As we were coming to the end of the season, coronavirus decided to ruin all our fun, league run in, cup finals, tournaments but during and old blog we thought it would be a good idea to post some ideas about Sunday football.
I enjoy the thought of watching Sunday football, but then so often it Is ruined by coaches (dads) and parents on the sideline. I get all the branding around RESPECT, Respect Barrier, silent sidelines, 21 days of positivity and all that. Ive watch the Ray Winstone videos. But I can be certain that the culture of grassroots football is so bad. It’s very rare to watch kids play on a Sunday without my stomach being turned.
I have seen on a regular basis coaches shouting ‘he doesn’t want it’ about a 7 year old opponent. Coaches almost chasing referees at U8 games. I even see these referees, who are generally home Dads cheat, and even get on the back of the kids on the opposing team, mid game shouting at the kids. Add to that parents, cheering fouls, dirty tackles, encouraging kids to get stuck in and appealing for every decision whether it is their way or not.
It’s crazy!
I often question what the aims of a child and /or their parent is surrounding Sunday football. Surely the primary is to have fun and maybe learn a little. So if that is the case, what’s with all the shouting? Can you imagine a Mum going into Maths and appealing with the teacher that her son had got the sum right? Actually I can imagine that! What a thought!
I’m regularly told or asked about my opinion on the EJA and JPL. Children moving clubs to play for a new team, away from their mates, and into a more expensive team who train twice a week. These Sunday leagues with branding and used by coaches and clubs to make money out of parents… I do not see the players having more fun and / or learning more. I do not see it!
There are definitely leagues with better teams than others, but that can be said about grassroots league to grassroots league too.
Is playing a better team, as a one off on a Sunday, where a child is told to lump it long, or trip someone over to knick a foul improving the Childs fun? or learning? No way!
When you are training 4/5 times a week and developing in the individual components which will help you become a better player, use your Sunday game to express yourself, to practice, and to make mistakes. This is where you will learn and get to practice those moves and re train yet again.
When you are worrying about your team mates not being at your level, worrying about the level of the opposition, worrying about what is being shouted at you, worrying about winning a Sunday morning game, you are focused in the wrong areas.
Think about what you are trying to achieve, really, think about it!