IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO COACHES, PLAYERS AND SPECTATORS

As the 2024 house league season gets into full swing, it is important for players, coaches and spectators to reflect on the fact that we are an organization that preaches fun and sportsmanship at the recreational level. LMS hopes that all players develop their soccer skills while understanding that winning is not the only goal.

Spectators can do their their part by cheering in a positive manner. In fact, if spectators cheered for all players on both teams, they would set a positive tone that the young players would build on. All players would hear positive cheering and develop their confidence in a welcoming and positive environment.

Coaches can teach their players to improve their individual soccer skills and understand the positions on the field. At the same time, they have an opportunity to teach young players compassion for their opponent. I applaud the coaches who are already doing this by putting their best scorer on defense, telling players to make 5 passes before trying to score or by teaching them to help an opponent up, who may have fallen.

Players can quickly determine if they are faster or slower than others or if they can kick the ball further or harder, but can they keep things in perspective? A 4-0 win is just as good as a 9-0 win, except a 9-0 win demoralizes their opponents? That is our job as adults to teach their players compassion! As players get older and begin to better understand the game of soccer, we would hope, as adults and role models, that they have not only improved their skills, but increased their compassion and respect for all players, coaches, spectators, officials and the game of recreational soccer. These are qualities of good citizenship on and off the field that I hope we want for everyone!

Let's continue to move forward in this goal as we play through the months of May and June and head toward our June 23rd Windup Day! Thank you to all of you for doing your part!

Yours In Sport

LMS