The Coaches' Room
7v7U10Confidence & Behaviour

Our players celebrate opposition mistakes too much

Asked by AaronInOxford
0 views 6 replies
They are not abusive, but a miskick or missed chance from the other team can get a bigger reaction than our own good defending. I like that they are competitive. How do you keep that edge while making sure the enjoyment is not coming from embarrassing another child?

VERIFIED COACH ANSWER

VERIFIED COACH RESPONSE

UEFA C Coach

Younger-player confidence, behaviour, parents and communication

Why don't we show coach names?
I would deal with the behaviour without trying to remove the competitiveness. Make the line clear: we can celebrate what we do; we do not celebrate another child being embarrassed. Then give them something positive to react to. Big praise for the teammate who pressed, recovered or defended well means the group still gets that competitive release. I would not give a long sportsmanship speech every time. A quick “we celebrate us, not their mistake” is enough in the moment. Children often copy the emotional tone around them, so adults matter too. If parents laugh at an opponent’s miskick, the players receive the message very quickly. Wanting to win is fine. Enjoying somebody else feeling bad is the bit I would challenge.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

Join the football discussion. 6 replies

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SamOnline

Community Member

Most players know the difference between celebrating your own pressure causing an error and laughing at somebody's miskick. Adults can blur that line if the sideline joins in.
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OldNotebook

Community Member

Adults can turn 'competitive environment' into a very flexible phrase when it excuses something they would hate aimed at their own child.
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NeilS

Community Member

I stop it immediately. Competitive is trying to beat the other team, not enjoying a ten-year-old being embarrassed.
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Davo77

Community Member

I agree, although I still want them celebrating when pressure forces an error. I tend to praise our action straight away so the focus stays on what we did.
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RachelInLiverpool

Community Member

We had to correct this at home too. My son started laughing at miskicks because a couple of adults on the side did it. Children pick up the tone quicker than we realise.
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DogWalkUK

Community Member

Same here. We focused so much on what the players were doing that we missed where they had learned the reaction from.