As our teams prepare for State Cup, I have decided to reprint my Sideline Coaching letter written to all members of the Boca family, previously published in October 2006.
A great deal of good work is being done by our players and coaches on the game and practice fields. Our managers, club administrators and coaching staff are also working hard to continue the building of our club into a successful and unique entity where the learning and playing of the game is of high quality and the behavior of our teams is exemplary!
Yes the game is an intense one and can generate some intense passions but we must strive to maintain a level of decorum that we can be proud of and by which our players can learn the ability to deal with the intensity of the game and the high emotional stimulus that it can generate.
With that in mind I would like to share with everyone that we are in the process of upgrading our club operational handbook listing in detail our club philosophy, our goals and our methods of coaching. We intend to be unique in our approach but mindful that we are a part of a national and international movement which is reflected in the handbook. Once finalized, we will share it with our staff, thereby making our operational process even more uniform.
The stated goals of our club include:-
"To provide young soccer players the opportunity to learn and play soccer at a level that will challenge and improve them."
"...develop Technique Under-Pressure, Tactical Knowledge as well as the physical and mental qualities that are requirements of the game."
"...teaching players to be creative independent thinking players and will strive to avoid falling into the trap of applying destructive soccer for the sake of fleeting short term success."
One of the issues of immediate concern has been the conduct of our people during games so I would like to quote the relevant instruction to coaches from the manual that is undergoing revision:-
"Most of our coaching should be done during practices. During the game coaching must be limited to a few adjustments, reminders and encouragement. Our players must be allowed to make decisions and take ownership of the game. Continuous instruction or criticism during the game is detrimental to the development of independently thinking players and is to be avoided."
I must respectfully remind our parents and other supporters that we must be mindful of our well established RCU/CASA General Rules of Conduct and the Parents' Ethical contract. We are serious about limiting the coaching during the game by our coaches but we cannot accomplish that without everyone's cooperation. We request all parents and other supporters of our teams to assist us by refraining from coaching or otherwise giving the players instructions during games. Unlike many of our national sports, soccer is the players' game not the coaches' game and we must allow our players to develop that independence without undue interference no matter how well intended. I strongly request everyone's cooperation that we solve this problem without the need for drastic measures that are outlined in our Rules to which all are signatory.
