Imagine being brought into a sport and taught how to play for a couple of years and then one day they go, “Right we are changing everything.” Essentially, human nature states categorically that people hate change. Put that change to a child and see how you go with that.
My son’s U8 soccer team have started their season 2010 with massive changes in their game, and except for the extra running and almost having to be put on fluid drips at the end of the game like their NRL colleagues, they handled the change well.
It is also a year of parents needing the tools to help their child not fall into the depths of despair as they take their turn at being keeper and happen to let one through. It’s what team sport is all about isn’t it? It is part of the process. Team sport assists parents when giving their children life lessons to help them grow into healthy happy adults.
We are also NRL families, in that we are Queenslanders, we have grown up watching it, and we have encouraged our children to watch and get involved with the inter-family tipping comp. (Packet of chippies and a lemonade is up for grabs at the end of the season). Together with what our children ‘deal’ with each week at their club soccer game, and now with trying to explain to them about what has happened with the Melbourne Storm and the NRL, we have plenty of life lesson opportunities to get the message across. To give our children the best and fairest approach is my only concern. Loyalty to a team when its on its last legs; don’t jump to conclusions until you have all the information; giving your team mate a pat on the back when they may have made a mistake; giving your team mate a high-five when they’ve done something great. This parenting gig is tough. It would be good to have a trainer running behind us giving instructions.
None the less, the parents of our U8 soccer team cannot wait for the season to progress and unfold, and as parents who also follow the NRL, we can only hope that the support we give our children in what to do in the current situation is right.
