It's Good to See a Good Coach

I was watching some U13 kids play a soccer match this evening. One of the coaches seemed to be providing a good example. As 11 of his kids played on the field, he coached the 3 on the bench from time to time. He didn't tell the players on the field much at all; he just let them play. Only once did I hear him address a player on the field. In a quiet moment after the ball was kicked out of bounds, he told a player, "Just settle the ball and take an extra touch." But most of the time, when he spoke, he spoke to the players off the field. He spoke in a normal tone of voice and addressed them as adults. In turn, they seemed to act more maturely. His team played with confidence and skill. I didn't get to watch as long as I wanted, but he certainly gave me a good picture of what a good coach looks like during a match. That's really nice to see.