We could all learn a lesson from the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes are a team complied of 8 year old soccer players out of Maple Ridge. They’re led by head coach Andrew McBoyle, long time soccer player and enthusiast. While Andrew may be experienced in the sport, he had no idea how challenging it would be to coach a team:
“I have played my whole life and am still currently playing. Coaching the kids quickly had me realize just how much more difficult it is to teach something than to do it. Trying to explain a game I know so well seemed so simple, but then you realize you’re talking to a bunch of kids who’ve never played and don’t know the terms and sayings and rules at all. You have to go all the way back to basics and really simplify the game and break it down step by step in the simplest of forms. I’ve always respected my coaches over my life, but it really gave me a new higher level of respect and gratitude for all the volunteer coaches from my childhood who gave up their own free time so me and my teammates could play the sports we loved.”
Andrew has started to find his groove as a coach though and has enjoyed watching the team develop over the course of the season:
“The best part of coaching the kids is watching their skill set slowly get better, seeing the things you try to teach them in practice start to show up in the games. Which in turn starts to boost their confidence, and usually leads to them having more fun and enjoying themselves even more. It’s so rewarding.”
While their skills continue to develop, this season has presented some challenging games for the Hurricanes. However, winning isn’t what it’s all about for Andrew:
“Seeing the kids really start to become a team, rather than a group of random kids, winning and losing together really bonds a group. It’s very cool to watch first hand.”
The kids sure seem to agree as well. Harrison, a younger member of the Hurricanes says his favourite part of the game is “that I get to see my teammates every time.”
The Hurricanes are a true testament to the fact that winning or losing doesn’t matter at the younger ages, as long as you’re having fun!