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We have developed a hopefully comprehensive (38 page) Parent Handbook of the RAGE competitive soccer program. We hope you will refer to it whenever you have questions about policy or procedures.

As your club has grown in complexity, the Technical Staff and volunteer Board members find that we are asked frequently for explanations of policy. This Handbook is intended to provide the detailed explanations you need. Without a Handbook, the time spent addressing these questions, all of which are valid, has grown to the point of compromising Staff’s ability to perform their primary function. We appeal to you to utilize this document FIRST to find answers, then use e-mail to communicate with Staff or the Board. Our purpose is not to build a wall between us, but to provide for much greater efficiency in our primary love: teaching your daughters how to play soccer.

MISSION STATEMENT:The Pleasanton Rage is an all girls soccer club that makes team and player development its central focus. We offer challenging programs at all levels that demonstrate a strong commitment to the development of the whole player including the technical, tactical, physical, and psychological areas of our player's development within the team environment.

Respect
Attitude
Greatness
Expectations

I need to contact my coach or someone on Staff or the Board.

The coach should be contacted first about all soccer issues. Please use e-mail. See Page 5

How is RAGE different in its approach to soccer?

The so-called “four pillars of soccer” are physical, technical, tactical and psychological. We believe we do a great, and sometimes unique, job in teaching soccer. Read Page 13 of the Parent Handbook

My daughter is only seven. What is the program like now that she will be having some professional training?

RAGE has an innovative program to expose your daughters to professional training and taking responsibility on the soccer field, but without the pressure of truly competitive soccer. Feeling a need to win is inappropriate at this age. Having fun is essential. See Page 17 of the Parent Handbook

What is the RAGE approach to player development?

The best soccer education begins with learning technique (juggling, speed ladder, dribbling, passing and receiving, 1v1, 2v2), with much less emphasis on winning. See Page 14 of the Parent Handbook

I would like to have my daughter try out for a competitive team. What do I need to know and what should she expect?

We call tryouts placements for a reason: placement on the appropriate team for her. This is a complex subject, possibly full of tension for all concerned. PLEASE read Pages 6 and 26. There are expectations for attendance at practices and games. Read Page 24 of the Parent Handbook

My team is going to certain tournaments. Why these, why not more (less)?

The Technical Staff, in consultation with the coach, will determine which tournaments a team will enter, based on cost and desired benefits. Read Pages 27 and especially the article on Page 32.

How is my daughter doing on her competitive team?

Always talk to the coach. If you are unclear about the process of evaluations, read Page 26.

Why are there players from other towns on our D1 Premier competitive teams?

RAGE is one of the few area clubs that offers a consistent and comprehensive program through the high school years. Our competitive program is ranked among the top in the country. That fact alone will attract players who seek the additional challenge of a leading club. Unfortunately that may lead to Pleasanton girls being “dropped” from a team. We feel a moral responsibility to provide the best alternative competitive teams that are suited to all of our players’ abilities. We promise to maintain very strong AC and D3 programs. Read Page 21.

What is expected of ME at practices and games?

We ask every parent and player to read and sign our Code of Conduct. We expect behavior that is an appropriate representation of your club and your community. That means show respect for your team, the opposition and most definitely the referees. Read Page 6.

I want to vent issue a complaint about this club.

We want to hear from you. Yes, we really do. Please send the appropriate person an e-mail. In addition, we ask you to participate in a survey near the end of the League season. This survey is absolutely confidential and cannot be held against your daughter. However, we really hope you will provide us with a thoughtful solution to your concerns. As part of that, we would encourage you to be an active participant in the RAGE club by volunteering to help. Please read Page 18.

This Handbook does not answer my questions

The Handbook will be edited with new issues frequently. E-mail our competitive VP, with suggested topics for inclusion at rage-div1@pleasantonrage.org.

If you want to claim any of the items, please contact Tamie Shadle at: (925)209-9983 or tamie@pleasantonrage.org
After 3 months the items not claimed will be donated to charity.

LOST:

Nothing to report.

FOUND:

Nothing to report.

ARTICLES:

Stop Sports Injuries - posted 07/05/12

Guidelines For Supportive Parents - 12/27/11

Frequent "Heading" In Soccer Can Lead to Brain Injury and Cognitive Impairment - 2011

Guideines for Coaching Heading in Soccer

Top 100 players choose college destinations - December 2010
Article Written By Jahmal Corner, ESNN
The fate of the college program is often altered long before any matches are played. That's because winning the recruiting season is a vital part of a successful year. Several programs are enjoying a Merry Christmas thanks to the commitments of these top 2011 prospects: Tracy Hong (Pleasanton Rage), who is heading to Cal Poly. Ranked in our Top 100 List she's a winger who has a knack for putting herself in great positions. Cal Poly would agree. [MORE]

US Soccer Player Identification

9.5 Reasons My Kids Play Competitive Soccer – Is It Worth It?

American System Part II, The Egg Drill

Helping Parents Navigate the Maze of Youth Soccer

Soccer Parents - 5 Simple Questions

Reyna: Training Centers key to evaluation

New U.S. Soccer Coaching Curriculum to Be Unveiled During Player Development Summit from April 19-21 at Nike International Headquarters

Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports

Tab Ramos: Keep the parents at bay

How to Aquire College Level Sports Skills

What does it take to be an Athlete?

What is Player Development

When Good Parents Go Bad... (every parent should read this)

Motivation is more than a question of winning and losing

Stop the Tournaments

Learning Culture Through Sports - Perspectives on Society & Organized Sports

Top Drawer Soccer Weekly

Parent Handbook - Competitive Program -- 2012

Sideline Rules Code of Conduct

• Rule #1: Thou Shalt Not Praise Thy Own Daughter.
It is the late in the second half of a vital game and the score is tied against the arch-villain traditional enemies. Your daughter performs a full speed sliding tackle to strip the ball from an attacker who eluded the keeper 3 feet in front of the goal. She does a “pop-up” slide and comes to her feet without ever losing the ball. Juking and faking, she takes a run up the touchline, leaving opponents sprawling in her wake and then, sensing that the whistle is about
to blow, hits an off-foot shot from 35 yards that starts out 20 yards wide and hooks back just into the upper “V” to win the game. Your reaction? A pleased smile. A little leap no more than 4 inches off the ground. No cries of “Where is Anson Dorrance when we really need him?” No matter your intent, shoveling plaudits on your own kid is seen as basically self-promotion, selfish, and destructive of team unity. Other parents will mutter darkly and cast jealous glances at you.
• Rule #2: Thou Shalt Praise Other Parents’ Daughters.
The reason that you don’t have to praise your own daughter is that it is the sworn duty of the other parents to do it for you. In situation #1 they will give you high-fives, hug you, and generally declare that the spirit of Pele (or Mia Hamm) is being channeled by your child. When someone else’s little girl does anything ranging from mediocre to spectacular you will run up to them with similar comments, assuring them that international stardom is only a short time away, and that this is proof that the gene pool runs true. When another girl does something appallingly awful you are duty-bound to rush to the grieving parent to assure them that it wasn’t that bad, and that she’s been having such a good game she can be forgiven one little goof.
• Rule #3: Thou Shalt Never Criticize Players in Public.
The coach has done it again. Starting at striker is a girl who is slower than America OnLine, completely clueless about the tactical niceties of her position, and to whom “airhead” would have to be considered a compliment. You see the opposing team laughing and pointing. You groan in what you think is a quiet voice “How can he even keep that dolt on the team”. Your feet leave the ground as you discover that the hulking behemoth behind you is her Uncle/Brother whom you had never met.
You can generally take as a given that the players are trying as hard as they can with differing amounts of skill. Desirable as a “skillectomy” might be, the ability to trap a line drive and drop it on the shooting foot cannot be grafted on or surgically attached. Secondly, players are quite aware when they have made a bonehead play. You will rarely hear a player shout “Thanks guys, I didn’t realize that whiffing was a bad thing!” Thirdly, even at the U-18 level these are still our kids - not professionals - and even the pros make mistakes. The pros are paid to be able to take criticism as aimed at their play rather than themselves as persons. Your daughters aren’t.
• Rule #4: When Commenting about the Field Action, Silence is Golden.
At times you may feel like commenting upon the quality of play, the quality of officiating, and the coaches’ decisions. Due to your years of observing from the sidelines and the fact that you coached the “Sunflowers” in the U-8 rec league you may have the belief that your opinions are (1) accurate, (2) incisive; and (3) worthy of communicating loudly so everyone else can hear them. You are wrong. Neither the players, the referees, nor the coach are going to make any changes in response to your bellows from the sideline. They are, however, going to be mad at you - joining a group including your spouse, your friends, and anyone standing close to you. Kids goof, refs goof, coaches goof. Before you shout, picture your next day at work as you are working on a project and in the doorway to your office are a crowd of players, coaches and refs booing you and demanding that you be fired.
• Rule #5: Silence Can Be Deadly.
The usual response to your sideline comments is a tug on your shirt from your spouse, a glare, rolling of eyes by your neighbors, and a silent promise by your daughter to change her name and become an orphan. However, there are those times when your comments result in a sudden pall of silence and your becoming the center of attention from the sidelines and the field. Sort of like in 4th grade when you fell asleep in class and made a funny sound when you startled awake. This means you have Crossed The Line from being an obnoxious parent/fan to another status entirely - such as the Unknown Brother at a U-16 Regionals game making anatomically uncomfortable suggestions about where a referee’s un-blown whistle should reside. When silence falls and you are the focus of everyone’s attention it may be time to announce that you are overdue at the hospital to perform a lifesaving operation and to slink away at top speed.
• Rule #6: This Is Still a Game.
Despite the fact that each player’s family has invested a great deal of time and money in soccer at this level, and they are hoping that soccer will help pay the college bills, it is still a game and if your daughter doesn’t enjoy it she will not play well - and maybe not at all. Ask yourself if what you do at games and practices and tournaments helps your daughter have fun and enjoy the game or adds pressure and worry. Ask yourself after the game if watching two teams of beautiful, talented, fit, and eager young ladies was fun for you? If it wasn’t - if you found yourself criticizing, carping, upset, and unhappy - remember that there is enough pressure and stress involved with making a living and guiding your family through the challenges of modern life. Forget the calls, forget the score, forget the standings. Give your daughter a hug, tell her you love her, and be thankful for every day you have to share with her because they don’t stay kids very long.

Ten Commandments For Parents of Athletes

1. Make sure your children know that win or lose, scared or heroic, you love them, appreciate their efforts, and are not disappointed in them. This will allow them to do their best without a fear of failure. Be the person in their life they can look to for constant positive enforcement.

2. Try your best to be completely honest about your child's athletic capability, their competitive attitude, sportsmanship, and actual skill level.

3. Be helpful, but don't coach them on the way to the rink, pool, or field, or on the way back, or at breakfast, and so on. Its tough not to, but its a lot tougher for the child to be inundated with advice, pep talks, and often critical instruction.

4. Teach them to enjoy the thrill of competition, to be out there trying, to be working to improve their skills and attitudes. Help them to develop the feel for competing, for trying hard, for having fun.

5. Try not to re-live your athletic life through your children in a way that creates pressure; you fumbled, too, you lost as well as won. You were frightened, you backed off at times, you were not always heroic. Don't pressure them because of your lost pride.

6. Don't compete with the coach. If the coach becomes an authority figure, it will run from enchantment to disenchantment, etc., with your athlete.

7. Don't compare the skill, courage, or attitudes of your children with other members of the team, at least within his hearing.

8. Get to know the coach so that you can be assured that the philosophy, attitudes, ethics, and knowledge are such that you are happy to have your child under this leadership.

9. Always remember that children tend to exaggerate, both when praised and when criticized. Temper your reaction and investigate before overreacting.

10. Make a point of understanding courage, and the fact that it is relative. Some of us can climb mountains, and are afraid to fight. Some of us will fight, but turn to jelly if a bee approaches. Everyone is frightened in certain areas. Explain that courage is not the absence of fear, but a means of doing something in spite of fear or discomfort. The job of the parent of an athletic child is a tough one, and it takes a lot of effort to do it well. It is worth all the effort when you hear your youngster say, My parents really helped, I was lucky, in this.

1. Make sure your children know that--win or lose--you love them and are not disappointed with their performance.

2. Be realistic about your child's physical ability.

3. Help your child set realistic goals.

4. Emphasize improved performance, not winning. Positively reinforce improved skills.

5. Don't relive your own athletic past through your child.

6. Provide a safe environment for training and competition. This includes proper training methods and use of equipment.

7. Control your own emotions at games and events. Don't yell at other players, coaches, or officials.

8. Be a cheerleader for your child and the other children on the team.

9. Respect your child's coaches. Communicate openly with them. If you disagree with their approach, discuss it with them.

10. Be a positive role model. Enjoy sports yourself. Set your own goals. Live a healthy lifestyle.

FOR COACHES AND PARENTS:
CHESHIRE (CONNECTICUT) SOCCER CLUB’S DOS AND DON’TS

Edited by Dan Woog (article courtesy of Soccer America’s Youth Soccer Letter)

DON’TS:
Don’t shout instructions to the player with the ball. The player has enough problems maintaining possession while making quick and difficult decisions about what to do next. He or she must learn to make decisions without your input.

Don’t use phrases as “boot the ball”, “kick it,” or “send it.” First, you violate rule No. 1; second, you encourage panic rather than good decision making, and mindless kicking rather than possession.

Don’t try to control the game from the sidelines. You can’t! A soccer coach is not an active participant in the game. Soccer is played, controlled and ultimately coached by the players on the field. Teach players to “coach” themselves.

Don’t try to teach “aggressiveness.” In soccer, what is perceived as “aggressive play” merely reflects the confidence a player has in his or her own abilities. Teach the skills that generate confidence; encourage players to believe in themselves. If you do, they will play “aggressively.”

Don’t abuse game officials, or show disrespect for opponents. Referees make fewer mistakes than your players; your opponents are not your enemy. Be aware of the example you set for your players.

DOS:
Do offer suggestions to players not currently involved in what is happening on the field. Brief words of advice are helpful to players who have time to consider them (those who are either out of the match or on the field but far from the ball).

Do encourage players to use the skills they are being taught. Encourage – and sometimes push – players to experiment in scrimmages and games. If this approach costs goals, learn to accept temporary setbacks as the price of progress, and recognize them as opportunities to help players improve. Soccer is best learned through trial and error.

Do teach players to coach themselves on the field. By the time they find themselves on a full-size field they will be unable to hear you anyway. Players must learn to assist each other in making hundreds of split-second decisions each game.

Do teach players the game’s skills, and encourage them to hold the ball long enough to make good decisions about what to do next.

Parents are vital to our organization. Support your child, your coach, and the referees. Encourage your child to respect the referees and coach.

Parents should:

Not force an unwilling child to participate in sports.
Remember children are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment.
Teach your child always to play by the rules.
Teach your child that hard work and an honest effort are often more important than a victory.
Help your child work toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship in every game. Your child will then be a winner even in defeat.
Do not ridicule or yell at your child for making a mistake or for losing a game.
Set a good example. Children learn best by example.
Applaud good plays by your team and by member of the opposing team.
Do not publicly question referee judgment and never their honesty.
Recognize the value and importance of volunteer coaches, referees and officials and give them their due respect.
Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from youth sporting activities.

rage parent's corner

ARTICLES:

Sideline Rules Code of Conduct

Ten Commandments For Parents of Athletes

FOR COACHES AND PARENTS: CHESHIRE (CONNECTICUT) SOCCER CLUB’S DOS AND DON’TS

FOR COACHES AND PARENTS:
CHESHIRE (CONNECTICUT) SOCCER CLUB’S DOS AND DON’TS