Frequently Asked Questions
About
I am new to soccer and want to learn the rules of the game. Do you have any good resources?
Yes. A great place to find the rules of the game is FIFA's official site. Follow the link to get the complete rules of soccer.
http://www.fifa.com/en/laws/menu.htm
About the Program
What is the Byte-size soccer program all about?
The
Byte Size Coaching program is a customizable coaching website
containing a balanced and progressive curriculum designed to benefit
the players and coaches alike. It's a fact that because of
time-challenges more than 80% of coaches have no formal soccer coach
training.
Visit their website for more information about the program.
http://www.bytesizecoaching.com/
Where can I park?
Parking
will be tight. Park neatly to conserve space. Overflow parking is
available across Three Oaks Road at Harbert Community Church. The new
dirt lot on Harbert by the fields is not ready for traffic, and you may
get stuck or damage your vehicle. Only staff is allowed in the new lot
until it is improved.
General
Do you need Volunteers?
Yes! Red Arrow would be lost without the people that give their time.
Whether it is coaching, refereeing, field maintenance, striping fields,
ordering T-shirts, helping with check in, hanging nets, calling
parents, updating the website, volunteers are the heartbeat of the
organization. It takes about 50-60 people to make one season work.
You do not need know soccer to help either. If you want to coach we
will help anyone with basic drills for practices and game planning.
What you really need to have is patience, understanding and a
willingness to teach and maybe learn a little too.
Where are the games held?
All games are played at Chikaming Elementary School located at the corner of Three Oaks and Harbert Roads, in Sawyer, Michigan.
It's raining out, are we still having soccer today?
Yes.
We will be playing soccer each Saturday whether its raining, snowing,
or cold. Dress appropriately, bundle up the children, and make sure
their team shirt is the outermost item.
The only time that games will be cancelled or delayed is if there is a
safety concern. This typically occurs with lightning and thunder. If we
can see lightning from the field, or hear thunder, the game or practice
will be cancelled or postponed for at least thirty minutes after the
last lightning or thunder.
Rain, snow, sleet, wind - if it isn't unsafe, we will play. Soccer is
an all weather sport, and we teach the disciplines of playing
regardless of the conditions.
Parents
What does my child need to wear to play soccer safely?
What does your child need to wear to play soccer safely and minimize the possibility of getting hurt? Remember the five S’s.
Shirt – The Red Arrow Soccer T-shirt should be worn on the outside of all other shirts, sweatshirts, or jackets.
Shorts – Loose fitting sports shorts that are easy to run in are
desired, sweat pants are acceptable, blue jeans or blue jean shorts are
not.
Shoes – safe sports shoes (not dress shoes) at a minimum. Cleats are
desired but not required. No baseball cleats (with the cleat on the
toe) or non-soccer metal cleats. (metal cleats must be smooth and
rounded.)
Shinguards – these are an absolute must, and they must fit well,
covering the shin from about two fingers above the top of the foot to
an inch or two below the knee. They are worn under socks.
Socks – Knee high athletic socks that completely cover the shinguards.
Finally, no jewelry is allowed – no earrings, necklaces, bracelets,
nose rings, tongue studs, etc. Glasses and braces are fine, we
recommend mouthguards for those wearing expensive braces on their
teeth. No open or uncovered wounds, and casts or joint support must be
padded.
You must make certain that your child is dressed safely for the sport.
If a coach determines that a child is not safely prepared to play, and
the problem cannot be corrected at the field, the child will not be
allowed to play. Please double check that your children are safely
dressed to avoid this embarrassing situation.
Should I get involved in Red Arrow?
Absolutely!
While you don't have to get involved at all if you don't want to, Red
Arrow Soccer is a volunteer organization without any paid employees.
Everyone - field striper, check-in clerk, coach, board member, is an
unpaid volunteer. Red Arrow Soccer can't function without volunteers,
and lots of them, 50-60 adults per season.
There have been several seasons where we have considered cancelling the
program due to lack of volunteers, so don't just think someone else is
going to do it. Step forward and make a difference in the life of a
child, including your own. You don't have to know much at all about
soccer - we have a place for you. It is a great opportunity to return
service to your community.
Everyone has a different ability to be involved. Some parents feel
youth sports should involve the whole family. Others are looking for
ways to keep the kids "off the streets" for a couple months. Yet others
need time away from their children and see sports as a supervised
activity that allows them this free time. Each of these viewpoints is
valid, and each leads to a different level of volunteerism.
Red Arrow Soccer is run by volunteers and we need your help. There are
many different ways that you can help out. So even if you don't have a
lot of time to spare give us all call or send us a note and we will see
if we can find something to fit your schedule. We may also have needs
that we must fill and there are no volunteers.....so we may come
calling. We will understand if you can't. However, do not think Red
Arrow does not need you.
Without you, there is no Red Arrow Soccer Association!
What should I do during the season?
Whether you
volunteer to be a part of the soccer program or not, there are certain
things that are expected of you, the parent. Some of these can be
treated as errands, because they can be scheduled and accomplished in a
certain amount of time. Others are parenting skills, which will help
you in everyday life as much as in youth soccer. Here are some of those
expectations, with a discussion of each.
Attend the parents' meeting
From time to time RASA will hold a meeting for parents, usually
before the first practice. It is very important that all parents attend
if possible. The meeting should make clear what is expected of the
players, parents, and coach, and is an opportunity for the coach to
find parent volunteers to arrange half-time and post-game treats, car
pools, schedules, fund raising, and many other details. Once again,
keep track of all handouts by keeping them together in a single folder.
Have your child attend practices and games whenever possible.
School programs, summer camp, family weekends, and many other events
may interfere with the schedule set up for the team. However, it is
important that you make an effort to have your child attend practices
and games as often as possible. If your child must miss a practice or
game, be sure the coach is informed well in advance. This will allow
time to modify practice drills and game lineups accordingly.
A team member who is sick should not be allowed to attend any game or
practice. Besides the obvious problem of transmitting a disease to
teammates, a tired or weak player is considerably more susceptible to
injury.
Be there on time.
You will be given a schedule of games and practices, including starting
times. You will know when you are expected to be at each event, and you
should know how long it takes to get from your home to the field.
Figuring out when you should leave home in order to be on time is
simple arithmetic. In fact, a good rule of thumb is to plan to be at
your destination 5 minutes before the coach expects you. If the coach
wants you at the field 20 minutes before the game, be there 25 minutes
before the game. That way, a small unforeseen problem is not likely to
cause you to be late.
Teach your child the difference between playing to win and having to win.
Everyone plays to win. It is the nature of play. The impulse to
compare, compete, and achieve dominance and excellence is part of the
human psyche. Accepting challenge aids in establishing a sense of one's
self, of pride in success, and a realistic acceptance of strengths and
weaknesses. However, the child's self concept still depends to a large
extent on coaches' and parents' reactions to the child's efforts. If
children are praised for making an effort, their self-esteem will
improve faster than if they are praised for winning. This is because
they try more often than they win and will therefore be praised more
often.
Children who are praised only when they win may focus on the final
score beyond healthy limits. A child who receives compliments just for
trying is more likely to try again, whatever the outcome. Avoid putting
importance on the final score, or the team's position in the standings.
These might be suitable measurements for professional athletes, whose
livelihoods depend on such comparisons, but they should be of minimal
importance to children who play for fun.
The best way to help your child keep a proper perspective is for you to
keep one yourself. The final score of a game is simply a comparison of
the skill levels of two opposing teams. It should have no bearing on
the self worth of any individual on either team. A team of 6-year-olds
would probably be outscored by a team of 12-year-olds. That doesn't
mean the 6-year-olds are any less special, just that they need skill
development.
Exclude soccer from your punishment list.
When your child breaks your personal rules, you may find it tempting
and often useful to take away something enjoyable as a punishment.
However, making Johnny miss a soccer game because he didn't clean his
room causes hardship for more than one person. First, his teammates are
forced to work harder to make up for the loss of a player. Second, the
coach is forced to scramble to adjust lineups at the last minute. And
third, you may be denying yourself the pleasure of seeing your child
doing something pleasant. Everybody loses. Because soccer is a group
effort, it is not suitable as an individual punishment. It may take
some extra thinking, but try to find something else to use for
punishment and discipline.
Give encouragement.
To keep professional athletes in the correct frame of mind, their
coaches have to come up with an endless string of "pep talks." Youth
athletes are somewhat less demanding. There are three simple phrases
that generally do the job.
1. "Good Luck" 2. "Have fun" 3. "Do your best"
Cheer from the sidelines, but choose your words carefully.
Parents watching their children in youth sports are notorious for
putting more importance on the game than necessary. Avoid becoming part
of the stereotype. One way to keep your perspective on the game is to
start every sentence with "good." Children want to hear their parents
saying "Good pass", "Good shot", and "Good game." (They would rather
not hear "Good grief".)
Youth soccer players make, on the average, one conscious decision every
5 to 10 seconds during the game. To make every decision correctly is
virtually impossible, and jeers from the sideline after a bad decision
are very demoralizing. After all, it was the player's decision, and the
player is as aware of the outcome as anybody. Focusing on bad decisions
is a sure way to make a child stop making decisions altogether.
Besides, think of all those kids sitting home glued to the television,
making no decisions at all. Which kind of child would you rather have?
On the other hand, avoid praising the team for the sake of praise.
Compliments should be deserved. Fortunately, it is easy to catch the
children doing a lot of things right during a game, and even to make it
sound like a mistake is not a total disaster (which it rarely is.) A
shot that sails over the crossbar is still a shot, which is probably
better than getting no shots at all. Instead of saying, "Suzy, that
shot was too high" (as if Suzy doesn't already know that), or "Good
shot" (which it wasn't) just say "Good try" or "Nearly." Suzy will be
more likely to try again later, possibly remembering what the coach
told her in practice about proper shooting technique
Support the coach and officials.
The coach of your child's team is a volunteer, giving time and effort
freely to help your child enjoy soccer. That coach deserves your
support. As with the players' decisions on the field, no decision the
coach makes during the game should be subject to your scrutiny. Any
parent who believes they could do better should be coaching the team.
If all parents on a team agree that the coach is violating the spirit
of soccer (fairness, enjoyment, safety), they should approach the coach
with constructive suggestions for improvement (not during a game, of
course). If this does not get results, parents may consider going
higher up the chain of command and having the coach removed. This
should be a last resort, used only if the parents have already found a
coach and staff who can take over and do a better job with the team.
The job of a Referee is not easy. In most cases they are volunteers. We
must understand they are not professionals. With that being said they
will not catch everything. In some cases they maybe wrong. However they
have the last say and must be supported. Now if you do have questions
about calls then the Referees will be happy to address them after the
game. You just need to remember that any abusive behavior or words will
not be tolerated by R.A.S.A., other parents or your children. If you
feel that strongly that a Ref is not good for the league then please
address R.A.S.A. Board with specifics.
Applaud the team.
Each youth soccer game should end with the two teams shaking hands with
each other on the field. After handshakes, both teams will come to
their respective sides of the field. Give them a big round of applause
as they leave the field. They did their best and they deserve your
applause.
Compliment your child.
Win, lose, or tie, your child wants to hear that you appreciated every
effort they made during the game. All it takes is to touch them on the
shoulder and say "Good game." All the pain, fatigue, and stress from
the game will vanish. If you do this within earshot of other players on
the team, it may give an extra boost to your child's self-esteem. Most
of all, be sincere. Regardless of the outcome, the team did have a good
game, simply because they participated. To try is better than to not
try at all, and your child should be commended for that. Touch your
child on the shoulder and be sincere.
Avoid criticism.
Soccer players recognize their own mistakes as soon as they make them,
and they remember them for weeks. They don't need parents to point out
that they should have passed to Billy instead of losing the ball to a
defender. Do not point out any mistakes while the emotions of the game
are still present. It may take days to find the proper moment, but if
you must mention particular mistakes, you must be willing to wait.
Then, make it sound like constructive suggestions, maybe in the form of
questions. "What do you think you could have done instead of losing the
ball? Let's go to the park and practice doing it a different way."
(Note that it is not a "better" way or the "right" way. It's just a
different way.)
The best you can do is to avoid criticizing altogether. Most children
beat themselves up enough, and can generally work through their soccer
mistakes alone. Some will even go to the coach to ask how they can stop
making a particular mistake. Minor problems like these tend to work
themselves out.
What should " I " do after the Game?
Make your child rest, drink fluids, and cool down.
A soccer game can take a lot out of a child, but the emotions generated
can keep a player going in high gear for hours afterward. Try to get
your child settled down soon after the game so their body can begin
restoring the energy it lost during the game. A good coach will start
an emotional cool down at the same time as the physical cool down.
How do I drop them off and pick them up?
Your
child must check in to play. Volunteers will be set up under a white
tent to sign them in. They do not have to sign out to leave, but if
your child must leave before the end of the day, you must meet them at
the field so a coach can see you pick them up. Do not ask them to meet you in the parking lot.
Check in normally starts at 8:30 (the first Saturday we will start at 8:00 so we can issue T-shirts and work out the bugs).
Please be at the check in table no later than 9:00 (8:30 on the first day).
