Soccer parents told to stop the go, go go!
Parents at Eastern Suburbs Soccer Club, Kohimarama, have received an email from their coach, former All White Billy Harris, asking them to refrain from yelling on the sidelines when their children, aged 5 to 9, play. Some think it is over the top. In the email Harris said children enjoyed themselves more if mum and dad kept quiet on the sideline. "Even 'positive' support is negative," he said. "If your child gets the ball and you yell 'go, go go!' this will hype them up, whereas what we want is for them to stay calm and relaxed so they can attempt their skills. If you cheer when they kick the ball a long way down the field, they'll think they've done something good. They haven't," he said. "Big kicks are the enemy of learning to dribble and pass the ball," he added. "To improve kids' learning, professional clubs overseas are putting a ban on parents watching the game from the sideline. The parents stand well back from the field, and if they yell out anything they are asked to leave (with their child). The parents watch quietly, just as they would if they went to their child's school to observe them learning in the classroom or playing in the orchestra."
Message the teacher hasn't heard
A reader from Rotorua writes: "So much for anti-bullying campaigns. The message just doesn't get through. My 8-year-old nephew doesn't want to go to school on Friday wearing pink - but the teachers are making him."
Above and beyond in customer service
