At Park Regis Junior Football Club, we know that family life can be busy and plans sometimes change. Children may be unable to attend training or a match because of illness, family commitments, school events, holidays or other reasons.
That’s absolutely understandable. What really helps, though, is letting your child’s coach know as early as possible if they are going to be absent.
Why does it matter?
Coaches put a lot of time into planning training sessions and preparing teams for matches.
For training, knowing how many players will be attending allows the coach to plan a session that works properly for the number of children involved. Activities, drills and small-sided games may all need to be organised differently depending on whether eight, twelve or sixteen players are expected.
For matches, advance notice is even more important.
Coaches need to know which players are available so they can organise the squad and make sure there are enough players for the fixture. Depending on the circumstances, they may need to contact other players, adjust their plans or deal with other arrangements before match day.
If a coach is expecting a player and only discovers shortly before kick-off that they are not coming, there may be very little time to make alternative arrangements.
As early as possible
If you already know your child will miss a future training session or match, there is no need to wait until the day itself to tell the coach.
A quick message as soon as you know can make a big difference.
Of course, sometimes things happen at the last minute. Children become ill, transport problems occur and unexpected situations arise. Nobody expects parents to predict those situations. If something does happen on the day, simply let the coach know as soon as you reasonably can.
It helps the whole team
Good communication isn’t just helpful for the coach — it benefits everyone involved with the team.
Knowing who will be attending helps coaches prepare better sessions, organise match-day squads and make the best use of everyone’s time. It can also prevent coaches from waiting for a player who isn’t coming or trying to contact parents shortly before a session or match.
Our coaches are volunteers who give up a considerable amount of their own time to provide football for the children at Park Regis. Keeping them informed is a small thing that can make their job considerably easier.
So please remember:
If your child cannot attend training or a match, let their coach know as early as possible.
A quick message takes only a moment, but it helps the coach plan properly and helps make sure the team is ready for the session.
Thank you for helping our coaches and teams by keeping everyone informed.
