I think I understand the many influences and issues in youth sports better than most. I should. I spend every working moment and beyond immersed in youth sports. My role is not restricted to one specific area rather it is one where I have to be actively engaged with players, coaches, parents, clubs and league directors. I am lucky to add to this group by having acquaintances with national and indeed international administrators and influencers in the game.
As I travel around the country and talk to friends from around the world what seems apparent is that the meaning of TEAM, the value of team, and the character traits presented to athletes by participating on a team is under threat.
Unfortunately, the concept of TEAM is being diminished and some wish to make being on a team convenient and disposable.
I have seen all the following over the last 12 months.
Learn more about the
Everything you need to help your child be inspired by the game!
I have always viewed myself as a teacher, soccer is simply the classroom that I get to practice and perfect my craft in. My passion for the “classroom” is in no doubt driven by my personal experience. I was a troubled kid and teenager, full of self-doubt, insecurity, nerves (displayed with a horrible stutter) and confusion over the world and my place within it.
A soccer team came to my rescue. It gave me a place to belong where others valued my desire to try as hard as I possibly could no matter the score.
I reflect now on the things my youth team gave me, and the things the experience of being on a team taught me:
More than soccer I hold the value and the life lessons that being on a team can bring as being the most important developmental factor in sport. The character traits that a true commitment to being on a team can bring are priceless. Better to chase these that the college scholarships.
I understand the discussions on broad based physical literacy as I do that on sport sampling, the dangers of early specialization and those of overuse injuries. I am acutely aware of the win at all cost’s nature of many youth sports clubs and environments. In short, I think I have a decent grasp of all the issues within youth soccer.
With all that being stated I can say that all parents, coaches, clubs and administrator should get back to promoting the value of TEAM and should do so now.
Realize your kids will probably not become professional athletes or get a college scholarship. They may, by virtue of being in a good team environment and BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR BEING AN ACTIVE AND HONEST PART OF A TEAM pick up and master many life skills that will be needed in abundance throughout adulthood.
It’s a 2 way street which is contributing to this. For the parents, its the impression that for the clubs its only about the money, and for the coaches, only about the wins (because that’s what they are judged by). For the coaches, it’s the impression that the parents consider the kids free agents, willing to do the club tryout shuffle every year, looking for the better and shinier toy.
Team and individual have a symbiotic relationship and loyalty is a two way street. If teams are going to engage in some of the more egregious behaviors it’s hard to get a buy in from parents that they should care about the team (and not only their player) particularly since it’s the parents job of looking out for the kid: “upgrading” team members who got you to new brackets for ringers, bringing in guest players which impact team member playtime, benching weaker players instead of developing them, favoritism, direct soccer at the expense of teaching the kids, etc.
At the travel level, it’s hard to image but I suppose that it occur that kids are missing games due to birth day parties and playdates. If they are, and the rest of the team isn’t objecting, the entire team might consider whether they even want to play travel ball. At the rec level this supposed to be expected: it’s rec and no one is really all that into it. My son was a goalkeeper on his 2nd year AYSO team….I remember asking the striker who he was friends with if now that the season was over they’d like to practice with us, to get ready for Extras tryouts….they said they had season passes to Disneyland, which is all right…what’s neat about soccer now is they have different levels for different levels of dedication.
Thank you for such a wonderful article. I’m a young adult who grew up playing soccer competitively and these pointers really hit home. I would 100% give soccer credit for teaching me many of the life skills I have today.
Great article Tim. I agree that coaches need to develop the skill of identifying teachable moments and what/when isn’t – then having the courage to deliver the life lesson.