I’m the manager and coach of a parent run club. We started the club from scratch last May and have just finished our first season.
We were unhappy as parents with how the previous manager, coach and club was run so we set up ours for our children to stay together and enjoy football! Our age group by the way is under 10’s.
We had an end of season meeting on Thursday to discuss plans for the future and our presentation night. We decided on the usual managers, parents and players player awards.
Discussions led to most improved and clubman. One thrown in to the mix was Top Goalscorer. There was a mixed reaction as it was seen as a trophy that not every single player was capable of winning.
There are only 4 or 5 maximum in a team of 11 who’d stand a chance of winning and it would go against the club’s philosophy of being a team.
There are no individuals. The team scores not the individual.
After getting a show of votes today to confirm 6 were against for the reasons mentioned and 5 for. This has led to abusive texts and threats from a parent whom believes his son has earned the trophy and if the club don’t give it him he’ll not turn up to the presentation and also leave the club.
My assistant has also backed this behaviour and comments from the parent.
I’ve since quit because of this. I’m appalled that I’ve personally been lambasted and blackmailed by a parent.
I’d like you to put this out to people. Let’s see how they see it. Week after week we train and encourage passing, to work together and that most importantly that they are a team not a bunch of individuals. It’s not about winning it’s about enjoying football.
They are just 9 and 10 year olds. Do certain trophies encourage individualism and isolate certain team players from being able to win them?
What do you think?
you are right – on reflection, the top goalscorer is an award that most likely the forward player(s) are likely to get, maybe an exceptional midfielder. Therefore, the defenders and goal keepers are not likely to win it, therefore it isn’t a “fair” award. Goals scored are indeed a team effort. Very sad situation, best of luck with it.
Seems a little strange that an under 10 team is playing 11-a-side. Saying that top goal is an award that happens in the senior game and a lot of people do say goals win games. U10s should still be seen as development and therefore the awards should follow the philosophy of the club. I have found across the game that there are some really horrible parents who should know better. The fact that you saved the club should mean a lot than it seems to, shame on them, but don’t give up on the kids.
Football at this age should be about enjoyment. Win as a team, lose as a team but more importantly share equally any success together. I totally agree with other comments that a leading goalscorer at U10’s level shouldn’t receive an individual award. It would just deflate the rest of the team and make them feel less important.