Why is this important?

1. Why is this important? • Soccer is the fastest growing sport in America for boys and girls • Potential to be agreat learning experience for the participants • Parents play a vital role in their children’s success

2. Ways Parents Sabotage • Over-questioning • Critical comments • Misguided motivation • Excessive competitiveness • Unrealistic demands • Contradictory goals

3. Goals • Provide knowledge of the game • Demonstrate transferable skills • Reveal affirming attitudes that will maximize your ability to • be a positive force on the sideline • ensure a successful soccer experience for your child • minimize the potential of sabotage

4. Objectives • Identify and demonstrate appropriate spectator behavior • Demonstrate positive influence/force on the sideline and promote team synergy • Correctly identify game situations/plays • Correctly identify calls/motions by the referee

5. Parental Roles and Responsibilities

6. Making positive contributions • No coaching from the sidelines • Do not criticize the child’s play • Be their best fan and support them unconditionally • After the game, focus on the positive aspects

7. Making positive contributions (cont’d) • Develop responsibility (for uniform, water, ball, etc) • Show respect for the facilities at the game • Do not criticize the coach, referee, other parents, teammates or opponents • Encourage the child to speak with the coach

8. Making a positive contribution (cont’d) • Monitor child’s eating and sleeping habits • Help establish correct priorities (i.e. family, schoolwork, sports, etc) • Focus on performance, not on the result • Support all players

9. Making a positive contribution (cont’d) • Understand/clarify coach’s expectations of players • Participate and contribute to the group to foster teamwork and camaraderie

10. Game Time Etiquette/Protocol • Show up on time (as dictated by coach) • Have resources for game and player information (i.e. website, schedules, team roster and phone list, club information numbers, game cancellation procedures, etc) • Demonstrate conflict management on the sidelines (i.e. defusing volatile situations) • Demonstrate respect/support for all game officials and coaches 

11. Coach’s Responsibilities Include… • Promote social and moral development • Practice a “positive approach” to coaching • Provide a safe environment to learn and grow • Demonstrate respect for all individuals involved in the game

12. But DO NOT include… • Babysitting • Waiting for parents to pickup their player • Ensuring a winning season • Supplying whatever a player forgets • Accommodating individual schedules

13. Coach’s Expectations of Parents…. • To respect the coaches, referees, players, spectators and opponents • To demonstrate positive, affirming actions on the sidelines • To support their child’s efforts • To NOT coach or beratefrom the sidelines • To participate in the team in a positive manner

14. And Still a Few More Expectations…. • To present all misunderstandings or questions directly to the coach at the appropriate time • To give their child responsibility for his or her conduct and preparation • To have their child to games and practices on time • To communicate all schedule conflicts to the coach • To NOT interfere with their child’s learning process in any way