Information for Football Parents

Match days and Training
The majority of players have been issued with match kit, training shirts and jackets or hoodies. Players should wear their red training shirts to training and not their blue match tops, or use the match shirts for anything other than Stratton United matches.
We really need them to last as long as possible so younger players can use them in the future.


At all matches, home and away, FA rules state parents and other spectators must stand on the opposite side of the pitch to the coaches and substitutes. They should not stand behind the goals.
Please remember that for safeguarding reasons, all children under the age of 10 need to have an adult present on the sidelines at all times during training. As parents you are still responsible for your child's behaviour during training so need to be present. If someone else is bringing your child then they will be responsible for them.

Players should arrive for games at the time requested by the coach, wearing match kit (blue and white shirt, blue shorts and red socks), football boots, shin pads and club rain jacket or hoodie. Please also bring the red training shirt to away games and tournaments in case of a colour clash but our default match shirt is always blue unless notified otherwise.

Also, coaches don’t mind tying laces that have come undone during games and training but please make sure your child actually arrives with their laces tied!

Players should only bring a bottle of water to training and matches, not Prime, Lucozade or Red Bull etc. If they need an ‘energy drink’, fruit juice is perfect.

A Polite Request
If you are planning to leave us and take your child to another club, please let someone at our club know, or better still, give either your team coach or Club Welfare Officer Anna Parry (07894 536516 or annaparry@outlook.com) the chance to discuss it with you before committing to signing on for another team.

We try to make plans for the futures of all our players and their teams, as well as the club itself, and we can’t achieve this effectively if we don’t know which players we’ll have with us.

Sometimes the first anyone at the club knows about a player leaving is a transfer request from a local, rival club. Nearly always, the parent tells us they just didn’t have time to let us know.
No one here will stand in the way of any player who wants to move on, but it’s just basic good manners to spend 15 seconds typing a message to let us know. It definitely takes much longer to sign your child on with another club than it does to text and let us know they’re leaving!
Please also remember to return all kit.

 

Matchday do's and don'ts

Do arrive on time.
Do ensure your child is wearing the correct kit, rain jacket and brings a drink, preferably water.

Do offer praise, encouragement and applause – for both teams.

Do stand in the designated area for spectators.
Do praise effort and attitude, not just talent.
Do focus on your child’s enjoyment.
Don’t shout instructions from the touchline.

Don’t focus on mistakes, players naturally learn from them without outside influence.
Don’t follow your child up and down the touchline.
Don't pressure your child about winning or losing.
Don't question or abuse the referee.

Don't let any issue or concern 'stew', speak to the coach or Club Welfare Officer.

 

As parents, our ultimate wish for our children is for them to be safe, happy and healthy.

 

Much of their future lives will be shaped and influenced by the experiences they have during childhood, so it's no surprise that we make every possible effort to support and encourage our children in pursuing their interests. 

 

Football has a wide range of health, fitness and social benefits so anything you can do to encourage your child to take part in training, try their best in matches and have fun whilst doing so are well worth the effort. 

 

If your child has taken an interest in football, there are a number of things you can do to encourage them to stick with it.

 

Essential Tips for Being a Good Football Parent

Attend football matches

The most important way to show your support and get involved in your child’s footballing life is to attend their matches as often as possible.

 

Football matches can be hugely important events for young players and having parents and grandparents on the sidelines cheering them on, can act as a big motivator for kids.

 

Parents should accept that much of the background effort such as washing dirty kit, paying subs and driving to training sessions will go mostly unappreciated but is absolutely vital for a player, on the other hand matches are more likely to stand out in their memory, so prioritise attending them whenever possible.

 

Allow the coach to coach

From the sidelines a parent should only encourage their child, not shout tactical advice as this can conflict with the instructions given to them by their coach and cause confusion and anxiety in a young player.

 

Watching your child make mistakes can be difficult, and shouting directions may be tempting, but avoiding this is best. All too often, shouting out things like “MAN ON” and “PASS” can distract or confuse a child, increase their stress levels and impact their confidence.

Instead, leave them to play their game, let them learn from their mistakes and simply offer encouragement, praise and positivity.


However, if a parent believes they have something to offer as a coach, the club will fully support them and will pay the course fees and for the CRB/DBS checks necessary to become qualifed with the Football Association. We are always looking for new volunteers, coaches and trainee coaches so please get in touch if you are interested in getting involved.

 

Make space for football at home

It is common for children when starting new sporting activities which require a lot of time and commitment, to drop out when the initial excitement starts to die down.

As a football parent you must try to keep this excitement going and one way to do that is to make space for football in your home. 

 

By this we don’t mean kicking a ball around in the living room. Instead, do small things with your child like watching football locally or on television together, playing football in the garden or park, playing FIFA with them on the xBox or even just chatting about football over dinner or in the car.

 

Anything you can do to show your child that you have taken an interest in their hobby, and that they’re welcome to share it with you in whatever way they want, will help boost their motivation and excitement for the game. Be your child's number one fan.

 

Reduce emphasis on winning

If your child is new to the sport, especially if their experience of football has been watching the  professionals, it won’t be a surprise if their focus is on winning every game.

 

Unfortunately, this mentality can be very damaging to youth footballers who will feel heightened pressure during matches to win, rather than to simply play their best and enjoy themselves.

 

As a youth football parent, try to help your child focus on having fun and developing their skills rather than adding any 'must win' pressure.

 

Provide the essentials

Praise, encouragement and engagement are all cost-free ways of becoming the best football parent you can be, but there’s no denying that having a child involved in football requires time, effort and some financial commitment.

 

In order to help your child get involved in football, you’ll need to be prepared to transport them to matches and training sessions, pay their monthly subs as well as kitting them out with football boots and shin pads at the very least.

 

There are also optional, but equally essential items such as training wear, rain jackets, base layers and of course, every child should have their own football, preferably the correct size for their age group.

 

Report any concerns

Inform the coach or Club Welfare Officer if your child is experiencing any issues or difficulties away from football so the club can take steps to help and assist rather than inadvertantly aggravating a situation.

 

Anna Parry

Club Welfare Officer

annaparry@outlook.com
07894 536516