We do not usually talk about football in our blog, not in the strict sense of results and teams, but when the gesture of a coach highlights the importance of educating children in a healthy competitiveness and enjoyment of sport.
Aitor Cebrián Montiel is 21 years old and is the Ayelo Benjamin team coach, a football club from the Valencian town Aielo de Malferit. The children he trains are between 7 and 9 years old and in his talk prior to a match they had practically won, He has given them a great lesson in sportsmanship and empathy.
Last Saturday, December 5, his team was facing home against a team that had been losing all the time for a win, and the coach, far from encouraging them to go for them all, surprised them with these words:
"I just saw the children who you are going to play against today, and they are smaller than you. They are freshmen and should not compete with you in this category. They are beating them every week and I would like you to put yourself in their place. I don't want you to celebrate any goal, don't push them in their field, let them play a little and they can enjoy playing football. We will be respectful of them. ”
Anyone would tell them to take advantage of the weakness of the opponent to score all the goals they wanted, but no. His attitude was to put empathy into practice, to have the children put themselves in the place of the opposing team. How would they feel if they were not able to make three passes in a row or even talk about scoring a goal? Well, as is logical. The children immediately understood the message.
Montiel was applauded for this gesture of sportsmanship and social networks echoed his fair play, a fundamental value to instill in the little ones. Because what really matters, and many parents should also apply it, is not to win, but to enjoy the sport. Bravo for this coach!
Commendable human and sporting gesture of CF coach Ayelo. #Values #Congratulations //t.co/CJSGG2HATN
- FFCV (@FederacionFFCV) December 11, 2015
