OnDeck

Soccer

We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Nothing better shows your appreciation for the time and effort put in by your volunteer coaches than their own CoachDeck. Better, more-fun practices and more coaches willing to do it again next season are just a few of the many things you'll love about our product!

In this issue: New contributor, David Crawford, addresses an issue we all hear again and again - the quality of our referees. You'll want to read Brian Gotta's article about Kathy, the type of sports parent you don't hear about often enough. And, continuing in our series on the impact of injury on athletes, Dr. Alan Goldberg discusses the functions sports serve in our lives.

Please visit our sponsors! If you need help getting the word out about club sign-ups, Pro Banners makes it easy, effective and economical. And Ultimate Fundraising provides you with many fundraising options to meet small and large objectives. A photo of your soccer star makes Starview Bottles a unique keepsake they'll treasure! 

Four years ago, my son was on his high school Freshman football team. At 4'11", 95 pounds, he was strictly a "fifth quarter" player. The fifth quarter was when all of the kids who hadn't gotten to play in the "real" game scrimmaged each other. The referees went home, so coaches came on the field and blew the whistles. The public address announcer packed up and the scoreboard was turned off. The parents of the starters were encouraged to watch and cheer, but most of them drifted out too, leaving the stands nearly vacant. But Kathy always stayed until the end.  Read Article