"In light of the recent success of the High School team, I wanted to let everyone know how awesome is was to look across the field and see the stands packed and over flow crowd covering our entire half of the side lines. We are used to seeing crowds of maybe a hundred folks, total fans for both teams, concession and gate workers included! I know the team could feel the support and gained energy from the cheers, a definite asset.
 The only negative is that the larger the crowd, the better chance of having a problem. During our post season run, word has gotten back to me that some of our fans tend to get out of control and way to vocal, in a negative fashion.  While I know that our officiating was not as great as one would expect for tournament play, and disagreements were in order. I am not in favor of people taking it any farther that questioning the call with a moan from the crowd or “come on sir” from our coaches or the team captains. There is NO place for the crowd to take complaining to an escalated and super negative, almost threatening level. This can lead to other problems, others joining in and creating the mob mentality, and just teaching poor sportsmanship to our young people. While I agree the calls being protested were questionable at best, the constant badgering of a referee will never change them into a good referee, no way, no how. In all my years of playing, coaching and watching sports; I have not seen an official change the way they call a game, (for the better anyway), because of the crowd. To the contrary, I see them holding it against our team. We, as a County, already have a reputation for having undesirable fans. This is the word from referee friends of mine. Those same friends admitted that while they won’t “get them back” with calls, but if there is a “close call” or possible “no call” situation, the heckling could help them make the decision.
 Going forward we need everything to work in our favor, so to help our cause and to start a new trend: JUST CHEER! If you struggle in this department, it would benefit us if you supported us from a far. "

 

Coach Shannon

 

Simple Guidelines for Youth Soccer Parents

 

 In negotiating the world of youth soccer, it is helpful to the players, the coach and the parents or guardians to understand what is expected of them. Some simple guidelines for parents/guardians helps establish the rules. Key to success is to remember that kids play soccer to have fun and to enjoy themselves. Keep big rules for big kids and the pros. For the younger players keep it simple so they can have fun. 1. Understand the coach and team philosophy. If you don't know the goals of the team (for example, player development versus competition), ask them to be spelled out at the meeting. 2. Send your children ready to play. They should be properly fed and clothed, and they should arrive on time. 3. Support the team, but do not instruct the players. It confuses your child and others, and undermines the efforts of the coach. 4. Avoid confusion when cheering. Do not say anything that is a command, such as "Pass it," "Shoot," or "Boot the ball." 5. Use positive encouragement instead. This would include such comments as "Way to go," "Nice effort," or "Stay with it." 6. Refrain from speaking to officials, unless it is to say thank you after the game. If you have questions or concerns with the referees, relay the information to the parent manager, who will take it to the coach. 7. Speak to the coach at the proper time. If you have concerns, use the telephone. If it is about a game, let the dust settle for a couple of days first. 8. Report to the coach all injuries, special medical conditions (such as asthma) or extenuating circumstances (such as lack of sleep or family crisis) that may affect the player. 9. Remember, youth soccer is "the game for all kids!" Support your child and all the other children on the field....praise success, ignore failure. The children are learning and having fun. They are pros.

 

 How to be a Great Soccer Parent

By Neal Frink

 I am both a parent and a coach. I stopped coaching my older son last year and now just coach the younger one. Over the past year I've been learning how to be a better parent/spectator. It ain't easy, but I'm trying. Here are a few of my thoughts on the topic. Sit away from the field. I have been finding it easier to enjoy the game when I move my chair further from the field. The combination of being close to the action and sitting in the middle of other engaged parents produces an edgy kind of energy that all too frequently gets the best of me. When possible, I like to find a spot where I can see more of the field a nearby hill or the top row of stands if they are available. Getting a little distance provides both literal and figurative perspective. At distance, it becomes more clear that I am watching children play. At distance, I am less likely to impose the same expectations I have when I watch the EPL, Series A, or even the MLS. It's also easier to more accurately judge whether the AR blew an off-side call AND easier not to care about it. Cheer, but not too loudly. I recall after one of my high school soccer games asking my mother not to cheer so loudly on the sideline. The next home game, I was a little bummed when I did not see her in the crowd when the game started. After the game I found her and gave her flack for showing up late to the game. She told me she'd been there the whole time, but had stayed toward the back of the crowd so as not to embarrass me. I think that was supposed to make me feel guilty. I gave her a hug, thanked her, and said I would know where to look for her at the next game. I think a child's hearing is particularly tuned to hear his parent's voice, even over the din of the crowd. And yes, kids can find their own parents to be particularly embarrassing. Don't coach from the sidelines. Last Sunday I was coaching my younger son's game. One of our players stripped the ball from an attacker near our end line and played it through the penalty area where it was intercepted and slammed into the back of our net. His mom's voice rang from the sideline Daniel, NOT in the middle. He came straight over to me in tears and said I know coach, I should have kicked it out of bounds. I told him it was OK, and NO, I'd rather have him not kick the ball out of bounds, we learn to balance risk and reward by playing soccer on the whole field. But he continued, coach, you don't understand, I'm not upset about THAT, I'm mad at my mother. Wow! A teachable moment for me. When I'm on the parent's sideline I need to be mindful not to undermine the coach, but more importantly not to undermine my son. Withhold advice. Ferenc Puskas scored 84 goals in 85 international games for Hungary. On receiving honors for his soccer career, he is quoted as saying I want to thank my father for all the advice he never gave me. And his father knew something about soccer they played on the same Hungarian team when Ferenc was 16! Sometimes after a game one of my boys will ask if I will shoot on them in goal. I need to indulge them more frequently when they make that request. Perhaps, like Ferenc, they'd get more out of playing a little soccer with their old man than hearing my advice. Ice cream! When I was a boy a got rides to most of my youth soccer games with Mr. Reiter, my teammate Eddie's dad. After every game, win or loss, Mr. Reiter would stop and treat the whole carload to ice cream. The quality and consistency of Mr. Reiter's kindness and generosity stays with me long after the memories of any of those games has faded. Now, on the way to my boys' soccer games we always scout out the UDF where we'll stop and get ice cream after the game. With a tip-of-the-hat to Mr. Reiter, it's a legacy I hope they'll each pass on to their kids.