A volunteer speaks for every one of us...

Today I heard a comment made about me behind my back, I started to turn around and look but decided better of it, I know I make mistakes!

In fact maybe I’m not that great a coach, but I do treat the kids fairly and with respect. 

Please remember I’m just a volunteer, I’m not Sir Alex Ferguson. I’m the one who answered the call when the club said they didn’t have enough coaches. I’m pretty sure they like coming to my sessions, and my games, and without me or someone like me, there’d be no teams to play for. 

I understand that you were too busy. I have some news for you; I’m not retired, I’m busy too. 

I have children and a job, just like you do. 

But I’m out here on the field trying my best to teach these children how to play a sport they love. 

I’m part of this community too and it’s no picnic being out here constantly criticised. 

I often receive emails with suggestions about who should be playing where, and how my tactics were wrong, and how their child is playing out of position or a million other things I’m doing wrong. 

Many nights, I’m sure you’ve already had dinner and are relaxing on the couch by the time I kick the mud off my shoes and climb into my car, which hasn’t been washed or vacuumed for weeks. 

If I sound angry, I’m not. 

I do this because I love it. And I love coaching the kids. 

There are plenty of rewards and the positives outweigh the negatives. 

I just wish sometimes, those who don’t wish to volunteer their time would leave the coaching to the few of us who do!

Credit: The unknown coach

This powerful message applies to all levels of the game. Football is a game to be enjoyed but some fail miserably to digest that. 

At the end of the summer it depressed me greatly to have to witness a bunch of plus fifty year olds absolutely skinning alive their two volunteer coaches verbally and then having a public on field brawl amongst themselves.

I’ve been a referee on the field and been verbally abused and threatened physically. 

There’s elements on the vets scene who indulge in picking, poking, backbiting whilst contributing nothing constructive whatsoever. 

I can look after myself just fine and have put many Moustache Petes in their places over the years - Most cowardly bullies simply need to be confronted and they lose their ability to speak before retreating hastily back into their holes. 

I’m writing this in solidarity with hundreds of my fellow male and female coaches in different sports who go through hell at the hands of selfish adults and youngsters. 

At the end of the day it’s a huge loss to the grassroots game when brilliant and astute coaching volunteers step down because of the intolerance and disrespect they face. 

Look yourself in the mirror - If you’ve behaved in such a way it’s time you took a long hard look at yourself. 

Your conduct over a game is hugely reflective of your true personality. Most of us do it for free - The least you can do is have some respect! #thewanderinglondoner