They Play

Do you remember who won the U12 match at your club twenty-four Saturdays ago? Neither does anyone else. So let me be as blunt as possible. 

Children on a youth team should play. 

Youth sport has lost its way if we have no room for all children to enjoy the game. 

Dear Parents,
Stop being obsessed with winning at the expense of sanity. 

Dear Coaches, 
Let’s get over ourselves. Our trophy case does not make us leaders. Our humanity does. 

Here’s how I see it. Not that I dictate policy beyond the professional club with which I work in Spain. But let me say that I do work in professional football in Spain. So, if we can ensure that each top academy footballer plays, I am pretty sure Des Moines, Iowa may find playing time for little Jamie. 

If you accept a young player on to your team, she plays. He plays. They all play. 

Not 3 minutes. Not garbage time. Not out of obligation, but out of opportunity. 

Of course, a player must come to train. Of course a player must behave well. Of course there are standards to be met with respect to the values of the club and the values of sport in general. But given all is in order, let him play.

As players advance to varsity high school teams or U18 competitive clubs, choices may be made. The best emerge and in collegiate environments the reality is that the best represent the organization. I get that. Players at those levels understand that. They sign up and are old enough to make choices about the commitments they make and the consequences of competitive football at the upper tier of the game. Even there I believe there is more room than most imagine for greater participation. But let me leave that to the universities. 

All of youth sport is recreational. 

Everyone plays. Ration minutes, yes. There may be exceptions to quantity of time afforded to the healthiest, most disciplined and committed players with a positive attitude. I get that. Be reasonable. Flexibility abounds. 

If coaches complain about the parents and parents complain about the coaches, children lose. 

Strand up, set policy. 

And let them play.