Tips & Tricks

A PARENT'S ROLE...

Parental support is an important aspect of every child’s development. Parents often look to provide their children with knowledge and experience to help them fulfil their potential. But is this the best way of supporting a child’s development on the football pitch?

We have all seen parents shouting a constant stream of advice to their child in parks on a Sunday morning. These kinds of actions show a clear desire for their children to succeed, but are not always the best ways of supporting a child’s development on the pitch.

Football4Football’s Head of Development, Dean Gorré states that spectators at junior football matches should only give encouragement, as negativity will harm a child’s confidence.

For young children, football should be about having fun, staying healthy and enjoying the social side of the sport. Children under ten do not require in-depth tactical advice.

The likelihood of children remembering such information is slim. We all remember how short our attention spans were as children. Simply allowing them to play and express themselves will help them develop as players.

As parents, offer positive encouragement, and let the coaches do the coaching.

At what stage should young players be taking the game more seriously? Is this determined by age or level?