I manage an U12's team and was recently at a meeting for the football club. It was a standard meeting with discussion around kit, pitches and the like. When we got to AOB the vice chairman raised a point regarding referees. The point was basically that we are responsible for our parents and ensuring that referee's do not get abused and hassled from the touchline. This, in particular, relevant to mini-soccer where young referee's are started in their careers and are normally young lads themselves.
Mini-soccer is 7-a-side played by U9's and U10's. So there are parents that are so fired up watching their 9 year old play football that they are abusing a referee that is maybe 15 or 16 years old. Say that out loud and doesn't that sound horrendous? Football inspires passion, sure, but the perspective is completely gone. What is happening is that young referees are leaving the game as there's too much hassle. It's just not worth it.
Take this forward in another direction and there's the dream team mentality. Again I am talking about youth football here, U11's, U12's, U13's etc. It's great to be competitive and in some respects this opinion is easy to have as I am fortunate that the team I manage is competitive. In three seasons we have finished 3rd in the league twice and 4th on the other occasion (Champions League places!!), been cup runners up and cup winners. Not too bad.
We've done that in a framework of inclusivity. I have some terrific players in my squad, players that would get into any other team in the league. I also have some players who are not as strong. What they do have though, across the board, is friendship. The core of the group has been together since they were 5 or 6 years old. They have evolved from being a collection of kids running about chasing a football to a team that are contenders in the division.
They have done this as a group, they have grown as players together for a number of years and hopefully will continue to do so. The players now have a loyalty to the team and to each other. The lessons being learned are as much about friendship, camaraderie, loyalty and fun as they are the technical and tactical aspects of the game itself. I am not suggesting that we are the only team like this, far from it and I would hope that there were more. What I am doing is drawing a distinction between teams across the divisions that poach players from other teams, take better players with a view to creating a dream team. It must happen everywhere. I've heard stories about managers falling out with players. Again, say that out loud, a 40 year old man falling out with a 10year old that plays in his team. Horrendous. Players being approached by other teams with promises of what? Come to us and you will win?
It's the win at all costs that is the harmful factor, if young players are being encouraged to switch teams to win what are they learning? What happens if they then don't win? Parents and coaches on their backs? Or do they blame the ref? You get an increase in pressure and as the team has been assembled there may be little by way of solid relationships for the players to support each other. Do you win and lose as a team or did the defender make a mistake that cost us the game?
Youth football should be as much about learning the values of teamwork, friendship and loyalty as it should be about the game and winning. No-one likes to lose but how you lose is important, probably more so than how you win.
