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7v7•U10•Parents

Parents coaching the goalkeeper from behind the goal

Asked by GeordieJ82
0 views 10 replies
We have started getting adults standing behind our goalkeeper and giving constant instructions about where to stand, when to come out and who to pass to. Some mean well, but the keeper is looking backwards after every action. How would you deal with this without making parents feel they cannot support the child?

VERIFIED COACH ANSWER

VERIFIED COACH RESPONSE

UEFA C Coach

Younger-player confidence, behaviour, parents and communication

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I would deal with it away from the match rather than asking the goalkeeper to cope with two coaching teams. Explain to the parents that the keeper already has a lot to process: the ball, teammates, opponents and the coach’s information. Instructions from directly behind the goal can make every decision feel supervised. Give parents a positive alternative. Encourage effort, bravery and good decisions, but leave the positioning and distribution choices to the player and coach. I would be especially careful because goalkeepers can feel very exposed when mistakes happen. The message is not “stop supporting them.” It is “support them in a way that leaves the decision with them.” If the child keeps turning around for an answer, that is a pretty clear sign the adult information has become too much.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSION

Join the football discussion. 10 replies

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Davo77

Community Member

The worst one for us was distribution. Every adult had a different idea of who the keeper should roll to, so the child started looking over the barrier before releasing it.
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OldWhiteboard

Community Member

Once the keeper is checking the adults before the pitch, the decision-making problem is already visible. That is the moment I would reset the sideline behaviour.
H

Hannah_7

Community Member

We told parents they can praise the save, bravery or effort, but no instructions. It was easier than saying 'be quiet' because it gave them something they were still allowed to do.
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LouiseAgain

Community Member

The positive alternative works. Parents often fill silence because they think support has to sound like an instruction.
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ScouseP

Community Member

Would you actually ask parents not to stand behind the goal at all? Sometimes the pitch layout means that is the only decent place to watch from.
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NickUK

Community Member

I would allow watching there if the venue needs it. The issue is the commentary, not the postcode. A quiet parent behind the goal is very different from someone directing every action.
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HarryOnline

Community Member

Behind the goal should be the quietest place on the pitch, not a second technical area. We have had to remind parents that standing there does not give them a coaching licence.
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AaronInOxford

Community Member

Would you make it a club-wide rule? I can see it being much easier if every team says the same thing rather than one coach policing it alone.
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PaulInSuffolk

Community Member

I was guilty of this with my son in goal. I thought I was helping until he told me he could hear me and the coach at the same time and did not know who to listen to.
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SideStreet

Community Member

Good that he told you. Plenty of children would just try to satisfy both adults and end up making every choice late.