By Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching Instruction, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
I think I understand the many influences and issues in youth sports better than most. I should. I spend every working moment and beyond immersed in youth sports. My role is not restricted to one specific area rather it is one where I have to be actively engaged with players, coaches, parents, club’s and league directors. I am lucky to add this group by having acquaintances with national and indeed international administrators and influencers in the game.
I say lucky because I have always viewed myself as a teacher, soccer is simply the classroom that I get to practice and perfect my craft in. My passion for the “classroom” is in no doubt driven by my personal experience. I was a troubled kid and teenager, full of self-doubt, insecurity, nerves (displayed with a horrible stutter) and confusion over the world and my place within it.
A soccer team came to my rescue- it game me a place to belong where others valued my desire to try as hard as I possibly could no matter the score. I reflect now on the things my youth team gave me and the things the experience taught me-
1) You never quit – whatever the score or the opponent you work harder – resilience is key. I played one game with the flu and ended up being taken to the hospital as I collapsed on the field
2) You never let your team mates down- your loyal and reliable to a fault. Not one of my teammates ever doubted I would be there. In turn I never doubted they would.
3) You work hard and go the extra mile to help your team- nothing comes easy. I was a very mediocre player who though an enormous amount of time with a ball and training on my own managed to get to play at a high level.
4) You learn to communicate in a very honest and demanding way that the needs of team come before your own needs or desires.
5) You figure out after many attempts how to deal with adversity, confrontation and loss in a noble way that allows you to grow from each problem rather than be emotionally crippled by it.
6) You learn about sacrifice and that sometimes however inconvenient it maybe the team must come first.
7) You learn to respect the game and the opponent because at times you come across an opponent who exemplifies everything you wish to be – they are brave, determined, hardworking and honest.
8) Because you love your team you learn not to cheat. You don’t cheat but not giving your best, you don’t cheat in a game, “ref it went out” and most importantly you don’t cheat yourself by ever letting anyone down.
9) If you give your word, you keep it. No matter what it takes as the sense of honor you will develop will be yours for life.
More than soccer I hold the value and the life lessons that being on a team can bring as being the most important developmental factor in sport. The character traits that a true commitment to being on a team can bring are priceless. Better to chase these that the college scholarships.
As I travel around the country and talk to friends from around the world what seems apparent is that the meaning of TEAM the value and the character traits presented above is under threat. That somehow the concept of team is being thrown away and that some wish to make it convenient and disposable.
• Kids miss practices and games due to being on other teams.
• Kids miss practices and games due to birthday parties, dance recitals etc.
• Parents tell kids to avoid telling the truth about why they miss.
• Players leave games halfway through when their team is already players down.
• Players explaining that they cannot give their best effort as they are saving themselves for the next game.
• Players explaining that they can not try harder as they just game from another game.
• Players stop trying to compete when losing 3 or 4 nil.
• Key teaching moments in games when a coach had the chance to make a valuable character growth teaching point passed up as the result came first.
• Coaches step in and solve conflicts when players had the opportunity to grow by sorting it out themselves.
• Parents pull kids from games because they are not playing in the position the parent thinks they should ("Yes, my kid is a 9")
• Coaches afraid to address the issues when a player lets the team down for fear of reprisals and parent rebellion.
I understand the discussions on broad based physical literacy as I do that on sport sampling, the dangers of early specialization and those of overuse injuries. I am acutely aware of the win at all cost’s nature of many youth sports clubs and environments. In short, I think I have a decent grasp of all the issues within youth soccer. I believe that there are very few definite’ s in the game.
With all that being stated I can say that all parents, coaches, clubs and administrator should get back to promoting the value of TEAM and should do so now. Realize your kids will probably not become professional athletes or get a college scholarship they may, by virtue of being in a good team environment and BEING HELD ACCOUnTABLE FOR BEING A ACTIVE AND HONEST PART OF A TEAM, pick up and master many life skills that will be needed in abundance throughout adulthood.