Tweet
Last evening I was coaching soccer in a 9-10 year-old league.
A mother (British born) took me aside and gave me a wrath of shit about yelling out negative things to the kids (particularly her daughter). I yelled to her kid to play the right side of the field, something I had told her at least 20 times in the past 4 weeks to do.
Yesterday, while this kid was at the other end of the field, I yelled it again, because obviously, by her actions (continually playing the left side of the field where she is weak) I figured she couldn't hear me.
I found it hard to imagine she was too deaf or stupid to ignore me, but evidently I was wrong.
So the mother gave me a bunch of shit, (within earshot of my wife, two daughters, and half the team) and finished with the saying, "It's all about fun, you know!"
"Well, then," I replied, "why are the kids disappointed when we lose?" and "Why are all the other teams working so hard to win?"
"You are too negative," she said, "and it hurt my kid's feelings."
"Fine," I said, "then I won't be coaching soccer next year."
This is my 4th year coaching soccer in this youth league, but I also have coached high school soccer for three years previously. Each year in this youth league, I was given the rag-tag bunch, the ones the coaches with connections didn't want, and I did well with them.
Three years ago my team took third place (out of 12 teams) in the final tournament.
Two years ago, and last year, we took second place each time (out of 12 teams).
Last year we could have taken first, but a kid (in a key tournament game) did what I told him all season not to do (allowing the other team to score) and we lost the match by one point.
All told we had 17 goals in the tournament, which was over 5 more than the winner, but they beat us because of that one game we lost (the first place team was undefeated in the tournament).
I was pissed. It was NOT fun for me, and not one person (player or parent) mentioned having any fun in the tournament at all.
Back to last evening...
W-T-Hell? This stupid kid continued the rest of the game doing the thing I told her not to do. She would go across field into another kid's zone, take the ball down the left (which is her weak side) not pass it, and lose it every time. This happened at least ten times. I didn't say anything. Fuck it.
Why do I even bother? To think others could actually rise to any level I expect of them must be ridiculous.
I am only going to exercise my influence on myself from now on. Fuck anybody else. This is what led me to being a swimmer over football and/or soccer, and this is what led me ultimately into the weight room. Evidently, this is my arena and that is where I should go to if I want to effect any positive change what-so-ever in my life (physically and/or athletically) at all.
The woman really pissed me off. I said nothing else for the rest of the game. Fuck it, let them have all the fun losing they can, then good riddance to them all.
Oh, by the way, we lost by one.
A mother (British born) took me aside and gave me a wrath of shit about yelling out negative things to the kids (particularly her daughter). I yelled to her kid to play the right side of the field, something I had told her at least 20 times in the past 4 weeks to do.
Yesterday, while this kid was at the other end of the field, I yelled it again, because obviously, by her actions (continually playing the left side of the field where she is weak) I figured she couldn't hear me.
I found it hard to imagine she was too deaf or stupid to ignore me, but evidently I was wrong.
So the mother gave me a bunch of shit, (within earshot of my wife, two daughters, and half the team) and finished with the saying, "It's all about fun, you know!"
"Well, then," I replied, "why are the kids disappointed when we lose?" and "Why are all the other teams working so hard to win?"
"You are too negative," she said, "and it hurt my kid's feelings."
"Fine," I said, "then I won't be coaching soccer next year."
This is my 4th year coaching soccer in this youth league, but I also have coached high school soccer for three years previously. Each year in this youth league, I was given the rag-tag bunch, the ones the coaches with connections didn't want, and I did well with them.
Three years ago my team took third place (out of 12 teams) in the final tournament.
Two years ago, and last year, we took second place each time (out of 12 teams).
Last year we could have taken first, but a kid (in a key tournament game) did what I told him all season not to do (allowing the other team to score) and we lost the match by one point.
All told we had 17 goals in the tournament, which was over 5 more than the winner, but they beat us because of that one game we lost (the first place team was undefeated in the tournament).
I was pissed. It was NOT fun for me, and not one person (player or parent) mentioned having any fun in the tournament at all.
Back to last evening...
W-T-Hell? This stupid kid continued the rest of the game doing the thing I told her not to do. She would go across field into another kid's zone, take the ball down the left (which is her weak side) not pass it, and lose it every time. This happened at least ten times. I didn't say anything. Fuck it.
Why do I even bother? To think others could actually rise to any level I expect of them must be ridiculous.
I am only going to exercise my influence on myself from now on. Fuck anybody else. This is what led me to being a swimmer over football and/or soccer, and this is what led me ultimately into the weight room. Evidently, this is my arena and that is where I should go to if I want to effect any positive change what-so-ever in my life (physically and/or athletically) at all.
The woman really pissed me off. I said nothing else for the rest of the game. Fuck it, let them have all the fun losing they can, then good riddance to them all.
Oh, by the way, we lost by one.
Comment