Wrote this about Sussex Kids Football Managers, Coaches, & Volunteers.

[chaileyjem]

Forgive the spam but wrote this about how on earth i ended up managing a kids football team in the Sussex Sunday Youth League.
I know there's a fair few of us on NSC who do likewise, or have kids who play in the various leagues, so interested in hearing from other managers, volunteers, coaches and your thoughts as to whether it captures what its like.
https://5thingsilearned.com/5-things-i-ve-learned-managing-a-youth-football-team-4156f8bd312b

 

[Quinney]

I used to run my lads team for a couple of seasons. I remember the frustration of picking my 11 players and then only having 8 turn up to play (mainly because the parents couldn't be arsed to get out of bed on a Sunday morning). And then of course you get the Mum or Dad who thinks their lad should be playing every week but can't actually kick a ball.

 

[Mayonaise]

Jem I can relate to every word of that.

I too did a four year stint and although I enjoyed much of it, the state of the pitches (when the game wasn't postponed) was the biggest bugbear - I used to spend every saturday morning in summer and autumn, teaching kids to move to the ball around, playing into space and keeping the shape - when reality after the first couple of months of a new season was all about being well beaten by sides who just hoofed forward out of mud!

I did see my year group through and its great to see that most of those lads have now grown up and have turned out all right. I don't know how many are still playing organised football though.

I honestly believe that we have got some real young talent in this country and many coaches a lot better than myself but this will never bear fruit until we invest heavily in grass roots. We can't change the weather so we either need all weather pitches or municipal versions of the Lancing set up.

 

[The Hon Sec]

Enjoyed that and I can relate to it as can many no doubt. I was involved in local lower league and boys football for years and recognise many of the points you make. Making all the arrangements for the weekend game and then spending ages contacting everyone to cancel it is so frustrating.

 

[glasfryn]

I used to run my lads team for a couple of seasons. I remember the frustration of picking my 11 players and then only having 8 turn up to play (mainly because the parents couldn't be arsed to get out of bed on a Sunday morning). And then of course you get the Mum or Dad who thinks their lad should be playing every week but can't actually kick a ball.

been there and got the grubby teeshirt
many times I took my son who would have been at least1 year younger than most and had to play him as one or two or sometimes even more did not turn up (I made a rule in the end do it twice and you don't play again and found one or two little gems who had never had the chance before)
was very rewarding at times and very frustrating at other times

 

[BeardyChops]

I can relate to that a lot. I'm not in the least bit capable of kicking a football straight myself - but spent a few years as a boys football club secretary, running the line, and helping out with the transport, nets etc.

The worst thing I remember was the attitude of the county FAs. They seemed at the time to be full of ex referees (and god knows we needed more actual referees) who enjoyed the paperwork (hence the need for a club secretary). The attitude to grassroots football could be so much better, but while there's some good intention from the top, it doesn't find its way down.

 

[Beach Hut]

Did the full U8s - U16s managing my eldest sons team at ASC Strikers.

Lots of grief, several times the team nearly folded, good help from two Dads, luckily one players Dad was a referee so always did the line and some great times as well.

What did I learn ?

I never knew it was my responsibility to ensure each kid would end up as a good as Maradona.
Some kids, especially younger ones, had zero interest and were living their Dads dream, basically they were crap and not footballers.
Zipper parents (divorced / split up) were the most difficult of the lot, kind of handing out marriage guidance half the time.
Watching 7 of the original U8s turn to U16s was thoroughly rewarding and the last season we did was really enjoyable
Bad Dad for hardly watching any of my youngest sons football but made up for it in the end.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Good read that.

My sport is cricket and I can draw many parallels to that but there are also many differences.
We don't have issues with players not turning up for matches
Our remit does not include ground prep.

But the heaps of lost property I accumulate each year is mad.

For team management, I've found "Teamer" really useful, especially in the "GAME OFF" scenario. [and its free]

 

[BN9 BHA]

Good read Jem.
I have 100% respect for anyone that does what you are doing, I've got 2 sons that play, 1 u-12s and 1 u-18s, they have both played since a very young age.

 

[Peter Grummit]

Bang on the button, Jem, nice piece.

I suspect you are particularly unfortunate in playing in the clay Weald. Chailey Common is just about the worst set of pitches I have seen in the County, having watched all 3 of my boys play Sunday football. We play a few miles south at Kingston and the chalk soil on a slight slope means it is very rare for a home game to be called off.

I've only played a peripheral role (linesman, goals, sometimes helping with training sessions: I manage cricket in the summer) but our parental group is very supportive of the manager. We were rewarded a fortnight ago with back2back titles in my youngest lad's last (U16) game. We've also been on tour to Cardiff, Dieppe and Hamburg as well as hosting an international tournament at the Dripping Pan. It's been a great experience and, more importantly, the boys have a really strong friendship group to draw on.

PG

 

[portslade seagull]

Had sixteen yrs of this as my three sons all worked there way through the years to u16s. Reffed 15yrs with them and then was called up by other teams for another 5yrs so most sundays and Saturdays were taken for footy unless they clashed with an Albion match.

 

[deslynhamsmoustache1]

Magnificent read. We have professional players earning hundreds of thousands a week, the few 3G and 4G pitches that are around are prohibitory expensive to hire,more games are lost due to water logged, thread bare, 0 maintained pitches. A 1 % levy on the transfer market this year alone would have brought in millions for youth football. Until the FA is democratized they will leave youth football to rot relying on academies like the Albion's to find the odd one while failing the many. Don't get me started.

 

[BN9 BHA]

Magnificent read. We have professional players earning hundreds of thousands a week, the few 3G and 4G pitches that are around are prohibitory expensive to hire,more games are lost due to water logged, thread bare, 0 maintained pitches. A 1 % levy on the transfer market this year alone would have brought in millions for youth football. Until the FA is democratized they will leave youth football to rot relying on academies like the Albion's to find the odd one while failing the many. Don't get me started.

Excellent points.
We have had to pay extra subs this winter so my younger sons team can train, and that was just for one hour a week.
They didn't play a match from 13th Dec until early February ( there was a short Christmas break )

 

[Freddie Goodwin.]

Well done to those that do this. Manageing a team seems easy but you have to organise training & book pitches, a ref, hope somebody will run the line, help put up thenets, help the kids get changed, help with transport, do the oranges.....

Then you have to be a diplomat with the kids but, even moreso, the parents. Then there were some other managers who wanted to pinch the rare good player you would unearth.

Running a team of keen but not too talented kids, it was great to see them progress, the 1st time we didn't get thrashed, the 1st draw and then that 1st win and then to sometimes win with passing & style, priceless.

it sort of lost it's magic when kids reach senior school. The good kids often developed a bad attitude. By then I was helping with another team. The 'good' players got picked, wether they turned up for training or wether they did and just messed about. The 'not so good players' wondered why they tried so hard but didn't get picked. I gave up then.

 

[GT49er]

Nothing but respect and admiration from me for those who give their time in this way.

 

[drew]

Good article. I got 'roped' in to managing my daughters team from U10s. Just coming towards end of 3rd season. It is hard, especially when you see good players that can't be bothered and think it is just about them rather than the team. We have the same problem with the frequency of games called off by Mid Sussex Council due to waterlogged pitch and infrequency of grass cutting. Luckily we train on 3G so the girls get to kick a ball at least once a week. Trouble is, managing 16 Y6 and Y7 girls is a nightmare.

 

[studio150]

I was a youth manager some years ago, on the same basis no one else wanted the job so I took it on.

i can relate to the phone calls and form filling.

A couple of additional points, there was the kit washing rota to organise and we always seemed to get the kit to wash when it was at its muddiest. While we didn't need a spade for mole hills, we did for dog poo.

And then there are the summer tournaments in picking the team and ensuring that everyone gets equal days at the tournaments, and fitting in holidays etc.

It needs a high level of dedication as the youth games effectively eats up your whole weekend, and anyone who takes on the role needs applauding

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I can relate to that a lot. I'm not in the least bit capable of kicking a football straight myself - but spent a few years as a boys football club secretary, running the line, and helping out with the transport, nets etc.

The worst thing I remember was the attitude of the county FAs. They seemed at the time to be full of ex referees (and god knows we needed more actual referees) who enjoyed the paperwork (hence the need for a club secretary). The attitude to grassroots football could be so much better, but while there's some good intention from the top, it doesn't find its way down.

Interesting comment re county FAs. I have to agree. As a "volunteer" for 30 years our club was once fortunate enough to win a county and regional award that was presented at the annual scfa awards evening. There were very few awards made to clubs and volunteers, but the whole evening seemed to be devoted to awards to referees. I don't have a problem with referees getting some recognition, but they do get paid for their sport/hobby and the hundreds of club and league volunteers do not. Recognising people's efforts doesn't cost much, but there seems to be little effort in recognising them.
The article? Yep, got the T shirt.

 

[Gwylan]

It was really interesting read.

I don't have anything to do with kids' football. Both my kids play rugby and cricket and the differences are stark. As others have noted, we don't have any problems with players not turning up - the reverse sometimes (players not picked appearing) and we don't have any problems with the weather, in two seasons cricket, we haven't had a single match rained off (amazing as that seems). We lost a couple of rugby sessions this year but that's unusual, first time in more than three years of junior rugby.

What is clear is that cricket and rugby have really got their acts together in recent years and have put some effort into youth development. I'm in the process of becoming a Level 2 coach and have seen the effort Sussex have put in, encouraging more coaches and ensuring there's a decent path for juniors. There's been a similar revolution in rugby - our club is in the first stages of developing its own 3G pitch.

As others have noted, there's a big discrepancy between money that football makes at the top level and the financial problems at the bottom. If something isn't done, there's going to be real hole in youth development in the future.

 

[dazzer6666]

Superb article. Having followed my lad from U8 to U17 in mostly mid Sussex/Sussex Sunday leagues you've hit every nail on the head. I was only ever a 'helper' (warm ups, lino, bit of coaching when I could, nets up and down, dog poo clearance, transport etc) and couldn't commit anywhere near as much time as the (very) few that did all the work that deserve so much credit. Another thing I found very frustrating as the kids get older was to see parents completely lose interest - at U8 they would all watch, but by U15 sometimes there would just be 2 or 3 there.

The pitches are one of the biggest issues. The council-run pitches around here are awful, very poorly maintained and definitely getting worse. They couldn't even paint the lines straight on ours in Burgess Hill.

Re cancellations, I don't think my lads U18s played between mid Dec and March 6th - they are playing on club pitches mostly, suffer a bit from County League clubs wanting to keep the pitches in decent shape for their first teams.

I was at an U18 game a couple of weeks ago and was listening to one of the club officers as he had a meeting with a couple of Sussex FA reps. Parts of it were a joke - just item after item of petty B/S such as forms being submitted a bit late, not enough signatures and other such crap. I was chatting to a golf pal this morning who was on the Sussex FA committee for years - he said that's typical, and unfortunately the 'blazers' as he called them don't want to change anything. Counter to that though is of course these people are all unpaid and without them there probably wouldn't be any football in the county at all.