Creating The Best Environment To Play and Learn

Car Parking At Bowood Sports Ground

Due to the number of groups using BSG and the reduced area available for car-parking it would greatly appreciated if you can avoid entering BSG car-park on Saturday mornings. Please consider using the Soho Inn for drop-off/pick-up. If you want to stay at the ground to watch the activity consider parking to the rear of Pine & Cane (available all day) or the Soho Inn (you must leave by midday).

This Saturday our League programme commences and many teams have matches booked at the ground. Last weekend saw the car-park at full capacity and this was without vehicles from visiting teams being present. Space will be at even more of a premium this coming weekend.

Following this request will help make visiting the ground a safer, more pleasant and hassle free experience.

Creating The Best Environment To Play and Learn

Please help us build and retain the best environment we can for our children to learn how to enjoy and develop their football experience. It is really important that all Club spectators; mums and dads, brothers and sisters, do not instruct our players. Research proves that children learn best when they are allowed to explore and make mistakes without fear of criticism or retribution. To do this they need a supportive and blame free environment in which to explore what works and what doesn't. Shouting instructions does not foster this environment.

Also, consider how your instructions to a child might conflict with;-

• how they view the situation
• what the coach has told them to do (perhaps he doesn't want them to "Get Rid Of It")
• what others might be shouting

Football is about many personal attributes, one of the major ones being decision making. The players on the field are always best placed, both in space and time, to make those decisions, and I encourage you to empower your child to make these without fear of failure. Take time-out after the game, in a calm, non-pressured environment to talk over the decisions made by your child and ask what they have learnt. The dialogue is well worth the effort and is far more likely to improve your child's game in the long run.

Think of the game as a classroom and consider your actions as if you were a visitor in a lesson. Watch and encourage but don't instruct. Please let our coaches coach and make it your job to encourage your child and their team. Don't let your child become a sad football statistic:

Why Children Drop Out Of Football

• Forced to take part
• It stopped being fun
• Pressure from coaches or parents
• Shouted at

If you want to learn more about how to make our environment one that supports your child to develop please review the FA's RESPECT Guide for parents and carers.

I hope that you and your child have an enjoyable, rewarding, and happy season with us. If you have any questions or concerns then please contact on 01249 814362 or email alan@dhufc.org

Key Web Pages

• DHUFC Squads
• DHUFC Calendar
• DHUFC Blog