How to support your child !

Byron’s top tips on how to help your child for matches

Before:

• Be positive and offer encouragement

• Praise the effort and hard work that your child puts into training

• Help them prepare their football kit, including shin pads and water bottle the night before

• Make sure they get enough sleep

• Encourage them to eat a healthy breakfast and drink enough

• Ensure that you help them arrive on time for the match

• Calm them down if they are nervous and avoid pressuring them about winning or losing.

• Encourage them to visualise themselves playing well, scoring a goal, saving a goal etc.

During:

• Be a positive supporter, cheer and support good play but don’t instruct!

• Focus on effort rather than the outcome of the match

• Control your own emotions and remember it is their game!

• Take a step back and remember why they play football – To have fun!

• Respect the coach and the officials and don’t interfere unless asked to do so.

After:

• Provide positive and realistic feedback

• Be proud of your child and what they achieve and tell them!

• Be re-assuring

• Listen to your child and discuss areas they would like to work on

• Talk to your child about what works for them and let them decide what they want to do next

We only do positive!