Parents & Coaching
Dear Parent / Guardian
It has come to our attention that some parents / guardians engage with Coaches on coaching matters. This is a distraction for busy Coaches who must focus on coaching and should not spend time justifying decisions to parents & guardians.
Our Coaches give freely of their time, knowledge and skills to give your child the very best training they can give. Hillsborough Coaches are passionate about passing on their knowledge to your children and improving themselves as Coaches. We, as a Club, work constantly behind the scenes to support them and provide as much training and support as we can afford. We know, from talking to you, that you recognise the quality of coaching that your child receives at Hillsborough.
Your role at this Club is one of Child Welfare. We ask you to ensure that your child turns up to training and matches on time, prepared and ready to enjoy their football. That’s where your role ends. Once you hand them into the care of their Coach, let the Coach do his / her job. You are welcome to watch and offer support. You are not qualified to offer any opinion on coaching matters.
We recognise that parents and guardians are passionate about football but this Club is not here to service your passion. We are here to serve your child and, to this end, we will enforce a zero tolerance policy on parents discussing coaching matters with Coaches.
A parent / guardian discussing verbally, via letter, text, email, social media or in any way a topic that impacts on coaching – including, but not restricted to, whether a child plays, in which team a child plays, what position a child plays, who a child plays with, how a child plays, instructions a coach gives – is Gross Misconduct in breach of our parents’ code of conduct. We will issue the parent / guardian with a written warning. If the offence is repeated, the parent / guardian and child will be asked to leave the Club.
This is easily summed up in the mantra
“Coaches coach. Players play. Supporters support”.
If you are as well educated in coaching as our Coaches (or wish to become so), please come and speak to us about possibly being a Hillsborough Coach. If not, then you have chosen the role of parent / guardian and we welcome your input in that role. You are a valued member of our team. However, you are not a Coach and, therefore, you are not permitted to coach our members or offer advice on how a player should be coached. Coaching a child without acquiring the necessary skills is detrimental to that child’s development as a player.
Any parent on a Hillsborough touchline issuing coaching instructions to any player – including but not restricted to “Look up!”, “Track back!”, “Support him”, “Use Johnny/Jimmy/Wee Georgie on the wing!” – is guilty of Gross Misconduct. If a parent / guardian is coaching any player or trying to influence the way in which the team plays, the parent / guardian will receive a written warning. A further breach will result in parent / guardian and player being asked to leave the Club.
You may not agree with this policy and we recognise that you have the option to take your child to another Club that is happy for you to coach in this manner or to express your opinion to Coaches telling them how you think the team should be run or how your child should be treated. This Club will not tolerate it.
Of course, our door is always open to listen to parents and guardians. If you have a problem regarding a coaching matter, please raise the issue – preferably in writing – with the Executive Committee and you will be listened to. You may not raise the matter directly with a Coach. Any attempt to do so is Gross Misconduct and the disciplinary procedure outlined earlier will be invoked.
We will educate our players over the coming weeks to make them aware that their place at this Club is influenced by the behaviour of their parents and guardians. They will come to know that your misbehaviour can cost them their place at this Club. Do not put your child in the position that they have to control you. Let them enjoy their football.
Give us your support. We do what we do only for the good of your child. We know you do too.
Thank you
The Executive
Hillsborough Boys JFC
Hillsborough Girls FC