Shouting From The Sidelines

Why do children keep making the same “mistakes” in matches even when they seem to know what to do in training?
In this episode, we explore a common frustration for parents and grassroots coaches and explain why the answer is often not a lack of skill.
During games, children aren’t consciously recalling instructions or techniques. Instead, they rely on habits - the behaviours and decisions they’ve repeated most often in their football experiences.
That’s why:
Players can look confident in training but freeze or play safe in matches

The same mistakes keep showing up on game day

Constant instructions from the sidelines rarely lead to better decisions

We discuss:
How decision-making in football is largely unconscious

The difference between training performance and match behaviour

Why habits matter more than instructions

What parents and coaches can focus on to support better long-term development

This episode is for:
Parents trying to understand what they’re seeing on match days

Grassroots coaches looking to improve decision-making without adding pressure

Anyone interested in child development through sport

Useful links
Online resources for grassroots coaches:
👉 https://onlinefootballcourses.com

Leeds-based parents, try one of our sessions:

👉 https://foot-techacademy.co.uk/

If you enjoy this episode, please follow or subscribe and share it with a parent or coach who’s asked, “why does this keep happening?”

In today’s episode, we dive into three BIG questions from grassroots football parents and coaches.

The kind of issues every junior football team eventually faces.From mixed-ability under-7 teams, to how much football a young kids should do, to handling misbehaviour and lack of focus…we break it all down with honest, experience-based advice.

We start with a dilemma many clubs will recognise: mixed teams vs A/B teams.

When some parents want results, others want development, and friendship groups matter…what’s the right answer?

This question gives a real insight into just how tough coaching at grassroots level can be, especially when volunteers are caught between player needs and parent expectations.

Next, we tackle a huge parent worry: How many football sessions should a young child do?

We discuss enjoyment vs overload, balance, spotting signs of genuine passion, and why parent-led pressure can quickly turn football into a job rather than a joy. This is essential viewing for any parent with a football-mad child.

Finally, we dig into one of the most common coaching challenges: misbehaviour, lack of focus, and keeping players engaged.

We share practical solutions around session design, arrival activities, transitions, behaviour expectations, praise strategies, and communicating with parents.

If you coach primary-age footballers, this part is gold.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE

Why mixed teams can work and when they start causing problems
How to manage parent expectations without compromising your ethos
The real answer to “How much is too much football for a young child?”
Why enjoyment should guide everything
Practical behaviour-management tools that work in real sessions
How to design sessions that reduce messing about and increase engagement

Comment on the episode:
Tell us — what’s the biggest challenge YOU face as a grassroots parent or coach?

Subscribe:
So you don’t miss future episodes supporting football parents and coaches.

Coaching resources:
Visit https://onlinefootballcourses.com/ for ebooks, guides, and practical tools for grassroots coaches.

Join our sessions in Leeds:
Give your child a fun, pressure-free football environment they’ll love. Try a free taster session - https://foot-techacademy.co.uk/

Most parents worry when they see their child getting kicked, pushed, or knocked over in football — and that’s completely normal.

But here’s the part nobody tells you:

Those little bumps and tackles are one of the BEST ways for children to grow confidence, resilience, toughness and real game understanding.

In today’s episode, we break down the physical side of kids’ football…what’s normal…what to ignore…and what actually helps your child long-term.
We talk about:

Why kids foul each other far more by accident than on purpose
How to help your child become more confident in tackles
Why you shouldn’t panic when they hit the floor
The mindset shift parents NEED to make
What coaches should (and shouldn’t) be doing
Why resilience is built through PLAY, not pressure
How the best players in the world learned to love physical contact
When you should speak to the coach
Why entering the pitch is the worst thing a parent can do
What to do if your child gets fouled all the time
Why physicality can’t be taught in 1-1 sessions — but CAN be developed elsewhere

Whether your child is shy, timid, super technical, or pushing towards academy level… this episode will help you understand what’s really happening on the pitch and how to support them in the best way possible.

Try a Foot-Tech Session (Leeds) If you want your child to grow confidence, resilience and game understanding in a fun, pressure-free environment… our weekly sessions are perfect.👉 Book a taster session: https://foot-techacademy.co.uk/

Our Football eBooks & Coaching Guides
Grassroots football coaches, want easy-to-use games you can play at home or coaching sessions designed the Foot-Tech way?👉 Browse our eBooks: https://onlinefootballcourses.com/

Tell us in the comments:
What’s your child like with tackles? Confident? Hesitant? Avoids them? Loves them? Anything you/they need help with?

If you enjoyed the episode:
Subscribe to the channel and share this with another football parent or coach.

Thanks for watching.

Just taken over a grassroots football team?

In this episode, we break down 4 practical tips that’ll save you stress, help you connect with your players, and make your first season a success.

From managing parents to keeping sessions fun and simple, this is your survival guide for grassroots football coaching.

Whether you’ve volunteered to coach your child’s team or are just starting your grassroots football journey, this episode will make your life easier, create sessions kids love, and hopefully help you enjoy the ride!

Also, check out our NEW grassroots coaches website - https://onlinefootballcourses.com/

This is a brand new resource for coaches where we'll be providing sessions plans and info which is simple to use and tried and tested by our coaching team.

Our first ebook, The Simple Guide To Coaching Scanning, is available now.

Let us know what you think.

Football isn’t just about skills and goals — it’s about how kids handle the tough moments.
In this episode, we dive into how parents can help their children build resilience when they face setbacks like rejection, injury, or just having a tough game.
We’ll cover:
Why resilience matters for kids in sport and in life
Common challenges young players face (injuries, rejection, mistakes)
Practical things parents can do to support their child’s growth
Simple strategies to help children develop long-term resilience
Resilience is like a muscle — it grows with practice. The more our kids experience little setbacks (with our support), the stronger and more confident they become both on and off the pitch.
If you’re a parent or coach who wants your child to enjoy football, stick with sport long-term, and learn life lessons along the way, this episode is for you.
Don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe if you found this helpful.
Share your own stories about resilience in the comments — we'd love to hear them.