When SUE WEBSTER talks about tournaments she isn’t talking about the players on the field, but the attitude of coaches and parents ‘off the field’ too. Do you share her pain, or is this YOU!?
Having a daughter who’s played football for the same club for nine years we’ve been to our fair share of football tournaments and sporting events. As a parent and volunteer for the club I’ve encountered both sides of the ‘tournament’ experience and it never ceases to amaze me, or the other tournament organisers/volunteers, what some people find to drip and moan about.
Preparation starts months prior to the event with Council applications, risk assessments, meetings with various official bodies, negotiations for contract services etc. organising people. The list is endless!
We meet up afterwards to break down the entire process and discuss the issues and any changes we need to look at for next year. It’s fair to say that our tournament is a mix of all the best ideas and applications that have worked well for us in the past plus the odd additional element that was introduced following a hiccup or incident. Generally speaking it’s very well attended with some teams travelling quite a distance and many of the same teams returning year after year.
One of my regular and varied tasks is car parking duty. I also collect the litter and do the photography, but as part of a team of around seven ladies, car parking is the gob smacker of the volunteering duties. For one weekend every year, we don our ‘high-vis’ jackets, sling our bum bags around our waists, fill our arms with brochures ready to meet and greet our guests. I normally stand last in the line. I’m the last one you see before you disappear in to the actual car park. The club charges £2 per car.
In exchange for your £2 you’ll get an A4 colour brochure with a fixtures sheet, you’ll be able to park your car securely, close to the playing fields and then watch hundreds of kids enjoying themselves playing grassroots football in a safe, expertly co-ordinated and well organised event. If they do really well they’ll leave with a medal, trophy or even some expensive silverware!
Whilst we all agree that the huge majority of our guests are very pleasant, courteous and forthcoming with their £2, we get the odd one who will embarrass themselves by going to extreme lengths to avoid paying £2.
In some respects, it’s bordering on painful. “You’re given a ‘high-vis’ jacket and a bit of power and it goes to your heads!” That was a new one for 2016, we’d never had that comment before! So that’s what power dressing is!?
Who are we? Who are we who have the audacity to ask for £2 for a day of entertaining and outstanding kids football? “We’ve never been to a tournament before where we’ve paid to get in. £2? That’s ridiculous,” they gasp, in absolute horror!! We’re always intrigued, name these tournaments. Answers on a postcard please…
But what then follows is done by the driver in the belief that he/she will get a smidgen of gratification by believing we will become flustered or rattled. In slow motion the seatbelt is undone. The hands start to search through a multitude of pockets. Nothing in those. Gradually, the other occupants of the vehicle start searching their pockets, purses and handbags, obviously in slow motion too. Eventually, “Oh dear, I’ve only got a £20 note,” to which we swiftly reply with a big smile and irritatingly over the top jovial tone, “That’s fine, I’ve tons of change.” We seal the deal, the exchange is made and the seat belt is slowly re-fastened whilst the last few whinges and irrelevant comments are muttered. Clutch down, into first gear, check the rear view mirror, then smile to oneself at the queue of irate drivers behind, and slowly move forward toward the car park. Please note. This doesn’t reflect on us car park attendants because we apologise to those caught in the queue by explaining that we recognised you as a new member of a local burlesque dance club but unfortunately your wife wasn’t aware and it caused a bit of embarrassment!
Another classic response when asked for £2 is, “But I’m the coach.” The classic reply to that is, “And?” Think about it coaches/managers. If you didn’t coach these kids, they couldn’t participate in such sporting events and therefore we wouldn’t be standing here trying to reason with you. We could actually be watching OUR kids playing their matches, spending the weekend with our families or even out shopping! So don’t push it.
“Oh. I haven’t brought any money. I didn’t think we’d needed any.” Now let’s be honest here. Hands up those who go out for the day to any big organised event, with young children, and don’t bring any money? I don’t even go into my garden to hang the washing out without my purse! Sorry kids, no ice creams, hot dogs, chips or chocolate for you today! The number for Childline is at the bottom of the page. Report these parents.
‘No Entry’ signs mean ‘No Entry’. Paying £2 will mean you don’t have to negotiate the oncoming traffic and abuse from other drivers as you drive precariously through the NO ENTRY gate to park in the NO PARKING area. And if you happen to collide with another vehicle then hindsight will immediately tell you that £2 was very cheap in comparison to what’s coming. And we will of course take great delight in offering our details as witnesses.
Dogs die in hot cars. Yet still people bring dogs to these events and the poor things end up remaining in their owner’s cars. Everything from Shih Tzu’s to Staffies. It’s a school. No dogs allowed. It’s one of the very few places where dogs are not permitted under any circumstances. It’s standard and common knowledge. Don’t bring them, and don’t then get uppity or even abusive when we ask you to take the dog home or back to the car. Accessing our tournament venue, you’ll have driven past four decent size notices regarding dogs on the premises, before seeing us! No excuse. Shameful (but honest) to say but we’ve all had cars that have driven at us in the hope we will move and therefore they won’t have to stop and engage in an awkward conversation regarding £2. What sort of person does that?
We believe in actively encouraging our kids and players to volunteer and help out where appropriate. Some assist on car parking duty but only the older more confident ones as in the past they have been spoken to in a totally unacceptable manner. Beggars belief really.
So what have you achieved? You’ve embarrassed yourselves, and in front of your children. As you were debating over the £2 charge they were covering their faces by pulling their shirts over their heads whilst trying to crawl in to the foot well of the car or slide under the parcel shelf. One-nil to the car park attendants. Not the best start to your day.
So, just for the record and future consideration, this tournament has cost just over £4000 to stage. The tooth fairies don’t come anymore and the money tree died so how else are we able to recoup the costs of hosting an event like this? We only aim to break even, we don’t make a profit. What other opportunities enable your children to participate in sport and spend a day with friends and other likeminded people and costs just £2?
Final thought. We’re all volunteers. None of us get paid. But we all give up so much of our time to take on roles and responsibilities to ensure your children are safe and get maximum enjoyment at our tournament.
