Football Coaches At the Grassroots Level Should Learn More About the Rights and Development of Children.

Football Coaches At the Grassroots Level Should Learn More About the Rights and Development of Children. On January 6th, I had a conversation with a few coaches, whose names I won't mention, on how to develop new and future talents in the most dignified and secure way possible, as inspired by the coaches. 

One of the coaches added, "Watato wa ghetto lazima wakuwe handled kighetto ndio wakuwe hard," which means that children from the ghetto should be raised or rather managed in a ghetto style for them to become tough. I questioned whether the Ghetto way was the best course of action. And is yelling and reprimanding kids, especially when they mess up, help them grow? 

Mentality of the Ghetto 

I'm curious as to what the ghetto method is that I have been so much concerned about and contemplating. Even though certain coaches have a strong track record on the field, in my opinion, we shouldn't act like them or replicate their negative behavior. Any sort of abuse by the coach, especially when working with children, should be condemned. 

I implore all coaches at the grassroots and upper levels to lift the standard by investing in effective methods of coaching, mentoring, and motivating the upcoming players. In conclusion, as I think back on my playing days as a child and a young adult, there were moments when the coach, employed various punishments, reprimanded us public, shouted, and occasionally used severe language, to name just a few examples. I keep asking myself, "Was this the right approach?" Of course not. 

There are better ways to handle various situations, especially when dealing with children even if they are from the ghetto. In any case, below I would love to share my advice when dealing with children in the format of the Do's and Don'ts. 

 Do's 

1.  Make them feel like stars and remember to treat them like one.
2. Correct them privately, and if you want others to learn from the mistake, be modest and use encouraging words.
3. Occasionally allow them to design their playing space and games. When you aren't around, this will inculcate some kind of accountability and leadership. 
4. Promote fair play even when you are unsuccessful. 
5. Support the opponent during the match for example if you have a first aid box and the opponent doesn't have one, you can share, remember we aren't in a war zone. 
6. Show more empathy and learn more about the players background (parents, lifestyle, family values etc). 
7. Promote academic excellence. 
8. Permit them to nick-name themselves after famous athletes they admire, such as Messi, Ronaldo, Pele, etc. 
9. Encourage them to watch matches on television. 
10. Take them to watch a live game in a stadium. 
11. Support a clean environment and general good grooming.
12. Set an example for the players to follow. 
13. Keep your personal time and the time you spend coaching the kids apart. You don't have to take the kids with you everywhere.
14.  Instill in the team strong values like love, respect, friendship, and fair play. 
15. Motivate them to assist parents by reliably scheduling breaks in the training program. 
16. Develop forums for parents to share activities and schedule follow up meetings. 
17. Schedule a few exposure visits outside the community. 18. Give praise for outstanding work on the field and in class. 

 Don'ts 

1.  Try not to yell at the players, especially when they mess up. 
2. Avoid busting your opponent. 
3. Never support unfair behavior in any way. 
4. Avoid acting in a way that raises suspicion in any way, such as fighting or verbally abusing officials.
5.  If you are having a family conflict, for example, don't discuss it with the players. 
6. Avoid disciplining the players in a way that makes them feel unworthy of being on the team.
7.  Avoid favoritism of specific players. 
8. Avoid dressing in a way that exudes insecurity and doesn't inspire confidence. 
9. Please clean up your vocabulary and refrain from using vulgar language. 
10. Avoid making irrational choices that only indicate a lack of interest in hearing others out. 
11. Don't follow a bad example in your team just because it was done that way in the past. 
12. If you must make a complaint about an unfair judgment or treatment by the match officials, conduct yourself with dignity and professionalism. 

 After that... 

I would love to devote more time to teaching the upcoming coaches in 2023, especially in life skills that will help them deal with a variety of situations when working with children. 

Do More / Be More / Be Different