Spring soccer is fast approaching and I’m getting excited about the upcoming season. I hope that everyone else is as ready for the warm weather and getting outside to play.

Sportsmanship is an important part of the Sudbury Youth Soccer mission. Sportsmanship with fair play and teamwork encompass the core values that we strive to impart on the players during all our activities. Our coaches work hard to provide good examples in every practice and game. We ask our parents on the sidelines to extend that example. Cheering and providing positive support for our players is a critical role for parents and coaches. This is our kids’ time and we need to let them learn and grow within the game. As a parent, it can be hard to just sit back and watch. However, soccer is a game that constantly teaches and your child learns best from their own experience on the field.

Our children are very fortunate to have many quality sports programs and activities to participate in. We at Sudbury Soccer believe they should explore different options and find activities they enjoy. An important part of our responsibility as parents is to balance our kid’s schedules while also teaching the meaning of committing to a team. Please work with your child’s coaches ahead of time when your player needs to miss a practice or game. Soccer teams need teammates to succeed.

The final thought goes back to the sidelines. Just a reminder about the zero tolerance rule for referees. It’s important that we all provide a good example for the kids in how we treat the referees. In a number of cases these referees are learning their role as well. Keep the perspective, this is a kids game, they are there for the fun of it!

See you on the field,
Bob Lee

Photo courtesy of Your Game Photos at www.yourgamephotos.com

Talking Sportsmanship with Youth Players

Daniel (Danny) Jackson is a former Major League Soccer (MLS) star and captain of the Seattle Sounders. SYSA is pleased to bring you his column with insights into the professional world of soccer with permission from soccernation.com.

It appears that fierce competition and financial pressures at all levels of sport have pushed sportsmanship aside. Do we turn a blind eye to talented players behaving badly? Has respect fallen victim to the longstanding hatred some players and fans nurture for the opposition? This is not something we should teach our youth. And even if bad behavior sells, the media has a responsibility to up-and-coming young fans to portray a more positive view of sports.

How we talk about these incidents with our youth players is extremely important. As coaches and role models, we need to use these situations as teaching opportunities. Youth players are influenced in so many ways, both positive and negative, but a consistent voice making sense of it all is vital. As coaches, we must establish values in our everyday lives, demanding respect and fair play in all that we do.

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SYSA Offered Coaching Courses

It has been said that “…the best teacher of the game of soccer is the game itself…”Simply put, children get better at soccer by playing, playing and playing some more. However, we also believe that well-trained, resourceful coaches enhance a child's enjoyment of this beautiful sport by creating soccer environments that focus play productively and economically.

"Do your players deserve to have you be the best coach you can be?"

SYSA and Mass Youth Soccer are coordinating Youth Coaching Courses to be offered at the Field House. This is an enjoyable, informative, and potentially eye-opening opportunity. They are designed not only to teach you about the game and about the art of coaching, but also to give you an insight into how children learn and how you can create a fun and supportive learning environment for your kids.

The Courses are organized in a progressive format so that instruction relates to specific age groups and leads up to the US Soccer Federation National coaching schools for the C, B, and A license.

G License – 4/24, 6-10 PM, 4 hour course for U6 / U8 / U10 coaches
F License – 5/1 and 5/3, 6-10 PM, 8 hour course for U8 / U10 / U12 coaches

Although there is no field or written test in the G or F courses, each involves several hours of activity. To get the most out of each course, participation in the practical, active sessions is strongly encouraged, but is not required. These light soccer activities make up approximately one half of each course.

Please contact Ross Duncan with any questions or Register Now through the SYSA website.

April Vacation Player Development

Looking for a way to keep your soccer players active during April School Vacation? The New England Revolution Academy will be running a Player Development Camp in Sudbury. All training is from 9-12, Tuesday 4/17 though Friday 4/20 at Haskell Field

For Developmental, Travel and Squad Field Players – Ages 7-14
During the four day training academy players will learn from the Academy coaching staff through specialized training sessions to focus on both technical and tactical development. The training sessions will give players an insight into the Academy training environment through daily dynamic warm ups, fast footwork, skill development, functional training and conditioned games.

For Goalkeepers – Ages 10-14
Goalkeepers will train with Academy goalkeeping coach, Jasir Charris, focusing on the four major components of goalkeeping: technical, tactical, psychological and physical training. The academy goalkeeper training sessions are challenging and fast paced to replicate in-game situations.

Cost of the program is $180 and it includes 12 hours of training, an Adidas soccer ball and tee shirt, two NE Revs tickets and an invite to attend a Revolution first team training session. Click Here for more information and to register.