Tim Hall

It’s pre-season in the grassroots football world and as a coaches wife I wanted to give you a little insight from my POV… It’s Sunday evening as I type this, and while most families are winding down, Damon is still at it (probably like a lot of other grassroots club secretaries/coaches) sorting teams, replying to multiple parents and coaches messages, arranging matches and updating Spond. To many, football just looks like that one hour on the pitch with their child. But what you don’t see are the countless hours behind the scenes. The late nights spent pulling teams together, late drop outs, making sure every child is playing at the right level so they can develop and have the best experiences. The endless admin of signing players on, ordering kits, booking pitches and matches. The careful planning of training sessions, marking out pitches, fundraising, and spending hours and taking holidays from work to complete courses so he can keep bringing his best to the kids. What most people will never realise is that it’s impossible to keep everyone happy - but that doesn’t stop him trying. He might not appreciate me saying this on here but every decision weighs heavy on him because he genuinely wants the very best for every single player. I’ve witnessed him have sleepless nights over worrying whether he’s made a right decision, said the right things and kept everyone happy. This isn’t just football to him. It’s about giving children confidence, belonging, and memories that will last a lifetime! And like most others, he does all of this while being a dad, a husband, and working full time too! As a family, football is often at the centre of our plans and conversations, it’s not just an hour at the weekend. What I’m really trying to say is that grassroots football doesn’t just happen. It’s fuelled by volunteers who pour in their time, energy, and love so that your kids have the chance to play the game they love! Speaking as both a players parent and a coaches wife, I see the full picture and as easy as it can be to complain or criticise your child’s coach or club (trust me I’m guilty too) please consider the bigger picture; the sacrifices, the stress, the unseen hours that have gone into making sure your child gets to step onto that pitch. At the end of the day they’re parents like you who have stepped up voluntarily so the kids can play. So next time you watch your child play, know that it takes so much more than standing on the side of the pitch and having team talks. It takes people like him, who give everything they have so our kids can have something special. And I couldn’t be prouder ❤️⚽