This weekend my younger kids were done with outdoor, older one is getting ready for the academy showcase coming up and the phone rang. An old friend asked if I could help out at local level soccer tournament. Sure, nothing was on the calendar and the yard work can wait another week. As I am helping this past weekend I noticed things I haven't seen in ages. Girls giggling over wearing polka dot socks on the field. Boys coloring their hair in stripes of the team colors. Cars decorated with team names and numbers. Parents telling the kids "it's ok you lost, did you have fun ?" A dad telling another Dad, "boy this game is exciting, a player over there got a red flag", the other dad commented, "oh you mean a red card," and Dad #1 says "yes whatever, I have to learn this game, I admit it is fun to watch". I watched kids get excited over cheap replica jerseys of far away European teams. The same jerseys that the kids in my kids club would never be seen in. I found myself asking why are my kids getting in the car every week and having meltdown over a game if they lose. Every game to my younger 2 is played liked it is state cup final game, they train 5 days a week. Who was having more fun ? The kids I saw this weekend talked about the upcoming basketball season. Do my kids play BB ? nope, they play elite soccer, no time for that. I am not saying I have done my kids a dis-service, as they love their club and their team, and all the time playing never seems to get old to them. But what I saw this weekend was simple joy for the game. No one yelled at refeees, no parents went running up to the coaches after the game, no parents were pacing the sidelines because their prodigy was on the bench, just fun games. Thanks local soccer for the fun weekend, you made me smile about the sport again.
I have been seeing more and more of this as well, be patient we are getting there it's a long process but more and more people are starting to get a passion for the game of soccer and approach things the right way and it is exciting to witness first hand as you mention.
i am glad that my daughter did not go to the academy team. talking to a friend whose daughter(former teammate) went, there are other reasons but they don't do the team cheer before the game, at the half or end of the game. none of the 2,4,6,8 bridges with the other team or the parents after the game. no face painting, hair spraying. these are things my daughter enjoys doing. she's 9. when she stops wanting to do them i want it to be because SHE/they don't want to do it not becuase a coach won't let them.
Too true. One of the reasons I kept my kids in rec soccer as long as possible. They were still able to play flag football, basketball, and swim. When my oldest decided to focus on soccer, he was about 12. Now, he in the DAP. I have been coaching for over ten years, both comp and rec (primarily). I still have more fun at rec. This year, I have been volunteering on Sunday's help coach a developmentally disabled league (AYSO VIP). Talk about pure joy and fun. I love both, but if it was just comp, I think that I would lose my perspective...