A Guide to Helping Your Child Choose a Soccer Club: Questions to Ask and Supportive Approaches
Understanding your child’s goals and interests is very important, but the second most important thing is selecting a perfect youth soccer club for your kid. As a parent, it is your responsibility to find the right club for them and provide your kid with the essential support they need. Researching and evaluating soccer clubs is not as tough as it sounds.
As a parent, you only need to ask a few questions, which will help you decide if the club is good for the child. Remember that once you find that a club is good enough for the kid, ask them if they want to join the club or if they need to see other options.
Top 5 questions you should ask before selecting a youth soccer club
Here are the top 5 questions every parent can ask when selecting a youth soccer club for their kids.
What is the experience and qualification of your coaching team?
To start helping your child choose a soccer club, you need to start by questioning the coach’s qualifications at a club. There are 2 types of clubs. One type has volunteer coaches, while the other one has qualified coaches. To better develop your child, you must ask about the coach’s qualifications at the club.
What is the club’s fee, and are there any additional charges?
It can greatly impact your child’s development if you cannot pay their fee or any additional charges, and the child must switch clubs. So, before you choose a club for your kid, learn about their fee structure and ask if there are any additional charges. You want to ask for complete transparency to efficiently manage your budget.
How will the club handle my kid’s development and progress?
Every child has different potential; if he is polished right, that potential becomes great. However, some clubs are not good at dealing with growth since they don’t have a clear pathway for the kid to progress. If you want to ask about switching to upper-level clubs as the child improves or moving to elite-level teams in the same club, ask it away and clarify all your confusion.
What is the growth and playing philosophy at this club?
It is a fundamental question. Is the club’s main goal to win at all costs, or is it more player development-focused? While some clubs may prioritize winning in competitions, others could place more of a focus on improving players’ skills and encouraging a passion for the sport. Choosing a club whose philosophies align with those of your kid and yourself is crucial.
How much playing time does a child get at the club?
In highly competitive settings, playing time may be a difficult topic. It’s critical to know how playing time choices are determined upfront. Equal or significant playing time may be more important for younger children, while playing time may be more performance-based for later age groups or top teams. Also, ask your kid about the playing time he wants, as it may vary from kid to kid.
Top 5 tips for youth soccer parents to be supportive of their kids
Supporting your child’s decision about selecting a club is what every parent must do. If you want to become a supportive parent for your kid while they play soccer, here are a few tips that will help you improve.
Always prioritize enjoyment and fun through sports.
Never forget that soccer should be enjoyable for children. Instead of concentrating just on winning or being the greatest, encourage them to have fun playing the game and making friends. The more likely they will remain with the sport and profit in the long run, the more they like it. It is a smart way for parents can keep their kids consistent with the sport without pushing anything on them.
Be very open to communication with your kids and their coaches
Talk often about your child’s experience. Find out their feelings, what they liked, and any areas where they need help. This not only demonstrates your compassion but also aids in your understanding level of their wants and worries, enabling you to provide them with additional assistance.
Always encourage small achievements and leave positive feedback for their shortcomings.
Place more emphasis on your child’s effort than the result of a game. You should recognize their effort, tenacity, and grit, whether they win or lose. This encourages a development perspective and enables children to see setbacks as chances to progress. It will also be your way of motivating your kid through the development process.
Educate yourself about the sport to get more involved
Spend some time learning the fundamentals of sport and the phases of young soccer development. You may use this to ensure you’re not placing excessive pressure on your kid and to help you establish appropriate expectations for them.
Remember that not every kid will grow up to play professional soccer, and that’s good. They may use the knowledge, discipline, and ideals acquired via sports in various spheres.
Leave technical coaching stuff up to the coaches.
While watching your child play, you may feel the strong urge to shout helpful tips, instructions, or criticism to the child. Remember that the child has his mind working as per the instructions from the coach, and when you do that, both those instructions can stress the child, and they may become confused while playing.
So, to be a supportive parent from the crowd, you must cheer for them from the sidelines.
Conclusion
When finding a youth soccer club, you must not choose any random option only after hearing about it. It is because if your kid is interested in the sport and you want them to play as a professional soccer player in the future, you need to ensure that their base with soccer is very strong. That is only possible if they join the right youth soccer club.
You can get help from the questions shared above, but for an even better selection experience, attending trials and assessments will tell you the merit and quality of training and coaches at that club.
