The Spar Mookrey Group’s Rygate Cubs has come and gone and yet again the behavioural aspect, or rather the lack thereof amongst coaches, parents and even club owners and chairpersons, leaves a lot to be desired.
Needless to say, it feels like deja-vu as it was just 12 months ago when this scourge was highlighted with the hope it will improve in the future.
Alas! It wasn’t to be as the annual youth festival has once again been marred by unsavoury scenes and this was also the conversation dominating the Festival – but this time on a whole new level as the win at all cost factor has increased and further fuelled by a flurry of emotions at the event – but at what cost?
I guess it is fair to say that one can see the true colours of many coming out at the Festival – and it is ugly. Some children have never seen their parents or coaches in their ‘element.’ Is this the lasting impression or legacy that adults want to leave?
During my brief visit on the final day of the event, I was unsurprisingly shocked (if there is such a thing) by the lack of respect from the rotten apples – just to be victorious.
There was a game between Hout Bay United Football Community and Westridge FC where things got heated. The latter received a penalty and the player could not convert – much to the dismay of the two coaches who were both so incenced with the official who blew the final whistle, that they did not even pay attention or have the compassion to attend to one of the players who was lying in pain clutching his ankle. “Why did you allow him to kick?” was the exchange of words between the coaches completely ignoring their player on the ground.
And wherever one walked around on the field, one could hear how coaches, parents and club members had nothing but ill words as they cursed the officials and the organisers on how “crooked” they were.
Firstly, there are way too many coaches and sometimes parents on the sidelines as well as the inside of the fencing perimeter during the games – and this confuses the young ones as everyone is yelling instructions from all directions. At this level it is way too much to consume for kids that have hardly hit double figures in their ages.
Perhaps the organisers should limit the coaching staff to one coach per team on the sideline while the rest of the crowd and onlookers could be pushed back to watch from a distance (sitting on a few moveable stands) which will allow for ‘breathing space’ and create a bigger gap between the fans and the playing fields and the safety of everyone.
Yes, it will be a bit more costly but it should be considered as a long-term investment and solution – it is also very straightforward to manufacture – that is if the appetite is there to transform for the better otherwise these issues will keep on cropping up.
I mean, how can a coach or a parent yell at a six, seven, or eight-year-old that he or she is “playing out of position and must get back in their shape? Really? Besides, with everyone shouting it is confusing the kids who just want to play and have fun – that’s it. So leave them and let them be.
Another aspect that needs to be addressed is that referees should be more clued up and educated on the basic rules and understanding of the game. Then perhaps you will not be greeted with coaches and parents swarming the referee to contest a sometimes blatantly wrong decision.
The lack of this respect for oneself and others coupled with bullying tactics from coaches and parents on the sidelines is just too overwhelming for some officials and they crumble under pressure escalating the situation.
Occasionally the rule-book also needs to be thrown out of the window and allow common sense to prevail – there’s no need to be rigid as it’s a festival and kids just want to have fun – after all, the event is called a festival and not a tournament.
Perhaps the organisers should also consider taking away the accolades for players and coaches and issue each child a certificate and a medal of participation, that’s it. Nothing for the coaches as it is not about them – perhaps it should be given a trial run at the next festival as they have nothing to lose.
Some might even ask if it is worth it still to host the event seeing that it causes so much animosity amongst the football public? The irony is that most of the attendees are well acquainted with one another and this makes it even harder to fathom why the nastiness and the hate. Over the course of the five days one could see the beautiful game turned on its head – and that at junior level.
I guess It’s easy to say: take a drastic step and cancel the festival for good in order to spare everyone’s blushes, but what is going to happen to the more than 2000 kids who converge on the Johnston Road Sports Complex for these five days during the September school break?
For most of these young ones it is the highlight of the year and something kids mark on the calendar. It is a place where kids can be safe and express themselves and have fun – away from mischievous activities. It also serves as a platform for nation building and to bridge the divide amongst society – well it used to before things started to spiral out of control.
It will be interesting to see how the organisers will navigate these stormy waters. Now is the time for engagement with all role players and stakeholders – and not to point fingers as we are all in it together and collectively we all should take responsibility.
