Football and My Children 

I recently read a post from Alan who blogs at OMG It’s a Girl titled why I don’t watch my children training, and it reminded me of the 11 years I spent watching, coaching and being involved in all their football teams.

I suppose the initial reason I got involved was because their mother and I had got divorced and I wanted obviously to be a major part of their lives. So, when my oldest daughter was about nine years old she announced that she wanted to play for a football team with her friends. I thought, great, no problem. What I didn’t know then was this was going to be an 11 year journey that formed strong bonds between my three oldest children and myself. My weekends were going to be dominated by football!

Within a couple of years all three of them were playing football for teams outside school. I originally coached the oldest child’s team with another dad, but my second oldest had formed a team with her friends and they had no coach so I said I would step in until they possibly could find somebody else. Little did I know that I would be doing it for years as a coach and finally running all the administration of the team. One of the other dads took over the coaching.

The time involved was quite considerable when three children are playing football, three separate nights of training and Saturday and Sunday playing games. It was very full on.

Unlike the post I read by Alan I was always there for training and matches and being involved in the teams. I certainly saw my fair share of scenes, unfortunately it was usually the parents arguing with the coaches or the referee or the opposing set of parents and there is no doubt it got nasty on a regular basis.

Many times I had parents having a go at me because their little girl or boy was not playing which always amazed me because usually it was a parent who only turned up every six weeks and then the other weeks they would use it as a babysitting service.

I drove thousands of miles to watch my children play football all over the place and I would not have missed it for the world. My children were never put off with me watching, in fact if anything I always felt it encouraged them to play better having a parent watch.

There were so many very special moments that that my children gave me even on numerous occasions bringing a tear to my eye.

1. My oldest daughter, J, played in easily one of the most successful girls teams South Wales has ever seen. Winning every possible trophy in youth football and reaching the Welsh cup final twice and winning it once. One moment that will always be my fondest memory was towards the end of the season. It was close as to who would win the league and late in injury time, a chance to score popped up for her which she scored and it sealed the league victory, a wonderful moment. She was also named coaches player of the year on one occasion.

2. My daughter E was in a team that intially I coached from the day it was formed. It was a team of enormous potential with some girls that were very talented and one of those was my daughter E. I rarely missed one of her matches, she was selected for Wales at youth level which made me so proud. She was born with a wicked left foot, but could use her right just as well.

There are so many moments I remember, but I guess the one that sticks in my mind and always will was at an all day tournament. She started slowly, but as the day went on you could just tell she was on fire and I think scored the best goal I ever saw her score. She was named player of the tournament and that definitely brought a tear to my eye. During her entire youth career she golden boot. She was deadly in front of the goals. She was also picked to play for Wales at senior level and for her senior team she broke all their goal scoring records and was only 17 years old. Unfortunately her youth team never fulfill their potential, but won a few trophys along the way.

3. Finally my son played for a team that again had a lot of talented players and again thankfully he was one of them. He always played in defence, but had an uncanny ability to read the game and spot the danger before it happens. He was also named coaches player of the year one season, making me very proud.

How any parent would want to miss any of these moments and milestones in your children’s lives is beyond me, but it’s all about standing in all weathers whether it be on a training ground or at a match.

After 11 years of involvement in kids football I thought it was finished, but one of my four year old twins really wants to play so here we go again, but I love it if truth be known!