by Tim Nash
What exactly do parents want? That’s an important question for youth soccer clubs and coaches, and one worthy of extended discussion. So, in a completely unscientific study, I asked 25 youth soccer parents what they want from their child’s coach and club. This is the second of several posts that will look at what they said.
A dad of a player I once coached told me, “These girls are not going to remember many of their teachers, but they will remember their coaches.”
by Tim Nash
A mom once told me that her daughter performs best when she is yelled at by the coach.
I told her, “Well, I won’t be doing that.”
She went on to give some examples of coaches who yelled at her and how it seemed to work, or something like that. I wasn’t really listening. My mind was occupied imagining what a miserable experience this girl must be having with soccer.
by Tim Nash
Every youth soccer club will tout player development as the cornerstone of everything it does.
But making player development the top priority rarely happens. In many cases, the club is exaggerating its commitment to player development. In most cases, they are wishing it was true but not doing a lot to make it happen.
There are a lot of reasons, of course. But one in particular is especially frustrating in youth soccer, and that’s when winning games is more important to the coach.
Coaches endure an internal argument between their naturally competitive impulses and the desire to do right by the players. Too many times, when the competitive beats development.
That’s why Noel Gillespie’s job is so interesting.