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Have a team meeting - Parent, players, coach(es)

March 3 2002 at 9:01 AM
Ralph D. Shipler  (no login)
from IP address 64.12.105.162


Response to Looseing players

 

Confront the issue. It will not go away.

At you team meeting talk about setting priorities in life and the sense of accomplishment. If they are state cup capable talk about making the high school team and how that will embellish their social status.

Talk with the parents about athletes using drugs/alcohol less, less crime for athletes, fewer suicides, lower incidence of sexual activity, etc. What exactly are these kids going to do once they give up soccer? Let the parents do their job and have this serious discussion with the girls.

Important question, are you as coach making it fun to be part of the team? Are your girls required to stand around too much at practice? Are you talking too long and too much? Do you have them do crazy games that make for fun? Do you let them dictate something they want to do for 10 to 15 minutes at practice? Do you play enough small sided games at practice? Are you teaching too much strategy and philosophy that makes them stand around? Do you scream at the girls when they make mistakes? Are you introducing new drills and games to keep the excitement? With girls especially, do you have talk sessions with them about their lives outside of soccer? They want to be wanted as a person and then soccer player.

13 and over are very tough ages for any kid and especially girls in sports. Boys are not as distracted by social life impacting their sports.

There are no easy answers and if the girls want to quit you will not be able to stop them. 70% of all kids give up sports by age 13. Terrible statistic because sports can offer so many good principles they should lead their lives by. Continuing to be fun is a major reason to stay in sports.

 
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