Grassroots Footy (LadsandDads)

[Trouserdog]

Just wondered how many other folks on here dedicate, or have dedicated, their weekends to the amazing experience that is grassroots football?

I help out with my lad's team and it's such a great laugh- there's honestly no better feeling than when you see something 'click' with young players and you can see them growing in confidence. It can be frustrating as hell too sometimes, but that's kids for you!

I honestly don't know what I'd do without it on Sundays. (Although perhaps check in with me again in January when it's freezing, pissing it down, and I'm trying to get about a gallon of mud out of a goalkeeper's kit.😂)

PS If anyone is after a team for their kid (under 10s, so Year 5 at school) then drop me a message. High level team, Sunday mornings...signing-on fee, a packet of Haribos.👍

[prestwichpotter]

I coach my sons under 16’s team, and a girls development group (5-7 year olds mainly) which keeps me busy.

Gets harder juggling work commitments with training etc. but it really is rewarding, and for those parents watching their kids I recommend getting your Level 1 coaching badge and giving it a go if you’re able……

[scfcno1fan]

I managed a men’s Sunday league team for 5 years.

Don’t do it.

[Trouserdog]

Sept 15, 2023 18:13:09 GMT scfcno1fan said:

I managed a men’s Sunday league team for 5 years.

Don’t do it.

Yeah, that's a thankless task. My old man used to do it. It was an absolute pain in the arse.

[pavel]

I managed my son’s team for a year as a favour, not worth the grief I got. Purposely didn’t make my son captain, the overall coach advised me to make him captain, but I said no so that no favouritism could be thrown at me. We ended up having to ban two parents for foul language and verbally abusing the kids, it was their own kids.

I was kept usually about an hour after the match by parents complaining I hadn’t given their super kids enough time (they were invariably useless but I still gave them time and they were coached just the same).

It culminated with a parent who I knew well trying to deck me, when he was pissed, because I took his son off.

The best I saw was the manager of another team my son player for later threatening the opposing manager before a cup final game, we had to drag him away! Role models eh.

Having said all this I did still enjoy working with a talented bunch of kids.

[prestwichpotter]

Sept 15, 2023 18:28:41 GMT pavel said:

I managed my son’s team for a year as a favour, not worth the grief I got. Purposely didn’t make my son captain as the overall coach advised so no favouritism could be thrown at me. We ended up having to ban two parents for foul language and verbally abusing the kids, it was their own kids.

I was kept usually about an hour after the match by parents complaining I hadn’t given their super kids enough time (they were invariably useless but I still gave them time and they were coached just the same).

It culminated with a parent who I knew well trying to deck me, when he was pissed, because I took his son off.

The best I saw was the manager of another team my son player for later threatening the opposing manager before a cup final game, we had to drag him away! Role models eh.

Having said all this I did still enjoy working with a talented bunch of kids.

We still give all the lads equal game time (as near as damn it anyway), we’ve always done it since we started and none of the parents can complain as we spell it out from the off……

[wonderwall]

Sept 15, 2023 18:13:09 GMT scfcno1fan said:

I managed a men’s Sunday league team for 5 years.

Don’t do it.

I help out with my lads u9 team along with a few other parents, share the tasks a little and I thoroughly enjoy it.

Some parents just rock up drop their kid off and come back at full time. This I don’t get.

[wonderwall]

Sept 15, 2023 18:13:09 GMT scfcno1fan said:

I managed a men’s Sunday league team for 5 years.

Don’t do it.

Not sure why I replied to your msg, was not aimed at you mate.

[Trouserdog]

Sept 15, 2023 18:28:41 GMT pavel said:

I managed my son’s team for a year as a favour, not worth the grief I got. Purposely didn’t make my son captain as the overall coach advised so no favouritism could be thrown at me. We ended up having to ban two parents for foul language and verbally abusing the kids, it was their own kids.

I was kept usually about an hour after the match by parents complaining I hadn’t given their super kids enough time (they were invariably useless but I still gave them time and they were coached just the same).

It culminated with a parent who I knew well trying to deck me, when he was pissed, because I took his son off.

The best I saw was the manager of another team my son player for later threatening the opposing manager before a cup final game, we had to drag him away! Role models eh.

Having said all this I did still enjoy working with a talented bunch of kids.

Bloody hell. 😒

Fortunately we're blessed with a good bunch of parents. I have seen all sorts of nonsense going on though on various touchlines. It's very sad when you think how worked up some people get over a game played by children, and the lengths some people go to in order to win a plastic cup that literally no-one else gives a flying fuck about.

[theonlooker]

My lad plays for a local side, U12s. I'm not involved other than being a parent but it's still a full time job ferrying them around for multiple training sessions a week and games.

I'll be brutally honest, I'm close to pulling him out completely. Kids getting abused and called expletives from parents (opposition), teams allowed to kick seven bells out of other teams, teams 'coached' to welly the ball from one end of the pitch to the other, games and tournaments called off at the drop of a hat.

To say I'm less than impressed with the general standard of coaching, refereeing, organisation and the attitude of parents is an understatement.

[Robo10]

I played in LadsanDads from 1984-88 until u15s, then played various levels of pub football until 2007-08

I went to an open day for players with my eldest (then 7), retired from playing, and within a week was manager of a new team of 7 year olds lol

Got my badges, and I can honestly say it was the most rewarding 9 years of my life, watching them grow from not barely being abke to kick a ball to becoming young blokes - from a 12-1 thrashing in our first friendly, to beating Stone Doms 1-0 in our first league game, to getting to the top league, losing every game until November then beating the top team 1-0 with a heroic defensive effort (and a dog taking out the oppo striker clean through last min - it was his dog lol), to winning 2 cup finals against our local rivals - finishing off with 2 league runners up medals and a set of lads (2016) and parents that I am still great friends with and its brill to see them in the pub etc

Was always proud that 8 of my original 10 were still with me at the end, it was never about being the 'best' or winning, just them trying hard and being all they could be

My youngest lad started at u7s as eldest finished, they are now u14s - I'll just watch I said....club chairman, welfare officer, run the line every week, help with coaching, on the committee for the Biddulph setup.....

(I ran kids cricket teams as well every summer since 2009...retired last season as youngest lost interest!)


Its one of the best experiences, you hear a lot about abuse and over reactive parents, and yes, there is the odd club nobody likes to play - but in the main its properly rewarding amd you make lifelong friends - oppo managers and parents included - I see loads at the match on Saturdays and its cool to catch up

[cobhamstokey]

Back in the late 70s I used to play for Madeley Panthers. We were managed by former Wolves manager Graham Hawkins, and a nicer man you couldn’t meet.
He had 2 lads who played in the team too.
We were beaten heavily every week but had great fun and won an award at the end of the season for which I still have my medal now.
I remember Roger Jones and Adrian Heath at the end of season awards.

Played our games at Pool Dam and wore the Norwich admiral kit looking very smart despite our abject performances.

[Robo10]

Reading some of the stories above is sad, I dont think thats the common experience

There are 'clubs' and parents out there who are all about the wins - cherry picking/poaching kids from other teams and sadly with that comes entitlement/unhappiness as coaches drop or dont play little Johnny for the next big thing

I lost 2 of my best players at u14, poached away with promises and it caused some personal friendship challenges - but looking back they all regret leaving, but it was what it was.

The best experiences (IMO) is where bunches of schoolmates are allowed to play together, have a crack, laugh about it at school on Mon, and enjoy what they are doing - have no time for 'super teams' made up of mercenaries.

We have our local derby on Sunday - 14 of them have played in the school team together tonight but are on opposite teams on Sun!

[bigvern]

I walked past the croft in penkhull last week. So sad to see it not being used anymore. I used to love it up there. Scored some crackers on those pitches.
Booth Street 5 a side on a Friday, Stoke on Saturdays and lads and dad's on Sundays.

[stokeyank]

Sept 15, 2023 19:15:03 GMT Robo10 said:

Reading some of the stories above is sad, I dont think thats the common experience

There are 'clubs' and parents out there who are all about the wins - cherry picking/poaching kids from other teams and sadly with that comes entitlement/unhappiness as coaches drop or dont play little Johnny for the next big thing

I lost 2 of my best players at u14, poached away with promises and it caused some personal friendship challenges - but looking back they all regret leaving, but it was what it was.

The best experiences (IMO) is where bunches of schoolmates are allowed to play together, have a crack, laugh about it at school on Mon, and enjoy what they are doing - have no time for 'super teams' made up of mercenaries.

We have our local derby on Sunday - 14 of them have played in the school team together tonight but are on opposite teams on Sun!

Happens in every sport and in every country.  The youth teams here in the US sometimes do the same.  A parent who I played with in High School runs a local team and cherry picks all the best kids for his team so they can always win.  In general he's a nice guy but very few like him because of that. 

We have a setup in basketball called AAU (Amature Athletic Union), where it's even worse.  Recruiters and facilities charge parents stupid money just to play in front of college coaches and most kids have no chance to play in college.  Parents then get very angry because they pay so much and expect that their kid is going to be great, when very few actually are.

For the most part the kids are fine, parents ruin it.

I coach high school basketball for the past 10 years and I love it.  The only issue I ever had was with parents.

[stokiespark]

I manage my lads u9’s team had them since u7’s big change this season as we move to 7v7 from 5v5. Lots of hard work but very rewarding, actually looking for 1 extra player if anyone knows a lad 😂

[svengaliinplatforms]

Stoke Ladsandads 1984-1989. Early games up at the Croft in Penkhull. Moved to Harpfields later.

Cup Finals were at St Dominics or Wedgwood.

Every Friday night, Booth Street 5-a-side League.

It was a great set-up.

MCF_74 was a fat bastard, even then 😉

[delilahwhy]

My lad is a Goalkeeper. U9s.

Hes always been a very shy and timid boy so by getting him into a team, I was just hoping it would help build his confidence. After a shaky start, it has done just that. As a footy mad bloke, I have always been conscious not to push him into it, but I did believe it would do him good if he'd stick with it.

As a Goalkeeper I always knew there'd be hurdles. The first time he got clattered by a striker. The first time he took a shot to the stomach and got winded. The first time he took a whack in the face from a shot. Its horrible as a parent to know those moments are going to happen to your kid, but I believed it would do him good in the long run. The positives would greatly outweigh any short-term negatives.

He's gone from full blown tears when he first took a ball full whack in the face, to a toughened little lad who can roll with the punches and shake off the knocks. I even get a "I'm fine Dad" whenever he gets a whack, which strangely makes me proud.

We are bottom tier in our age group, but it makes no difference to me. Watching the boys bond and progress (no matter how slow, or how small the steps) is a joy to see.

Ability and talent aside, the confidence side of it is what means so much to me. My boy has come on leaps and bounds in that respect. I love the game for that alone.

In terms of how much time it takes up, I do help out with coaching every now and then, and running the line etc. Match days can be long, especially when you've got a 45 minute drive to somewhere like Stone. It can take big chunks out of your day but I don't see it as time wasted or sacrificed. I see it as bonding time with my boy, which is important to me. Something my old man never did when I was younger.

I wouldn't swap it for the world.

[J-Roar]

Sept 15, 2023 18:01:51 GMT Trouserdog said:

Just wondered how many other folks on here dedicate, or have dedicated, their weekends to the amazing experience that is grassroots football?

I help out with my lad's team and it's such a great laugh- there's honestly no better feeling than when you see something 'click' with young players and you can see them growing in confidence. It can be frustrating as hell too sometimes, but that's kids for you!

I honestly don't know what I'd do without it on Sundays. (Although perhaps check in with me again in January when it's freezing, pissing it down, and I'm trying to get about a gallon of mud out of a goalkeeper's kit.😂)

PS If anyone is after a team for their kid (under 10s, so Year 5 at school) then drop me a message. High level team, Sunday mornings...signing-on fee, a packet of Haribos.👍

It's a million times more exciting watching your own kids play than professionals

[J-Roar]

Sept 15, 2023 19:53:11 GMT svengaliinplatforms said:

Stoke Ladsandads 1984-1989. Early games up at the Croft in Penkhull. Moved to Harpfields later.

Cup Finals were at St Dominics or Wedgwood.

Every Friday night, Booth Street 5-a-side League.

It was a great set-up.

MCF_74 was a fat bastard, even then 😉

Christ. MCF is a name from the past. The Rimmer.

[Huddysleftfoot]

If you didn't play at Trubshaw Cross you were irrelevant
Early 70's.

[Trouserdog]

Sept 15, 2023 19:15:03 GMT Robo10 said:

Reading some of the stories above is sad, I dont think thats the common experience

There are 'clubs' and parents out there who are all about the wins - cherry picking/poaching kids from other teams and sadly with that comes entitlement/unhappiness as coaches drop or dont play little Johnny for the next big thing

I lost 2 of my best players at u14, poached away with promises and it caused some personal friendship challenges - but looking back they all regret leaving, but it was what it was.

The best experiences (IMO) is where bunches of schoolmates are allowed to play together, have a crack, laugh about it at school on Mon, and enjoy what they are doing - have no time for 'super teams' made up of mercenaries.

We have our local derby on Sunday - 14 of them have played in the school team together tonight but are on opposite teams on Sun!

Yeah, there are teams like that in every age group. I'd never let my lad sign for a club like that as I know he'd be dropped like a stone as soon as someone better came along.

We were quite lucky with the players we started out with as there were some talented players in the group, who brought along other talented players from their Saturday teams when we increased the numbers from 5 a side to 7 a side. However, twelve months ago our two best players moved on to professional academies (I was so proud of them when they did) but we've never really been able to replace them.

Because we still play in the top tiers, the sides we're up against are all powerful, quick teams who can play a bit. It makes it very difficult to recruit players if you're not going to go down the road of poaching (which we absolutely won't do) as the pool you're fishing in is basically lads who've not really played football before. Pitching them into games where they're a mile behind the rest of the players on the pitch does no-one any favours, most of all them, so that's something we're not keen to do again either.

If we can get a kid in who's somewhere within the ability range we already have, who is coachable and brings with them a decent parent(s) then that'll tick all the boxes. I didn't think it'd be so hard to do, but it's been somewhat tricky!

[Silkystoke]

I used to live in Baddeley Green, I played ladsndads from 76-80 at Carmountside.. remember getting changed in the school then walking up the fuckin mountain to get to the pitch..!!!!
Great days

[theonlooker]

Sept 15, 2023 19:15:03 GMT Robo10 said:

Reading some of the stories above is sad, I dont think thats the common experience

There are 'clubs' and parents out there who are all about the wins - cherry picking/poaching kids from other teams and sadly with that comes entitlement/unhappiness as coaches drop or dont play little Johnny for the next big thing

I lost 2 of my best players at u14, poached away with promises and it caused some personal friendship challenges - but looking back they all regret leaving, but it was what it was.

The best experiences (IMO) is where bunches of schoolmates are allowed to play together, have a crack, laugh about it at school on Mon, and enjoy what they are doing - have no time for 'super teams' made up of mercenaries.

We have our local derby on Sunday - 14 of them have played in the school team together tonight but are on opposite teams on Sun!

Sadly not an isolated occurrence for me. I saw what I described quite often against a number of teams last season and also a fair bit of nonsense dished out by opposition coaches to their own team. Quite shameful behaviour infact.

I once witnessed a coach instructing one of his players to 'hurt' one of our players in a tournament. As it wasn't an FA affiliated tournament I couldn't do anything about it even though I tried. I tried to deal with it at source but was told to "Fcuk off and mind your own business." Classy.

I was warned beforehand and stupidly I didn't listen. Parents getting pissed up at the side of the pitch at 9am on a Sunday morning is something I was also warned about and thankfully the only thing I haven't seen so far.

Witnessed two dad's having a physical fist fight at an U8s tournament last summer also.

[telfordstoke]

I run a girls U13 side in the Shropshire Women and Girls League, my daughter started playing at 6 in the FA Wildcats programme and this lead to us forming a team as part of an all girls club who played then from U8-U16 ,these days they go from U7. Get alot out of it and share the work with another couple of parents ,loads of teams in league so there's now two divisions. Game in the morning as always play Saturdays, only time she doesn't play is when we do Stoke away but that's not every game . Fair play to everyone that gets involved. Had a few robust discussions over last few years with people who'd do things differently "if it were them running team" , when fronted with a "go on then, fill your boots" argument they go remarkably bloody quiet lol

[Robo10]

Sept 15, 2023 20:15:33 GMT Trouserdog said:

Sept 15, 2023 19:15:03 GMT Robo10 said:

Reading some of the stories above is sad, I dont think thats the common experience

There are 'clubs' and parents out there who are all about the wins - cherry picking/poaching kids from other teams and sadly with that comes entitlement/unhappiness as coaches drop or dont play little Johnny for the next big thing

I lost 2 of my best players at u14, poached away with promises and it caused some personal friendship challenges - but looking back they all regret leaving, but it was what it was.

The best experiences (IMO) is where bunches of schoolmates are allowed to play together, have a crack, laugh about it at school on Mon, and enjoy what they are doing - have no time for 'super teams' made up of mercenaries.

We have our local derby on Sunday - 14 of them have played in the school team together tonight but are on opposite teams on Sun!

Yeah, there are teams like that in every age group. I'd never let my lad sign for a club like that as I know he'd be dropped like a stone as soon as someone better came along.

We were quite lucky with the players we started out with as there were some talented players in the group, who brought along other talented players from their Saturday teams when we increased the numbers from 5 a side to 7 a side. However, twelve months ago our two best players moved on to professional academies (I was so proud of them when they did) but we've never really been able to replace them.

Because we still play in the top tiers, the sides we're up against are all powerful, quick teams who can play a bit. It makes it very difficult to recruit players if you're not going to go down the road of poaching (which we absolutely won't do) as the pool you're fishing in is basically lads who've not really played football before. Pitching them into games where they're a mile behind the rest of the players on the pitch does no-one any favours, most of all them, so that's something we're not keen to do again either.

If we can get a kid in who's somewhere within the ability range we already have, who is coachable and brings with them a decent parent(s) then that'll tick all the boxes. I didn't think it'd be so hard to do, but it's been somewhat tricky!

We chatted on Twitter last week about it - we are a fairly average Div 3 level team but have been thrust into Div 2 this year - where we met a super team last week in the wrong league due to some above my pay grade politics - and got absolutely battered!

They will walk our league and be surprised if they concede more than 10 goals never mind drop any points! But disheartening but we crack on!

@theonloooker - thats terrible!

[staffordpotter78]

I'm on my second time around now with grassroots football and wouldn't change it for the world, the biggest thing I learnt was to forget about ability as that can be coached but make sure you've got good kids and equally as decent and supportive parents.

We're a mid-division team in the Stafford leagues and we win some and we lose some, but all our U11’s play football the right way and more importantly have a good laugh along the way which is what kids football should really be about.

I've seen some shameful behaviour by parents of some clubs, one which included six mums from two teams who were at the same football centre as us having a punch up in the car park whilst their kids stood at the side crying. I've also had an opposition manager who was wearing a Vale hat tell his players to refuse to shake my hand at the end of a game because I had a Stoke wooly hat on, I'm all for football banter but what does that teach kids?

[knype]

Sept 15, 2023 18:13:08 GMT prestwichpotter said:

I coach my sons under 16’s team, and a girls development group (5-7 year olds mainly) which keeps me busy.

Gets harder juggling work commitments with training etc. but it really is rewarding, and for those parents watching their kids I recommend getting your Level 1 coaching badge and giving it a go if you’re able……

Anyone watched or listened to the latest Under the cosh episode with the Dorking owner / manager?. His views on taking coaches courses in particular is a controversial point?

[elystokie]

Sept 15, 2023 20:15:33 GMT Huddysleftfoot said:

If you didn't play at Trubshaw Cross you were irrelevant
Early 70's.

Our team lost 3-2 there in the Ladsandads Area Cup Final to Duggie Browns team in the early 70s, absolutely gutted, he wasn't playing haha but his lad (Martin? Good player anyway) was.

Think it was only a few seasons earlier my Dad had helped Duggie set up the Ladsandads scheme.

Is it all houses now? Don't think I've been back since.

There was a request on Radio Stoke a while back for Ladsandads memoribilia for some sort of display I think, can't remember where tho, I came across a bag of Ladsandads stuff in the loft a few months later too 😐

[Robo10]

Sept 16, 2023 7:48:08 GMT elystokie said:

Sept 15, 2023 20:15:33 GMT Huddysleftfoot said:

If you didn't play at Trubshaw Cross you were irrelevant
Early 70's.

Our team lost 3-2 there in the Ladsandads Area Cup Final to Duggie Browns team in the early 70s, absolutely gutted, he wasn't playing haha but his lad (Martin? Good player anyway) was.

Think it was only a few seasons earlier my Dad had helped Duggie set up the Ladsandads scheme.

Is it all houses now? Don't think I've been back since.

There was a request on Radio Stoke a while back for Ladsandads memoribilia for some sort of display I think, can't remember where tho, I came across a bag of Ladsandads stuff in the loft a few months later too 😐

Nah Trubshaw is a fab venue nowadays, they took ownership of the land from the council and they are some of the finest pitches around - they do a great job

Meanwhile on our council pitches we are still avoiding dog shit, holes dug in the box and incorrect markings as the outsource folk the council use are a bit dim...