Coaching Sportsmanship

To parents: What you should see your child's coach doing this year I developed this document for use in South County Youth Soccer Assn. in the 1990s. As soccer coaches trainer for SCYSA, I was able to disseminate this document and promote its use at Under 8 and Under 10 levels. The basic idea is that the coach would give a copy of this document to each parent prior to the beginning of the season. Being that the parents knew what the coach was supposed to be doing, the idea is that the coach would more likely follow the guidelines detailed below:TO: THE PARENTS OF UNDER 8 AND UNDER 10 SOCCER PLAYERSFROM: SOUTH COUNTY YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATIONDURING THE COURSE OF THE SEASON, YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR CHILD'S COACH DOING THE FOLLOWING:1) As best as possible, the players should play equal time.2) Your coach should have each player play a variety of positions. not necessarily in one game, but at least throughout the season. You should not see the same few kids at center half or at defense, for example.3) With few exceptions, all children should play goalie. Your coach should try to rotate the goalie position throughout the team. (The more children who get a chance to play goalie, the better!)4) Your child's coach should obviously care more about the development of all players than he/she does about winning. This would mean that he/she does not allow their best players to overstep their bounds, in regard to their responsibilities, so as to cover up for weaker players. For example, the center half does not take the throw in when the ball is on the side of the right back (who might be a novice)5) Your coach should coordinate the subbing patterns with the other coach before the game. Talent on the field will be either mixed or not, and both coaches should be able to roughly anticipate who will be on the field for the other team at any point. For example, one coach would not try to outfox the other by putting in their two star players when the opposition just put in their two weakest players (Note: this was the most controversial suggestion, and was not followed universally)6) Your coach should be very positive on the sidelines. Negative comments should be rare. Instructive comments are fine. Positives should be ever present. It is hoped that the parents would mimic the positive style of the coach.7) The coach should also comment in a positive manner to the referees and to the other team's players. Comments such as "Excellent call, ref!" and "Super pass #7!" (on the other team) will hopefully convey to your fans and your players a spirit of sportsmanship.8) The coach should allow no "put-downs" in the handshake line. If necessary, they should repeat the ritual. 9) Your coach should highlight the defense as much as the offense in reporting scores to the local paper. Just reporting goals and assists ignores the important contributions of defenders who are much less likely to score.10) Your coach should encourage creativity, and should avoid condemning mistakes. Just getting to the ball and kicking it is not soccer. The coach (and the fans) should not contribute to a feeling of "panic" on the field by loud, consistent yelling. Players are not helped very much by hearing a chorus of "Kick it!" when they're playing the ball.11) Finally, it should be clearly evident to all that "winning the game" is not near the top of the priority list - that sportsmanship, integrity, team spirit, development of all players, etc. are all prioritized before winning (although winning IS nice!)If you, the parents, understand the expectations delineated above, it will be a lot easier for the coach to carry them through.NOTE: See Blog post entitled "If you want to win vs If you want to coach all kids" which wasused in conjunction with this document. Posted by Jim Buxton 

Every coach goes into every season with these types of goals in mind.  However, lets keep things real.  There are kids who, due to safety, fear, or just plain don't want to be there, that excludes them from playing certain positions.  I would be shocked if you could get every kid on a team to play goalie.  Usually you'll be lucky to get a couple of kids who want to do it.  If you have a strong team, no one wants to goalie because the ball is on the other side of the field the whole game. 

You can de-emphasize winning all you want, the kids do and will keep score.