his game.

Thanks all for some awesome feed back.
7/9 of the parents are brilliant, but 2, both wealthy, are the ones that want their kid indulged. Trouble is im a stubborn ****

The feed back is really positive and appreciated after feeling a bit “why do i bother” last night and today.

 

[Bluesince1979]

Half of coaching grassroots is coaching the parents to get them to buy in to what you want to achieve.
Maybe use the post match debrief (both written and verbal) to explain to get your point across.
I think communication is key so make sure you engage with all the parents, especially the quiet ones (the snipers!)

I engage as much as i can because its not cheap having a kid in a footy club and i believe the parents deserve to be involved and know the crack. I have to pay for my lad so im one of them in a way.

Just posted on the group explaining the difficulties of man of the match and that after the current run when everyones had it ill stop awarding them.
The main culprit has read it.
And ive had good feed back off other parents which he will see

 

[Bluesince1979]

Ps
When we were a struggling team, it all seemed so much easier, we finished the season strong, won a cup over summer and started this season very strong.

Suddenly everyones a diva