PARENT ENGAGEMENT

We consider parental support to be a key component to building a successful culture and affecting the mindsets of young players. Typically within a club culture, parents are removed from from the process of developing their children; we want to make sure that the environment at SCA is inclusive and opinion is shared respectfully.

As player developers at SCA, we will engage with parents once a month in parental workshops where we will explore the learning traits in young children. It is our belief that children are not mini adults and that one size does not fit all. We also believe that soccer development is non linear and mistakes are a powerful part of learning for children.

Below are some of the topics that may present themselves in our monthly interactive parental workshops:

• Why building from the back is vital in the modern game – Developing creativity pre and post high school
• 1v1 and why the modern game demands it
• Why variety is imperative in youth development
• Mistakes as a necessary part of skill acquisition
• Exploring the social corner
• The role a parent plays in player attainment
• Exploring why 70% of females drop out of youth sports in the United States – Chaos in practices and why ‘messy’ is our friend.
• Respecting the coach and parental boundary
• Why a player at age 7 looks completely different at age 16
• Why less is more in youth coaching
• Equal playing time and why it is more than ‘fairness’
• Q and A with Alex Cattini on the English academy football system