The Coach Who Stopped A Match
A grateful Mom thanks coaches for caring for the kids.
Happy Mother’s Day!
Edition 204 of The Physical Movement shares a story shared by Mom and South African Psychologist Naomi Holdt.
It is an example and reminder of what is most important in youth sport and where our priorities should be.
Today, my son’s U10 rugby coach stopped the game and pulled the entire team off the field…
My mom heart welled with emotion… and immense gratitude… This man had my son’s back, and the back of every other boy in that team…
The game until that point had been extremely “unfair” to say the least. Too many high tackles. Too many offsides. Too many injuries and a biased, militant referee who seemed to need gentle reminding that this was primary school rugby…
Shortly after the start of the second half, I witnessed an event I could never have imagined…
A protective gathering of a team of nine and ten year olds, followed by an incredible coach standing up for his boys and their safety in a heated discussion with the referee…
A coach reminding a ref about what school boy rugby should be focussed on- a fair game… a game where skills are reinforced…. the PLAYERS…
A coach who knew what really should be at the heart of any rugby game… his BOYS…
“This is not how you ref a game. These are kids and for some of them it is their first year of playing rugby. You’re allowing high tackles. They are learning and our role, even in a match, is to teach. I won’t have my boys getting hurt.”
In a tight team huddle off the field, the coach apologized to his boys for pausing the match, and proceeded to chat to them for five minutes…
I didn’t hear what was said in that huddle, but a team of energized boys charged back onto that field and the game went on…
The referee shifted gears, the opponents coach reminded his team not to tackle dangerously…
More fairness, more fun and so much more learning…
But most importantly, these kids could play their hearts out, and give it their all, because they knew they were safe… They knew they had a coach who cared, and they played the rest of that game FOR HIM…
They played for a coach who showed courage and boldness…
They played for a coach who went against the grain, and stopped a match because his kids mattered…
Coaches- No matter what a score board says, playing unfairly will never give you a winning team. Refs- these young kids are still learning the game. Teach them a fair game. Teach them to love the game. And teach them to respect others and themselves by honouring the rules.
After the game I found the coach, and thanked him for what he had done. His words, “I have these kids backs”.
That’s exactly what every parent on the side line wants to hear, and every child in the team needs to feel- A coach who they know has their backs… A coach who they know really cares.
To every phenomenal sports coach out there- that coach who cares so passionately about their players- the one who stands up fiercely for them…
A million mom-heart thank you’s…
“You don’t demand respect. You earn it.” (Unknown)
This coach certainly has mine. 🏉 ♥️
Naomi Holdt is a Psychologist and speaker based in South Africa. More information on her work with children and teens here.