Red Card For Mummy & Other Soccer Stories

Gary Cole knows coaching. Sure , he's a former Socceroo - played 40 matches in an Australian guernsey, both caps and friendlies. But the trained primary school teacher turned President of Football Coaches Australia has made his post playing career all about getting the best out of other people. Gary served as assistant coach for the Socceroos under Frank Arok, coached at the AIS plus a swathe of top tier teams including Melbourne Victory and Heidelberg United. So when he says, coaches need continuous coaching, all aspiring Peps and Ange's need to put down their magnets and whiteboards and listen.Yes, at the start, coaching is all about how to get kids organized and how to put on a training session. And then you have to know how to coach in a game situation. But the top stuff, the meaty stuff , is all about managing people. And it is of Gary Cole's firm belief that coaches need mentoring, just as players need mentoring. "Why do coaches need mentoring?", he responds patiently. "Because they are learning a craft and they want to get better at it".And you are not making things up in your own head. Sometimes the coach mightn't be any good, or they mightn't be any good for you. At community level, it could even be a parent roped in to do the duties, even though you 've all been whacked with several thousand dollar’s worth of fees to have the privilege of playing. That's where it gets tough for all involved. They key to survival here, says Gary, is to make sure everyone is still having fun. Learning some skills but having fun at training. But we hear this time and time again about successful coaches - true coaching is about leadership, and knowing how to manage multiple individuals to get the best out of them as a group is not a subject in the basic coaching qualifications around. " You manage things. Or you lead people", Gary explains. "So if you want to count how many balls we have in the locker room, or how many cones we have got, that's a management issue. But how do I work with you, so we have a good working relationship based on honesty and trust, so you can be better? Some of the feedback may not be in a way that you like it, but do you want me to be truthful? That's the beginning of building foundations to coach.Gary Cole is kind, he's generous. One of his daughters plays elite basketball still. And despite the fact I like him immensely and can feel his integrity radiate like a invisible safety garment, I'd hazard a guess that he merely tolerates Ted Lasso. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Football Gets Friendly between Australia and Argentina when player agent and neuroscience advocate Daniel Santomil comes into the picture. His aim? To create a winning mindset - think like a winner, eat like a winner, sleep like a winner and play like a winner. It's a long way to Australia from Daniel's home in Buenos Aires, but the joy of football can travel the 11, 600 km it takes to get here. But: how does one negotiate the cultural clashes from one country to another? And how on earth could a privileged brat from Melbourne compete with desire against a youngster from the "villas miserias" in the Argentinian capital? Can words mean different things? Physicality be misinterpreted? Or is football an international language that the dressing room makes clear? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tania Hird is an Extreme Soccer Mum. She is also an ex lawyer, mother of 4 and founder & CEO of HairflairAus and Tania Hird Designs. Tania knows elite sport. Her son Alex plays for A- League team, Melbourne Knights. But yes - that surname IS familiar. For many years too, Tania was the wife and partner of Essendon Football legend and coach, James Hird. By James' side steadfastly, Tania experienced both the mercurial highs and devastating lows of an ultra extreme elite football experience. This is a candid conversation born of those observations: about raising elite athletes to be of good character, and develop a strong sense of self that exists away from the game. Don't get ahead of yourself, is Tania's mantra, observing that respect for others is just insufficient - there must be true care for others instilled in any elite athlete, to take them outside a world that otherwise would be all about themselves. Football, fame, fuck ups and fortitude - these are the observations Tania brings to this episode, from a rarified position with high heeled feet firmly on the ground. Tania Hird. She's a legend.Red Card For Mummy and Other Soccer stories is made with the help and skills of Marea Markou, Elahn Zetlan, Les Molnar (Production Alley) and #WordOf Mouth Whisperer Helen Merry. Created and presented by Libbi Gorr as an AddLibbi podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is cheating common in a game of football? How does a ref decide whether or not to give a Red Card? A Yellow Card? Stop the Match? We go inside the Referee's mind to discover exactly what it takes for a parent to don the kit and pick up a whistle. What are the no go zones for on field behaviour? How much money can you make? is it tax deductible? And do you have to be mad to even try. Ben Walker , Australian parent, Lawyer and civil servant, and former house husband takes his experience with the rules to a whole new level in this conversation about his life as a ref . Here are his notes from our session. Of course, he's the ref, he always does the paperwork. Fitness, legitimate cash money, learning new skills all came into it for Ben, as well as a pressing need to get out of the house. In Ben's mind, what makes a good referee is:Good fitness.Sense of humour.Good knowledge of the rules.Being close to the playBe decisive aka ‘sell your decision’ and see the lighter side of things when appropriateHow to get the best out of a referee from a juniors club perspective:Within reason to look after them and make sure they’re capable marshals to escort them to and from the pitch, ensure that the change rooms are in reasonable order, make sure they have good access to refreshments and be mindful there is little time between matches so referees on match day are truly time poorBe mindful of cliched gender roles:So many juniors clubs have the women at relegated to the tuckshop and perhaps Team Manager - a thankless task, normally. By comparison the blokes lounge around drinking coffee's and /or beers and perhaps, if pressed, will run the line. These are exaggerations but you get the point.Ben says it’s always very helpful to have the pitch markings in good order, that way the players and spectators and especially officials can tell whether the ball is in or out of play. It aids safety, reduces confusion and can reduce the potential for needless conflictBenches and the referee:Smart benches don’t constantly abuse the referee. They realise it potentially puts him/her offside  it also can lead to the bench being thrown off the pitch (red card) and big fines as well as setting a poor example to the players & spectators. Benches are not a de facto spectator space. Only team officials and actual players should be there, the reason being if the ball is really hardly struck and goes into the bench area and someone gets hurt there’s a significant risk that non-officials non-players won’t be covered for injury if they’re hurt.At a lesser level, the smart thing to do if the Bench is concerned a particular player is not being treated fairly is to very clearly and simply say it loudly when the referees going past. Although the preferable method is for the captain to raise it with the referee in a break in play e.g. say that the striker has been knocked around or blocked or whatever the issue is. Any referee worth feeding is open to a respectful request and will be more vigilant.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, if you want to work as a professional in Soccer, there's Plan A and Plan B . Andy Brennan, is both charismatic and dynamic midfielder for the South Melbourne Soccer Club, and club psychologist at A League contenders, Melbourne City. In fact, he credits his longevity and ability to withstand the maelstrom of a life as a soccer pro not just to committed mentors and hard work on the pitch, but quite specifically, to the time he has spent developing his mind set.Through a pottered path, Andy found his own way to the A League as a player through the Newcastle Jets, where the realities of soccer life hit him hard. But out of immense breakdown comes unique possibility, and in this candid chat, Andy reveals his own journey to mental fitness, and his commitment to inspire others to follow that lead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bryce Ruthven. This is the place where Soccer and Reality TV collide! The Big, Bold, Blonde Married At First Sight Alumni of Season 8, Bryce certainly made his mark on Australian Television with his strong physical presence and straight shooting style. And he continued outside the game too, fearless in his scathing account of his time on the reality TV show. But always one to win, Bryce walked away with a real life Bride Melissa, and together they parent twins. Bryce takes his experience on Married At First Sight and applies it to his life as a soccer player and coach - the importance of mindset and team, playing a game with a team you may not like, and of course - his ultimate Red Card Moment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An unexpected and spectacularly new conversation with the father of Matilda Emily Van Egmond, her Dad and coach Gary, and super fan Clyde, A Liverpool tragic, about the understanding that each man raised two gay children. Do Dad's have these conversations, particularly with each other? They do on Red Card For Mummy, where stories are the calling card for compelling conversation. This unexpected and revealing twist sprang out of joyful revelations about travelling the world for soccer. The reckless spending on airfares. The friends you make. The insights gleaned from other cultures ( Gary for a heartbeat coached the Chinese Under 17 youth girls squad - you should hear his observations about early specialisation in sport for teens). And of course, Gary's toe kicking red card moment, which cost someone else a fortune. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.