What do you wish someone had told you?

I took my son to an early morning GK training session, and didn't think to bring a change of clothes, because the grass was wet, and soon, so was my son! :) Another lesson learned for this new GK mom,
So, I am curious, what do YOU wish someone had told you about being a GK parent? Or just being a soccer parent in general?
Thanks!
 
Do not put turf burns in water and do not apply peroxide! Instead, apply lots of neosporin and use tegaderm dressings. If they are really bad, gel dressings, which are made for burn victims, are soothing and help the skin heal slowly, without scabbing and with less scarring.
 
Do not put turf burns in water and do not apply peroxide! Instead, apply lots of neosporin and use tegaderm dressings. If they are really bad, gel dressings, which are made for burn victims, are soothing and help the skin heal slowly, without scabbing and with less scarring.
oh, I didn't know about that. Thank you!
 
Be quiet, and don't sit where your kid can hear you during the game(s). Goals will be scored, lots of goals. Sone of them will your kids fault, others not, but there is nothing you can do. If you live and die with every win or loss and every goal conceded it will be a difficult time for you and your kid.

The younger the keeper the more you will hear another parent say, "you know, my little Susie can play keeper too." Well guess what jackass, my kid can play forward as well and would be just about as good as a forward as little Susie would be a keeper. This goes away when the kids get older, but there will always be that 1 parent that can't not say this. As they get older other parents and players have more respect for the work the keepers have put in.

Let them talk to you about games/practices when they are ready. They will, but may need a minute or more if they are upset. I tell my kid that the pressure from being a keeper will either crush you into dust or make you hard like a diamond, its up to the keeper to decide which. Advice I was given from a great soccer parent was to tell your kid this (and mean it): "I love to watch you play." Enjoy the ride with your kid, it will end before you know it
 
The younger the keeper the more you will hear another parent say, "you know, my little Susie can play keeper too." Well guess what jackass, my kid can play forward as well and would be just about as good as a forward as little Susie would be a keeper. This goes away when the kids get older, but there will always be that 1 parent that can't not say this. As they get older other parents and players have more respect for the work the keepers have put in.
One of the other players once said that "being a keeper wasn't hard, you just stand there and catch the ball". Some of us parents still joke about this. The coaches used to make all the girls play keeper in futsal. Trust me no other girl on our team wants to play keeper.
 
.:)
The younger the keeper the more you will hear another parent say, "you know, my little Susie can play keeper too." Well guess what jackass, my kid can play forward as well and would be just about as good as a forward as little Susie would be a keeper. This goes away when the kids get older, but there will always be that 1 parent that can't not say this. As they get older other parents and players have more respect for the work the keepers have put in.

/QUOTE]
I have been very fortunate that the player parents have been very supportive. The politics of a soccer team, including the dynamic with the parents of the other keeper, that's something no one warned me about:)
 
So, I am curious, what do YOU wish someone had told you about being a GK parent?
Thanks!
That everyone will tell you how great your kid did in the game today..saving the team's butt in that crucial win/draw. Next week when you lose 0-1 and your GK made 6-7 saves but one ball made it in..while your team had 8-10 shots on goal but couldn't convert one..it will be a lonely silent walk to the car without any contact from anyone else on the team. It's a thankless position and you can go from a hero to a zero in the blink of an eye.
As they get older though..most..I'll say again..most..but not all (the ignorant ones who think they know the game but really don't know $#it are in this group) parents realize how much of a team effort it is and that you can't lay a loss on your GK's shoulders if your team can't compete as a team and either defend well, or score. Not to say your GK is without fault. They will make mistakes too. Some of them will leave you scratching your head asking why they did that. You get more of the defender parents in your corner as you get older..at least that's been our experience. You'll even have defenders apologize to the GK for their mistake that contributed to giving up a goal. But you'll NEVER get a striker coming up to the GK after the game and apologizing for not being able to put even one of their 6 shots on goal into the back of the net. Then you have the really cool striker parents who realize it's their kid's job to score..and will rightfully admit when their kid blows it that the blame rests on their kid's shoulders just as much as it does on your GK..you have to score to win. These are the ones who have a much better grasp on the game and are cool to talk to and hang out with at the tournament out of town, share a beer with, etc.
My GK missed a few games this past season due to injury. Showed up to every game to support the team. My kid tried to help coach the fill-in GKs from the sideline at the coach's request. One of the players who stepped in at GK came off the field one game after literally looking the ball into the goal and just froze like a deer in headlights. Walked up to my kid at halftime and said.." I don't know how you can stand back there and do that..I don't ever want to play GK again." Parents kept telling us how much they couldn't wait until my kid was back on the pitch. It sucked watching them lose multiple games but also a bit rewarding to see others realize how much a good GK is worth their weight in gold.
And as mentioned above about "that parent" who tells you their kid can play GK after you just introduced yourself as the GK parent..well we saw how that worked out this past season. Save the BS mom/dad. I've heard it before and seen it before.
I once saw a t-shirt that said "The only thing harder than being a GK is being a GK parent." So very true.....
 
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