Sometimes as I slouch down in my lawn chair watching my grandchildren’s soccer games, I indulge in wishful thinking. Only skillful, focused players on the field. Only knowledgeable, supportive parents on the sidelines. Only coaches who remember the bottom line is character development and not just winning games. Only top-notch officials running the lines and the field. Never going to happen. Like I said - wishful thinking.

Many first time coaches volunteer or are volunteered to do the job. First things first…Relax.  Relax and think about how much fun you are going to have with these little Under-6 and Under-8 soccer players.

As another soccer season approaches, we figured this would be a timely article. It has always been interesting watching the interactions (or lack thereof) of parents and coaches. Usually the interaction is good, but at times it can be strained, to the detriment of the team. We all have our pet peeves, so we figured we’d come up with a couple of lists that highlight what we all can do to make the beautiful game more enjoyable for our kids AND the adults.