Commentating from the sidelines We have very high standards of match day conduct which we expect all players, coaches, parents and officials to abide by. Commentating (instructing as the players are playing) stunts their decision making development by making the decision for them. It can also be confusing, especially when mixed messages are coming from the sidelines. This is why it is important that the only instruction given is from the coaches. They follow strict instructions to make sure they are only communicating when the ball is out of play or the other end of the field. A communication can also distract a player. A classic example is the instruction of ‘shoot’ which often affects a player’s timing of their shot. A common result is that he hooks or slices the shot.  Parents, players and coaches can instead make a wonderfully positive contribution by applauding good play from both sides (remember the opposition are important to our player’s development), encouraging (not instructing) players and enjoying the good play on show by both sides.