Parents should also support untalented children

Dear parents, put aside your shyness and accompany your little or untalented child in their hobby.

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A Saturday in October at a football game of the weakest junior class, there are only six fathers or mothers from both teams present. On the same day, a game of the FE13 of FC St.Gallen, the best junior league. More than 20 family members of the home team are on the sidelines, and the opponents from Zurich are more people than at the regional junior game of the weakest junior class.

“Tagblatt” sports journalist Christian Brägger recently gave the state of FC St.Gallen an “SOS” in the sense of a snapshot. The condition of those parents who do not care about the hobby of their less talented children could be described not just with an “SOS”, but as a permanent red alert. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was right when he said: “Character rests on personality, not on talents.” It’s exciting to see how your own child treats fellow players on the pitch, how they behave in the event of a foul, what their reactions to a (counter) goal are, and whether they can put themselves at the service of the team.

This is all about personality. The parents have a great opportunity to get to know the children from an additional perspective, or are they perhaps just afraid of that? Personally, for five years I was the coach of an untalented player whose father even played for FC St.Gallen in what was then the NLA for a few years. In five years the father has not seen his son’s game – almost unbelievable, but true.

It’s not just the Shaqiris, Messis and Ronaldos

Dear parents, put aside your shyness and accompany your little or untalented child in their hobby. You will always find the opportunity for praise. You will also meet the parents of equally untalented children. You can exchange ideas and share the joy of having a healthy child who can play sports.

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You will get to know the trainers who are there for a few hours a week for the children and are not paid for this. You see which colleagues your child goes home with after the game and your visit to a game is internally owed by your offspring; Externally, this is not possible, especially not during puberty. And if you still manage not to be embarrassed on the sidelines, you will never become a burden for your child. On the contrary, you are very welcome! Wouldn’t it be worth giving a try? In this way you cannot fail and impressively convey that your child does not have to be the great talent to arouse your interest and feel your appreciation.

Talented young people in sport are sure-fire success, and parents often have to be slowed down here. Actually, these parents only have an important task when the path cannot continue at the highest level and the child has to be absorbed in its disappointment. This does not happen as the parent of a less or less talented child. Too often the day comes here when the child no longer wants to participate in a sport because they lose interest because of the lack of talent and other things become more important. But up to this point you can be present as parents, you can comfort, motivate and praise, and accompany the team as a driver at away games. In short: you experience your child. Do not miss this unique opportunity because it is not coming back. It’s never too late to get started – the indoor tournaments will start very soon.

René Bühler takes a look at what’s going on in sports at regular intervals. He is honorary president of FC Fortuna St.Gallen and publisher of the book “Football Years”. (red)

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