Why A Win-At-All Costs Mentality Can Be Detrimental To The Game of Soccer

What does win-at-all costs mean?

I’m sure you’ve experienced a coach that never stops running their mouth, complaining about calls, or pushing their players well past their limits with minimal mutual respect. 

Or maybe you’ve witnessed the player that will take out anyone to get to the ball first, protect their goal, and not demonstrate any sportsmanship or integrity.

Lastly, have you ever played a team that ONLY plays long ball? They lack fundamental game skills and only launch the ball down the field when their defenders get a foot on it.   

When our youth soccer players are taught this “win-at-all-costs” approach, it could affect their ability to develop into well-rounded players. Here’s why the qualities mentioned above can affect the development of a Soccerista:

• The loudmouth coach may always be demanding and controlling their players on how to play the game every play. They only care about winning. They do not care if their players are having fun. This approach does NOT teach the game of soccer or player problem-solving on the field. It doesn’t instill a love for learning and playing the game. What player would want to continue playing with this type of coach?
• Players with this mentality or who are coached with this mentality can lack discipline and integrity. They become selfish players who can only focus on winning and can disregard team play, comradery, and sportsmanship. These players have a hard time accepting loss which is a part of the game and life. They can lash out during games in which they are behind or set to lose. This could lead to dirty play, which also puts other players at risk.
•  Teams coached to play long balls hit the ball as far away from their goal so the other team can’t score. This is the “safest” approach to playing the game, making it harder for a team to score. However, this approach doesn’t represent the game of soccer at all. So the win-at-all-costs mentality, using this approach, severely breaks down the game. It becomes more like ping-pong. 

There is value in wanting to win. That’s what makes soccer a game. A competitive mindset is the key to winning games. But you need to know that there’s SO much more to the game than winning. Soccer will build you up, tear you down, and build you back up again. It’s where teamwork, perseverance, and integrity are birthed. And those key aspects of development are not birthed via a win-at-all-costs mindset. 

Don’t get me wrong; I love winning! However, it feels much better to win when you actually outplay a team with your skills, strategy, and knowledge of the game than by throwing all that to the wayside to win by any means necessary. Winning by playing fair feels so much more rewarding!

Parents need to remember this as well. The culture of the win-at-all-costs mentality on the sidelines has taken a lot away from the development of young players. It doesn’t make the game fun to play. This is a detriment to the sport. The parents should not constantly yell at a U9 game (or any level game). I’ve seen it, and it’s not pretty. It’s also not enjoyable to watch. If parents don’t give their kids a chance to learn the game and they’re constantly yelling, the player may not want to continue playing, leading to youth sports decline.

I was able to see firsthand how that type of mentality in the parents can distract young players from learning the game, take away from the coach being a coach, and instill in them every call should go their way. It destroys the entire integrity of the game…not to mention the poor teenage referees and linesmen who are still learning the game themselves. There have been some negative outcomes for kids with overbearing parents on the sidelines. 

In conclusion, parents need to quiet down on the sidelines to foster a learning environment for their kids. At the same time, coaches need to implement a mastery mindset in their players-to master the game intentionally with integrity. So, I’ll leave you with one last study on how important it is to adopt a mastery mindset versus a win-at-all-costs mindset. The key now…is to reflect on your own approach to the game to see where you could improve your own mindset as a Soccerista, coach, or parent.

Featured image via Adobe Stock Images

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