Photo courtesy of the Cosmopolitan Junior Soccer League
By Randy Vogt, Director of Public Relations, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
May 2, 2023-It borders on the ridiculous. Opposing coaches standing 20 yards apart on the touchline without any interaction whatsoever with one another for an hour-plus before the game and during the match until shaking hands after the game.
If only they knew how better the match tends to go when the opposing coaches have a conversation before the game and wish one another good luck. A simple gesture goes a long way! And if nobody takes the first step, the home coach should welcome the visiting coach and players to the field.
Yes, I know that coaches and trainers before the match are busy sorting out who is at the field, who is still coming, putting the players through their warm-ups, etc. But there must be a few minutes to spare to talk to the opposing coaches.
During this Spring Season in the Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA), the opposing coaches greeted one another before the game in roughly half the matches I officiated.
It’s so important to discipline because in the games that I’ve officiated so far this spring, there were 1.3 cards (yellow or red) for every 10 games where the opposing coaches greeted one another. And 13 cards (yellow or red) for every 10 matches where the opposing coaches did not interact. In other words, there were 10 times the number of cards in games where the coaches ignored one another until shaking hands after the game. Players recognize this and follow the coach, who is their role model on how to act.
And who knows, when you strike up a conversation with the opposing coach, you might have made a new friend.
With approximately 100,000 youth soccer players––both boys and girls––and more than 25,000 volunteers, the non-profit Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association (ENYYSA) stretches from Montauk Point, Long Island to the Canadian border. Members are affiliated with 10 leagues throughout the association, which covers the entire state of New York east of Route 81. ENYYSA exists to promote and enhance the game of soccer for children and teenagers between the ages of 5 and 19 years old, and to encourage the healthy development of youth players, coaches, referees and administrators. All levels of soccer are offered––from intramural, travel team and premier players as well as Children With Special Needs. No child who wants to play soccer is turned away. ENYYSA is a proud member of the United States Soccer Federation and United States Youth Soccer. For more information, please log on to http://www.enysoccer.com/