The world of football is tough: the fans bet on their favourite teams rabidly on sites like Unibet. They chant encouragement to their teams during the matches, and they punch each other when things go badly. But the players have it even rougher – hours of gruelling practice, blood, sweat, and tears are offered to their fans who support them. Pride, honour, and long histories are at stake. And sometimes, when the going gets tough they even play ending up with a concussion.
Kids playing football and getting hurt is not uncommon. This is a tough game after all. Getting hurt physically is an everyday occurrence for aspiring players. Good coaches and parents tend to their physical health. But what about their mental health? Have you paid attention to it lately? You celebrate their victories, but what about their failures, and the times when they’re down because of a bad practice or a bad game? Football is a sport that requires good physical and mental health, no matter what the age of the person playing it. When it’s a serious game, no one wants to be a loser. But that’s the nature of this game. One team wins, the other loses, just like in a casino. If they’re in the youth development system, then there’s even more pressure. If your child cracks, it can end in depression, or worse, suicide.
Talking helps
One of the best things you can do to help is talking to them. The NHS recognizes the power of talking and offers talking therapy to people, claiming that it works well for any age. There’s also the belief that talking to strangers is a lot easier than talking to your family and friends. This is also why there are suicide hotlines in many countries. People who are depressed and feeling down can immediately talk to someone who can counsel them.
As a coach
As a coach, you can talk to your players by addressing their issues. This shouldn’t be seen as a burden or extra work. Kids are not adults, nor are they ready for an adult world. It is your responsibility to help them get ready for it. If you’ve seen adults break because of stress, then you should expect kids to be the same, as they are more fragile than adults. As mentioned above, it is easier for people to talk to strangers about their troubles and kids are the same. You shouldn’t see this as babying the kids. Instead, you should see this as a way to guide them to survive, as they will definitely encounter more pressure and hardships if they choose to pursue playing football. Be firm but gentle.
As a parent
Parents, however, are more limited in their ability to talk to kids because kids are worried that their parents might get mad or be disappointed in them if they show that there’s a problem. As a parent, your job is to guide kids to their options and let them choose. Say they choose to enter a training programme to play football. Ask them if they’re sure and tell them their options. If you don’t know what the options are, research them on the internet. Your goal is to guide them in making the choices that they won’t regret.
If you can sense that a child is afraid to disappoint you to the point that they don’t want to talk, or they lie to you, then you should be aware that there’s a problem and you must accept that you’ll be disappointed with the news they have. Guide them accordingly. Avoid comparing them to you, instead, ask them if they can see any solution to the problem and let them choose on their own. Only offer your opinions if they cannot see a solution. Be aware of the social differences between you and your child and know that your solutions may not work for them. Patience is a must and it must be unending.
