Love of the Game

Coaches.....some of y’all should be embarrassed. Soccer has turned into a business. Sad but pathetic. How many kids are leaving soccer and going to other sports? Coaches of ten like to blame parents but in reality it’s the coach most often. Lies, work ethic among other things. These are people our children are suppose to look up to? Coaches that coach for a living versus having a job and doing soccer because you love it. That is what’s missing in today’s world. Five or six teams...really? For what? So you can make a living? Please! These kids desire to be wanted/needed and when you show no effort it’s an embarrassment. If you as a coach are offended, then you are part of the problem. Soccer is suppose to be fun and encourage growth not stifle it. Yes this is from a former player/coach/parent. Some of y’all will make fun of this, that’s cool. No problem. Some will say my kid was not good enough...therefore sour grapes. Nope, sorry. My child won’t play anymore because the game is no longer a game. It’s an unethical business that destroys kids. There are good coaches out there. Not many. They usually hang out in the lower ranks where the politics don’t effect them.

I feel your pain! Hard to recognize all the snakes out their lying in the grass waiting to strike on the unsuspecting parent.

Agree 100%, coaches like Thorsten Schmugge at FCD is a good example of what to avoid. Parents beware when dealing with this coach as he will sell you the bill of goods.

As a parent you need to do your due diligence on potential coaches, as it is a business to them.  If your child ends up in a bad situation you have no where to look other than in the mirror.

You need to carefully think through the pros & cons when you are considering signing up with a coach who is dependent on youth soccer income for their primary livelihood.  

We preferred coaches who had demonstrated success and continuity in another job other than youth soccer for our kids.  

Those coaches just seemed to have a better perspective, particularly where youth soccer fits in the game of life for 99% of the kids.

Go watch a coach you are interested in, doing his/her thing, prior to the time they are starting to recruit. See how they interact with their kids and parents. They are on their best behavior when they know people are looking at their team as a possibility. You just might catch a glimpse of their true self.

Lefty wrote:As a parent you need to do your due diligence on potential coaches, as it is a business to them.  If your child ends up in a bad situation you have no where to look other than in the mirror.

You need to carefully think through the pros & cons when you are considering signing up with a coach who is dependent on youth soccer income for their primary livelihood.  

We preferred coaches who had demonstrated success and continuity in another job other than youth soccer for our kids.  

Those coaches just seemed to have a better perspective, particularly where youth soccer fits in the game of life for 99% of the kids.

Yes - 100%!!! I'm generalizing here, but I tend to think "priorities" get skewed when the primary income comes from Soccer