Parents and Fans
Youth soccer should center on the players, their well-being, enjoyment, and development. Yet, parents and fans play a number of roles, which are important to consider, especially if your player is new to organized sports, soccer, or the Rainbow/CHU soccer community.
Of course, your first priority is player safety. Please drive very slowly and carefully around the soccer fields. Shin guards must be worn (and worn under the socks) at all times. Carefully sized and well-fitting soccer shoes are essential, and many coaches feel that soccer "turf" shoes, rather than traditional cleats, are preferable for young, rapidly growing feet, joints, and legs. Good nutrition and hydration, especially on hot days, are also fundamental. Shin guards and water bottles at every practice and every game.
Our experience with fan participation in games, and sometimes at practices, seems to be better in our local community than what we have witnessed in many other places. Our fans seem to do a very good job of understanding constructive sideline behavior. The principle is simple and straightforward: positive support only--for your player, your player's teammates, their opponents, the referees, coaches, and other fans. Let the coaches do their jobs. Understand that referees will make frequent mistakes. Recognize that young players will improve most effectively through encouragement. Keep yourself light; you'll live longer. Always applaud the goalkeepers, even if a miracle save steals the winning goal from your player.
Parents and fans should not sit on the same sideline as the coaches and players. This arrangement enables the players to focus on one location and one sideline for instructions and directions, while getting support from all sides. It can be very confusing for young players to get "coaching" from every direction. The Rainbow ADP fields are organized so that there should only be players and coaches on the inner sidelines between fields #2 and #3, with fans and parents on the outer sidelines.
Click the "Contact" link to the left if you have any questions or concerns that your player's coach can't address for you.
Bottom line: the more fun we all have, the better the players will play.