Euro Tour 2017: Parent education is critical.

Today was our first day in Germany but a common theme has emerged.  Parent education is part of nearly every top youth club we have visited. 

FC Schalke where we visited today presented the most comprehensive parent program we have seen thus far.  It includes individual access to the club’s two sports psychologists. 

Nearly all the clubs have parent education to explain the club philosophy of development as well as expectations. It allows parents to examine if the club is the right fit for them and vice versa. 

Almost all conduct workshops on topics that are important to parents or things the club wants them to know. For example how damaging the ride home from a game can be to youth soccer players when parents grill their children. 

There was a study in Germany that showed pro players had only 2 things in common. First their parents supported them becoming professionals. Second they avoided injuries. 

However the definition of “support” was very specific.  One scout told us “parents must be parents and not talk about soccer with their kids. They should talk about normal things like school and family.”

What is also very clear is that these top clubs do not compromise their development philosophy to satisfy parents.