Under 6s football practice... siblings joining in

[Yellowskies1988]

Took my son to his football practice this weekend. Just light hearted and social for him to run about with his friends but they have a coach, we pay subs £3 towards coach, rent for the area etc...

8 kids played this weekend, usually its between 6-12 who pay and play.

I didnt before anybody says otherwise but I'm I being unreasonable to moan when parents take their child and younger sibling to watch.... bearing in mind the few siblings are aged maybe 2-4 (that's NOT the moan part) and then when the younger is getting unsettled to let them join in "go and queue up behind your brother if you want to take a penalty"

I was only there watching, I've got no arguments if their is a spare ball knocking about that they can use. Also said sibling was their with both parents, if they dont want to go surely one of the parents should take them they playground nearby or stay at home?

I wouldn't let my younger one join in the older ones class or vice versa. However, if it was a one off kick of the ball I wouldn't be getting twisted out of shape about it...

DD goes to a hockey club which is similar - low key, casual, but it is paid for. There are quite often siblings running around with stocks and balls before the class starts, and maybe playing at the edges of the area during class, but they’re definitely not part of the class and don’t get to take part in anything. Nobody begrudges them playing with a spare stick and ball but only if they’re well out of the way of everyone else and not taking up any time or attention.

Depends. If it is literally just on for a minute to have one kick at a penalty then it doesn't sound like a big deal.

If, however, they are expecting the younger ones to join in with the training properly that doesn't sound on. It would probably spoil the game for all the other kids and it would be very cheeky when they haven't paid. How does the coach handle it?

Surely if it’s under 6’s the four year can just pay to play as well?

When I used to play women’s football, it was a brand new team starting up so there wasn’t huge numbers to begin with in attendance.

My last week at the club was when for three weeks running random kids had been allowed to join in the sessions to up the numbers who were anywhere between about 8-15 years old, both male and female and didn’t pay anything. By the third week I realised the club wasn’t going anywhere and joined another where I played until I quit.

But no, YANBU, I remember how much as a paying player on that team it frustrated me to have my shooting practises cut short by people who shouldn’t have been there. Admittedly yours is on a much smaller scale with it being less formal, but I know how you feel!

@freddiefox obviously if they paid it would be fine... the whole body of my post is they havent paid so I personally think they shouldn't join in. Take a spare ball and play elsewhere yeah, the area is quite big for under 6s but dont interfere if you havent paid

@5foot5 he handled it by encouraging the younger ones to go collect all the balls us that weren't being used. Tried to keep them busy

@ Yellowskies1988 so if he’s not to young why don’t the parents just pay for the 4 year old to join in? It’s only £3 if they can’t afford the extra then he should join in. I’d be quite annoyed but wouldn’t say anything.

However saying that both my dcs play football and one finishes about 10 mins before the other and each and every time they ask if he wants to join in for the last ten mins, I always make an excuse. But I wonder if the coach is encouraging it.

@freddiefox again. My argument isnt the age it's the fact basically parents are paying for 1 child to play but encouraging the sibling to join it when ishe becomes unsettled.

Coach didnt seem to encourage it he politely asked the younger one to collect the balls together. Then her dad took her off with a spare ball after she continued to whine. I just felt annoyed at the mother who told the younger (none paying sibling) to join the queue to join In