We had our first game this weekend. The team we played was a team that we clobbered last year, but they were much improved and gave us a real challenge. I would say that we won on aggregate goals (we play on two fields simultaneously), but it was pretty close.
More importanly, I learned a valuable coaching lesson: If you want to be a parent/coach, you have to treat your own kid the same way you treat the other kids. I found myself being way too hard on my boy at the game. He insisted on playing defense only and not getting forward to help in the attack. That's perfectly fine for a full-sided game, but in 3-on-3 everyone needs to play on both sides of the ball. I gave him an earful several times and deeply regretted it after the game. I need to remember that he's only five and just wants to have fun. As one of my players, he deserves the same treatment that I give to all the other kids on the team. I tend to heap praise on the other kids and find nothing but fault with James. I know it's terrible and I intend to correct the issue immediately. I have beaten myself up about it ever since the game ended, and I apologized to James and told him I would stop acting like that. Now I just have to carry it out, which I suspect is easier said than done. If I can't do it, I owe it to James to hang up the whistle and take a quiet seat on the sidelines! Live and learn.
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