Parents still want every goal kick launched forward

Question

Our U8 coach is trying to let the keeper find a short option when it is on. A few parents behind the goal shout 'get it up there' almost every time. The children are starting to look at the adults before the restart. What is the best way for a club to deal with that without turning every game into a parent lecture?

Verified Coach · Accepted Answer

I’d deal with it away from the goal kick rather than during one.

The biggest issue is that the children are now looking at the adults for the answer. I’d explain to the parents that the goalkeeper is being encouraged to look and choose, not being told that every restart must be short.

Then keep the touchline request simple: encourage the players, but leave the decision to them.

It also helps if the coaches model the same behaviour. If the keeper rolls one out and it gets intercepted, the coach cannot immediately react like it was the wrong choice. Parents will copy that message very quickly.

You do not need a weekly lecture. One calm explanation of what the team is trying to develop, followed by consistent behaviour from the coaches, usually says more than arguing about individual goal kicks.

Hannah_7 · Answer

Our coach sent one message before the season saying encouragement yes, football instructions no. It specifically mentioned goal kicks because that was where the shouting was worst. Having it in writing helped.

BlackCoffee · Answer

I would ban 'get rid' and 'send it' before I worried about anything else. The keeper has enough to look at without four adults choosing the pass for them.

EmJ84 · Answer

We spoke to the whole touchline once. Much calmer since.

Jess1994 · Answer

We actually showed parents what we were working on at training. Keeper had two or three options and the outfield players had to move to make themselves available. Once parents saw it wasnt 'roll it short whatever happens', they were much more patient when a restart went wrong.

TouchlineTom7 · Answer

Do people find one message is enough? We have a couple who agree with everything in the WhatsApp group and then the first time the ball is near our goal they are straight back to shouting.

PaulW · Answer

Coaches have to own part of this. If we shout 'play out' one week and 'clear it' the second we get nervous, the parents just copy the mixed message.

Parents still want every goal kick launched forward

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