For most of us, March 2020 changed the entire landscape of Youth Sports. We were “Locked Down” and youth sports, as we knew them, were put on hold. The timing could not have been worse for most Club Soccer Teams; new teams were forming, out of state tournaments were on the horizon, and spring leagues were just starting when everything came to a screeching halt. Now, months later, as we are slowly climbing back to soccer normalcy, parents need to ask themselves, “what can I do to make the return better for my child, their team, and the game?” Parents of athletes in a COVID 19 and Post COVID 19 world will face challenges never before seen in youth sports. Supporting youth athletes in this new COVID 19 world is a top parental priority. To help navigate this new reality, the following is offered.
It is About the Players
Sometimes we can forget that youth sports are all about the players. Our memory lapse is understandable; the emotional, financial, and time commitments of club sports rival nearly all other activities. In some instances, the commitment to club sports is second only to our jobs and family, so it is understandable that parents may lose sight of what it is all about, the players. As we return to play in a COVID 19 world, it is important that everyone is hyper focused on the player and their journey back to a competitive sporting environment.
Most players have been in relative isolation for months, socializing only with family and a select few friends. Players have been “training” on their own, but this training is no substitute for game action and competitive practices. Additionally, players’ habits have changed, most are less physically active, are staying up late, and don’t have the regular structured schedules they maintained pre-COVID. For many players, fitness will be lacking as they get back on the field, and it is important that they are brought back into playing shape at the right pace.
Parents need to understand the realities of the COVID 19 sports environment and support the youth athlete as the player finds the right path to their peak performance. It won’t happen overnight, so come up with a realistic plan to help your player progress to where they want to be. I recommend reaching out to your player’s coach for assistance. The coach will see things that you don’t and will likely have suggestions to help the player’s return to form.
Not Everyone Moves at the Same Pace
An often-overlooked part of youth sports is the dynamic of being part of a team, of being part of something larger than yourself. The COVID 19 world has brought many differing views in our society to the surface and the forefront of our relationships. Many issues have become very polarizing and the return to play may be one of those hot button issues for your team. If you polled the parents on any one team, you will likely find the entire spectrum of thoughts on COVID 19 and the return to play. Some parents want to return to play right now, acting as if nothing has happened, while others are dead set against returning until we know more. These differing views may cause strife on the team for a period of time or at least until the team finds the pace at which it will return to play.
Being respectful as everyone finds their way back to play at their own pace (some fast, some slow) is vitally important to ensuring team chemistry remains a strength. As a parent, don’t speculate as to why another parent may or may not be doing something with their player.
Always support the coach as they navigate the return to play. As tough as it may be for a parent that wants to move at warp speed and get the team back to playing at its pre-COVID 19 level, it is important that the individual members of the team move through this process together. Coaches occupy a unique position to observe team dynamic, allowing the coach to pull levers that are not visible to others in an effort to get the team back to tip top playing shape. I suggest taking cues from the coach and supporting the team at whatever pace it returns to play.
Patience
For most of us, COVID took youth sports from light speed to full stop in a matter of days. It is unreasonable to expect that we can ramp back up to pre-COVID 19 speed overnight. It will take time to get processes back in place, the team organized, and individual player fitness back to where it was Pre-COVID 19. The Coach needs the support of all of the parents to make the return to game speed as quick and smooth as possible.
The COVID break has impacted individual players differently. Most clubs put training plans in place during the lockdown, but it was incumbent on individual players to follow those plans. Even with the best plan it would be unreasonable to think that all players will come back training post lockdown at Pre-Covid 19 levels of fitness, skill, and desire. Coaches have a tough task in getting a team back to a uniform level of play and an even tougher task of getting the team to the level they were at prior to the lockdown.
Realistically, parents must expect some regression, both physically and mentally in their player. For most players (and their parents), the concept of regression is new. Club sport has created a never ending forward path of progress, barring injury, so the idea a player may have regressed rarely enters the discussion. Players will have ups and downs as they get back on the field and parental support as they proceed through a likely low point in their sport career is key to their success.
Lastly, remain focused on your player. You may find that your player is ahead of some and behind others as they return to full speed. Stay positive, don’t critique other players, and give the coach time to get the entire team back into playing shape. Patience is key.
Rules are Important
The rules and regulations surrounding youth sporting events in a post COVID 19 world will be more administratively burdensome than prior to the lockdown. We don’t know what it will look like going forward, but we do know that there will be more paperwork, there will be restrictions on how we practice, there will be restrictions on spectating by parents, and there will be additional control measures for the interaction of players, parents, staff and fans. Most soccer organizations have promulgated rules governing the return to play.
Invariably there will be parents that either don’t agree with rules, don’t know the rules, or don’t understand the rules. Every parent must do their part to ensure that the players are not penalized for any single individual failing to comply with the new rules. The penalty for failure to abide by the rules may impact more than just the non-rule follower’s player. During this very sensitive time as we return to play, a failure to follow the rules may have a negative impact on the entire team, club or community. No one wants to see a knee jerk response by municipalities or governing agencies that restrict our kids’ ability to play.
There is a time and place to voice displeasure with the rules – that time is not at the practice field or game and it is never in front of the kids. Learn the rules. If you believe rules should be changed, find the correct administrative outlet implement those changes. The coach will be following the rules, but they did not make the rules, so taking out frustrations on the coach is not productive. Ensuring that the kids get and stay on the field is the most important thing and we all have to do our part to ensure we don’t jeopardize their ability to play.
CalSouth’s Return to Play Rules can be found here.
We all want the Same Thing
We all want to return to normalcy, and we all want our kids to be safe as they continue on their sporting journey. It is unreasonable to expect to jump back in at the same speed at which we were traveling when COVID hit. Stay the course, trust those who are leading your teams and club. Have a positive attitude about the future; that is how you ensure your player comes out of this stronger (mentally and physically) and ready for the next challenge.
More than ever players need to know that their parents support them and that youth sports is about them. As parents we may have to make some personal sacrifices for the good of our children. Parents may not be able to be on the sidelines for games, we may not be able to attend or watch practice, and we may have to find creative ways to ensure our player gets training. We will have to become more involved in the health, fitness, and development of children off the field. These are the things that as parents we need to do to support youth athletes in the COVID 19 world.
The COVID 19 and post COVID 19 sports landscape is unknown and all we can do as parents is set the conditions for our children’s success.
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See other youth sport related topics on our soccer team manager handbook page.
Excellent article on youth athletes. Thank you.