Soccer is the biggest sport in the world, played in over 200 countries. Now, it's officially the largest sport in Australia. According to a survey by the Australian Sports Commission, over 1 million Australians participated in soccer in 2016, which was about 80% more than AFL participants.
Soccer is also a great sport for kids because it fosters physical activity, team spirit, communication, and it is relatively safe, compared to other football sports. As a result, Australian parents are increasingly getting their kids involved in the sport.
Some parents do this just to get their kids involved in a team sport, while others do it because they want to nurture the potential talents of their kids, with the hopes of them eventually becoming professionals. But whatever the reason, it all starts by finding the right coach. This post explores ways parents can find a suitable coach for their kids in Australia:
- Reputable Kids Soccer Academy
Depending on where they reside, parents can search for football academies near them. Typically, these places have coaches that have the experience to train and nurture kids in developing their skills. Some popular academies include Kids Football Club in Belconnen Region, Soccajoeys Homebush & Blacktown in Sydney Region, Football Star Academy in Eastern Melbourne, and more.
- Right Qualifications
For parents that want their kids to develop their talent to the fullest, they need the best coach. This principle applies to almost everything in life. When it comes to coaching, experience matters. Parents should sort for coaches with a proven track record and the necessary certifications. Being an approved Football Federation Australia C License coach is a big plus.
- Background Checks
Kids are vulnerable. That's why parents have to ensure that no form of abuse will be done on their children by the coach. The only way to ensure that is through a background check. Criminal history checks can be used to check the criminal past of coaches. Coaches with violent tendencies may take out their anger on kids, which is undesirable. Moreover, those registered as a sex offender should be nowhere near kids. Sexual abuse on kids is very heinous as it causes psychological trauma that usually remains for a very long time.
Australia has strict requirements in place for working with children checks. The working with children checks differ from state and territories however generally, all Australian states and territories require working with children checks. In Queensland, for example, you should only employ a coach with a positive blue card. This commission helps to promote and protect the rights, interests, and well-being of children and young people in Queensland.
Many soccer academies usually carry out screening checks on coaches before employing them. However, parents cannot be too careful when it comes to protecting the safety of their kids, especially if they spend considerable alone time (one-on-one training) with their coaches.
Summing up
When it comes to finding suitable coaches for their kids, parents should be keen on qualification and safety. A qualified coach is able to maximize the fun and excitement of kids while nurturing their talent. Through background checks, parents can be confident that their kids are in safe hands.
