Parent / Spectator Agreement

I recognize that being part of a club team is a privilege, and with that privilege there is responsibility. I agree to abide by the following terms and conditions:

1. I will support my child by ensuring that transportation is available to attend games on time.
2. I will treat the players of the team, coaches, opponents, officials and other parents with respect. I understand that my involvement is that of a positive team support member during games. I understand that it is the coaches delegated responsibility to coach during these times, my role being that of a spectator.
3. I will demonstrate a "good sportsmanship" attitude towards other teams, coaches, game officials and parents at all times.
4. I will abide by the City of Seattle Parks policy of NO DOGS at athletic fields. Please refer to the Seattle Municipal Code (Chapter 18.12, Parks Code).
5. I will abide by the City of Seattle Parks Sports Participation Policy. Prohibited activities include NO AIR HORNS.

Introduction: While enthusiasm and cheering can be inspiring, and it is natural to get caught up in the emotion of the game, soccer parents should take care to follow proper sideline etiquette.

Instructions: (Difficulty: Moderate)

Step One: Cheer, don't coach. Avoid yelling specific instructions and issuing commands. This can be extremely confusing for a child and possibly contrary to the coach's instructions.
Step Two: Avoid running up and down the sidelines shouting. If you want to follow the action, make sure that you don't distract the players or block the view of other spectators.
Step Three: Keep some comments to yourself. Do not speak out to the referee or linesmen. Unless they are complimentary, do not direct comments to members of the opposition.
Step Four: Stay away from the goals. In many youth leagues, standing behind the goal is prohibited.
Step Five: Stand, or sit, at least 3 to 5 yards back from the sidelines (touchlines). Again, this is a rule in many youth leagues.
Step Six: Demonstrate good sportsmanship by applauding exceptional moves by the opposition.

Tips & Warnings:

1. Practice silence. Sometimes it is more relaxing for both parents and players, and you will likely view the game differently as well.
2. Ask your children if they like you to cheer. The answer may surprise you.
3. Be positive, never negative. If a child loses the ball, for example, "Way to hustle," is much better than "You can get that ball."
4. Monitor eating and sleeping habits: Be sure your child is eating the proper foods and getting adequate rest.
5. Help your child keep his priorities straight: Help your child maintain a focus on schoolwork, relationships and the other things in life beside soccer. Also, if your child has made a commitment to soccer, help him fulfill his obligation to the team.
6. Reality test: If your child has come off the field when his team has lost, but he has played his best, help him to see this as a "win". Remind him that he is to focus on "process" and not "results". His fun and satisfaction should be derived from "striving to win". Conversely, he should be as satisfied from success that occurs despite inadequate preparation and performance.
7. Keep soccer in its proper perspective: Soccer should not be larger than life for you. If your child's performance produces strong emotions in you, suppress them. Remember your relationship will continue with your children long after their competitive soccer days are over. Keep your goals and needs separate from your child's experience.
8. Have fun!: That is what we will be trying to do! We will try to challenge your child to reach past their "comfort level" and improve themselves as a player, and thus, a person. We will attempt to do this in environments that are fun, yet challenging.

We look forward to this process. We hope you do to!

Sorry, NO JEWELRY!

Sorry!  Airings and other jewelry may not be worn during soccer practices or games.

The Laws of the Game established by FIFA, the international governing body of Soccer, are very clear.  From FIFA Law #4 - The Player’s Equipment: “All items of jewelry (necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, leather, rubber bands etc.) are strictly forbidden and must be removed. Using tape to cover jewelry is not acceptable.” (The only exception is for Medical ID Bracelets. These may be worn, but must be secured with tape.)

The role that parents play in the life of a soccer player has a tremendous impact on their experience. With this in mind, we have taken some time to write down some helpful reminders for all of us as we approach the upcoming season. If you should have any questions about these thoughts, please feel free to discuss it with us, the coaches.

Let the coaches coach: Leave the coaching to the coaches. This includes motivating, psyching your child for practice, after game critiquing, setting goals, requiring additional training, etc. You have entrusted the care of your player to these coaches and they need to be free to do their job. If a player has too many coaches, it is confusing for him and his preformance usually declines.

Support the program: Get involved. Volunteer. Help out with fundraisers, car-pool; anything to support the program. Be you child's best fan: Support your child unconditionally. Do not withdraw love when your child performs poorly. Your child should never have to perform to win your love.

Support and root for all players on the team: Foster teamwork. Your child's teammates are not the enemy. When they are playing better than your child, your child now has a wonderful opportunity to learn. Do not bribe or offer incentives: Your job is not to motivate. Leave this to the coaching staff. Bribes will distract your child from properly concentrating in practice and game situations

Encourage your child to talk with the coaches: If your child is having difficulties in practice or games, or can't make a practice, etc., encourage them to speak directly to the coaches. This "responsibility taking" is a big part of becoming a big-time player. By handling the off-field tasks, your child is claiming ownership of all aspects of the game - preparation for as well as playing the game.

Understand and display appropriate game behaviour: Remember, your child's self esteem and game performance is at stake. Be supportive, cheer, be appropriate. To perform to the best of his abilities, a player needs to focus on the parts of the game that they can control (his fitness, positioning, decision making, skill, aggressiveness, what the game is presenting them). If he starts focusing on what he can not control (the condition of the field, the referee, the weather, the opponent, even the outcome of the game at times), he will not play up to his ability. If he hears a lot of people telling him what to do, or yelling at the referee, it diverts his attention away from the task at hand.

Monitor your child's stress level at home: Keep an eye on the player to make sure that they are handling stress effectively from the various activities in his life.

The items on this page have been borrowed, with permission, from other soccer web sites.

• Soccer is a team sport.
• Our children play on the team, not us.
• If you think your child is better than the other children on the team, congratulations -- you probably fall into the majority of soccer parents. However, this is largely irrelevant. (see #1 above)
• If you want your child to improve his/her skills and performance, then leave it to the coaches. The parents' jobs are to: pay, drive and offer positive support.
• If you think you can offer good advice to one of the coaches, then see the team manager and arrange to take the coaching certification exam. If you want to coach from the touchlines without coming to team practices, team meetings, team camps, coaches clinics, coaches meetings ....., keep the thought to yourself until you can watch soccer on TV
• Although coaching advice from parents is generally not appreciated, communication is very important. If anything at all is bothering your child, let the coach know as soon as possible so that he/she has an opportunity to adjust if possible to make your child's experience more rewarding and enjoyable. If you really want to destroy a team, tell everyone but the coach about your child's problem. Talk about it and complain about it with the other parents all season and never let the one person who can fix it know there is a concern.
• If you think you can offer good advice to a game official... see #5 above.
• A soccer match is not won or lost by any child (see #1 above).
• To play well during the season, our children must come together as a team and support, communicate with and trust each other. The coaches and children will accomplish this if we don't undermine their efforts. However, if you disagree with the foregoing statements, undermining can be accomplished by using any of the following tactics: criticizing the efforts of your child, telling your child he/she is the most/least important and best/worst player on the team, telling your child that another child on the team is lousy or has deficiencies, yelling negative comments during practices or games, criticizing the decisions or strategies of the coaches, claiming that victory or defeat was the responsibility of any child