2If you're like many parents, chances are good that you've got a kid enrolled in one sport or another. One of the most popular sports for school-age children in America today is soccer. Thousands of parents spend their Saturdays and Sundays loading up the minivan with gear, hanging out on a field come rain or shine, and cheering their youngster on. However, there are good ways and bad ways to make your presence known at a kids' soccer game.Chair or blanket
Cooler with water bottles
- Make yourself comfortable. Pack a chair or blanket to sit on, bring a cooler with water bottles if it's a warm day. Plan on a bag of snacks if you're bringing other children along. If you have small kids with you, include a couple of toys to keep them busy. Many soccer leagues have parents on one side of the field, and coaches and players on the other - be sure to sit in the right spot! Don't get too close to the sidelines, though. Even if you want to be able to see well, leave a few feet between you and the edge of the field. This will help keep everyone safe.Let the coach do his job. A child playing soccer knows he has to listen to his coach, but he also knows he has to listen to his parents. Sending conflicting messages will just confuse the child and undermine the coach's authority. If the coach is telling the child to run forward, and you're on the side screaming that he needs to back up, the kid won't go anywhere at all. It's not fair to players to make them choose between coaches and parents for advice, so let the coach call the shots.Use positive reinforcement for the entire team. Your kid might not be the one who scored the goal, but you should still cheer on the child who did. Use team shout-outs often ("Way to go, Tigers!"), as well as individual encouragement ("Good job, Jacob! Nice pass, Kelly!"). Even if a child fails at what they're doing, still congratulate them for the effort.Never belittle opposing players. While it's perfectly fine to praise your own child's team, it's never okay to talk trash about the other kids. Find ways to encourage your own team without being negative about others. It's also good sportsmanship to praise your opponents if they do something well ("Good defense, Panthers!").When the game is over, invite other parents to form a victory tunnel. This is where parents line up facing one another, arms up in the air, to form a pass-through. Both teams should be allowed to run through it, no matter which team won the game. Afterwards, congratulate both teams on a job well done.
