U12s football... the relentless Saturday or Sunday morning turning out to stand, shivering on the touchline being battered and buffetted by the wind and rain. The gaggle of parents yelling encouragement to the boys - much needed for as soon as they go a goal down their heads drop and they start to lose it. Last season it went to the wire with the team narrowly missing out on top place. But oh what a difference a season can make. This year, it's been much tougher with scorelines of 6-1 or more and just a handful of wins. Too many losses which meant yesterday's match against Horam was the one they had to win to avoid relegation. This had the potential to be dire.
But as the weather turned and the sun beat down on a football pitch somewhere in Sussex, so Pembury Youth Athletic Football Club's lucked turned too. A scrappy first half, "embarrassingly bad football" said their coach, despite which they were up 2-0. Whatever their coach said at half time obviously inspired them - they put two more in the goal and despite a penalty for the other side ended the game with a 4-1 win. And best of all they did it in style, played good (not great, but good) football and worked well as a team. No squabbles, no tantrums - well done boys! And well done parents - no swearing at the ref either!
It's a pity that our overpaid over-priveleged professional footballers can't take leaf out of their books!
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to being a touchline mama
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