Jason Rowlands-Edwards
Head Coach DII Clarion University, Brand Ambassador Duktig.
Former Varsity Head Coach at Chartiers Valley School District and head Coach at Century United. Head Girls Varsity Soccer Coach at Chartiers Valley School District. Former Assistant Girls Coaching Director at FC Pittsburgh Soccer Club.
How would you define a parent’s role within the youth sports environment?
At the Grassroots level, parents are the most influential gear in a player’s development. Here in the US it’s clear to see that success is often overshadowed by progress and development by a lack of understanding and appreciation of the sport by parents.
The athlete feeds from the support and reflection that parents give. In turn, determines the intensity and the willingness of athletes simply from the viewing of their idol(s) that is their parents.
What are the benefits of embracing parental involvement in youth sports?
Parental involvement is key. Parents are with their children all day, all the time out of school and their influence is huge for players and athletes. This can work both ways. Parents go home and counter produce any work or practice you as the coach has imbedded in the players that practice or they can help support it, encourage it. It’s important as a coach you bring all the parents in and make them become a coach at home from the players.
Have them echo your words of wisdom at home, in the car. Have them help you achieve the goal you’ve set out for that season for the team, for their child. It’s also important to find the line where they don’t overstep your mark. Where they know you’re the coach and they are the vehicle for maximum development. I urge all parents to get involved and support their child and the team but most importantly support the coach.
How have you as a coach/club attempted to increase parental involvement?
As a coach of a team, I will be handing out a packet of roles and responsibilities to players and parents to read and understand what is actually going on in practice, on game day. Help parents understand why a player might not close to the ball. Does she have another role from last week to this one? Is there a new game plan? Is she learning something new?
One of the best things I’ve seen and it has to be done in the US due to lack of culture and understanding in soccer is that at a younger age group the parents must interact and play with their child during practice. It gives them confidence in relation to the parent and the ball, understanding what their child is going through and the expectation the coaches is giving out and more importantly understanding the true challenges the child goes through in growing in the sport. Soccer is so far behind in the US in the understanding of the sport and at young ages of 4-6-year-olds. Having their parents involved helps understanding and information transfer from Coach to Player.
What challenges have you faced in attempting to increase the level of parental involvement?
Information. Wrong information. Having some parents that have a huge influence on players in-game time and just shouting information to players that don’t fit the scenario at hand. This also ties into lack of culture and understanding in America to soccer. Here is an example. I have a new Goal Keeper. Great athlete but doesn’t really get the game. I’m working on playing from the back. She’s overwhelmed with being in a game scenario and I’m waiting for her to work out the role I’ve given her (To bowl the ball to the defenders) Defenders are out wide waiting for the ball to be distributed and I can see her thinking about her role and task and as she’s thinking her father yells, “BOOT IT”.
She boots the ball over my head, out of the field and into the tall grass. Her father thinks he’s done a good job and his daughter has done a fantastic soccer play because she booted the ball what actually happened is her development has been stunned in the area of her game.
Have you seen any difference in players when parental involvement is embraced not neglected and/or ignored?
I think there’s always a difference when you add or subtract any involvement in an athlete’s life. As a coaching community, we need to make sure that any influence by parents is the right one and if they’re included that it creates a great environment for player growth. The harsh reality is that less of involvement can also help players thrive.
What advice would you give coaches who are unsure and/or afraid about increasing parental involvement within youth sports?
Your role as a parent is so influential. My advice is that you should embrace all changes with your player and help your coach do the best for the player. Learn what the coach is trying to do and help them get the message across to the player. In any situation don’t undercut or undermine the information he or she gives. They might see it a little different than you do and could be for the best for the player.
For those parents unaware of their influential role within youth sports, what advice would you give them?
Your role as a parent is so influential. My advice is that you should embrace all changes with your player and help your coach do the best for the player. Learn what the coach is trying to do and help them get the message across to the player. In any situation don’t undercut or undermine the information he or she gives. They might see it a little different than you do and could be for the best for the player.
