An Important Message About Spectator Behaviour
We would like to remind everyone about the HRJFC Spectator Code of Conduct.
At HRJFC, our driving principles are about providing a fun, safe environment for the kids, and developing their skills and love of the game.
As we like to say: IT’S THEIR GAME, SO JUST LET THEM PLAY
We therefore strongly discourage parents from coaching or shouting out instructions from the sidelines – please let the coach do the coaching.
By all means be vocal, but just make sure your words are words of encouragement, and not criticism
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The Dangers of Parents Coaching from the Sidelines
Soccer parents can often become embroiled in the emotions of the game while watching their son or daughter play. This can lead to parents coaching their children from the sidelines which is detrimental to their child’s learning process and overall enjoyment of the game.
The learning process is a long and complicated journey for an aspiring young soccer player. There has been much debate on how long it takes to master a sport. Malcolm Gladwell’s “10,000 Hour Rule” theory – in which he claims it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a field – has been scrutinized and remains open to debate. Whatever the amount of time it takes, we should all remember that learning and succeeding at anything, including soccer, is not a quick process.
Within that learning process, players will make mistakes. Many of them. Parents must be clear that allowing young players to make mistakes is an integral part of this process. If young players can make mistakes without fear or anxiety, they can enter a sweet spot of learning. In this sweet spot, a player can express creativity, solve problems, become resilient, build character, and develop other important life skills that all parents want for their children. Of course these personal attributes will take time to foster, which is why parents should be patient and comfortable with their children making mistakes.
When parents lose sight of this process, they become frustrated with all the mistakes and try to ‘help’ by coaching from the sidelines. This adds pressure and builds negativity in a child’s playing experience. The effects can be further errors, reduced performance, and less enjoyment, which in turn, can lead to a vicious cycle of more sideline coaching from the parent and the potential of the child losing interest in the game.
