Why We Play

You register your child for football thinking they’ll learn to kick a ball, run in the fresh air, and maybe pick up some teamwork along the way.

They will. But that’s not the half of it.

The first thing they learn is that football is a winter sport and sometimes it rains. You arrive at the ground in weather you wouldn’t walk the dog in, expecting tears. They’re already out there, sliding through puddles, grinning. That’s the first surprise. Kids are braver about discomfort than we give them credit for.

At training, one player can’t quite keep up. They’re doing the wrong drill, or they’re standing in the wrong spot, or they’re just having a bad night. The coach spends extra time. The other kids adjust. Some adjust easily. They grab a hand, pull someone into the circle, carry on. Others find it harder, because inclusion is a skill, not an instinct, and nine-year-olds are still learning it. So is most of the adult world, if we’re honest.

A few rounds in, the games start to feel familiar. You win some, you lose some. Along the way your child learns things that aren’t in any football drill: that turning up late lets people down; that you can play well even when you didn’t feel like coming; that dribbling past one player is fun but passing to an open teammate can win games; and that sloppy defending has consequences, immediately and publicly.

Then one weekend the game isn’t fun. The opposition plays rough. The sideline gets loud. Maybe aggressive. A child gets hurt, and while your team stops to help, the other side scores. The referee allows the goal. It feels wrong, and for a moment the whole point of being there is hard to find.

This is where parents learn from football too.

It’s tempting to shout. It’s tempting to march over and say something. But the response that actually helps your child is the measured one: talk to your coach or manager, who can raise concerns through the right channels. Support and follow instructions from ground officials if they step in. Keep your composure, because your child is watching, and they will remember how you handled it long after they’ve forgotten the score.

After the game, ask them what they saw. Ask them how they felt, and what they think should happen next. Children deal with conflict in the playground every day. They often have a clearer, fairer view of what just happened than the adults on the sideline. Listen to them. Let what they say guide you.

These are big lessons. Football puts your family in a community that’s wider than your street, your school, or your friendship group. You will meet people who do things differently. If they are playing within the rules, different is not wrong. It’s just different. Learning to compete against someone you disagree with, and to shake their hand afterwards, is one of the most useful things sport teaches anyone.

When you signed up for Under 6s you didn’t expect any of this. But ten years from now, when your child is an adult who knows how to show up when it’s hard, include the person who’s struggling, lose without making excuses, and win without rubbing it in, you’ll know exactly where they learned it.

The best thing you can do as a football parent is be the example you want them to follow.

Liza Schaeper
Leichhardt Saints President 2014–2019 and Life Member

A note on safety. Football should always be played in a spirit of respect and fair play. If at any point you or your child feel unsafe, your safety comes first. Remove yourselves from the situation and contact the club afterwards. Our Code of Conduct sets out what we expect from everyone, our Ground Official Guidelines explain who is there to help on the day, and our Child Safety page covers how to raise a concern about a child’s wellbeing.