tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7418180976901891245.post6102202741938841747..comments2010-06-28T18:14:08.267-04:00Jeffrey Rhoads [Inside Youth Sports]http://www.blogger.com/profile/14755096518688222702noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7418180976901891245.post-9875400963010065822010-06-28T17:51:03.524-04:002010-06-28T17:51:03.524-04:00Good post.<br /><br />I coach soccer and I invite all the parents to scream and yell all they want on the sidelines - as long as it is encouraging. But I tell them that I would appreciate it if they do not try to coach from the sidelines. I inform them that they may be contradicting what the coaching staff wants to do or what we are working on. That, as your post points out, puts the kid in a tough position where they must decide between listening to their coach or their mom / dad.<br /><br />I was coaching the tournament championship game for soccer one year. We coached the center striker to stand on-sides next to the opposing sweeper and wait and wait and wait for a scoring chance. We were up against a very talented team that put constant pressure on our defense. As a result the offensive players did not get as much action as they were used to. Our striker was a gifted soccer player with tremendous speed and a great ability to score. He waited calmly for a chance to make something happen.<br /><br />His dad, a loud mouth who did not go to many games, was in the stands for this key game. During the game the dad was yelling for the kid to hustle more and go get involved. <br /><br />The kid held his position throughout the game as he was coached, but the dad kept riding him. With 2 minutes left in a 0-0 game and frustration setting in, the kid finally gave in to the dad and moved out of position toward the action. <br /><br />As the kid was moved away from his position our defender delivered a beautiful pass to space behind the opposing defense. Our striker was 15 yards out of position but still managed to use his speed and get to the ball. He got a shot off but it was contested by the defender and deflected. Had he been in position, he may have scored easily. <br /><br />After the game, which we lost in a shootout, we instructed the player to stay in position and have patience in the next game - and if he had done so he would have had a better chance to score - the kid said I know, but my dad was yelling at me so much.STATS DADhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02064339642016778441noreply@blogger.com