What did I see walking around on a Saturday day of games?

I had a great day roaming the fields at WRAL Soccer Center yesterday. I always enjoy watching the younger players play. As I was watching an U8 game, I was standing near a coach on the field (he was on the field, I wasn't) in a spirited hard fought contest. His son was in a defensive position in our 4 v 4 league. While the game was going on but there was a lull for his defense playing son, the son looked at his dad/coach and asked, "Do we have snack?" My thought, of course, is that it is the whole experience for these young players and, YES, the snack is a big part of the experience. We, as parents and administrators, must always be mindful of the whole experience when watching games and practices.
I was also watching a younger 11 v 11 classic game and was standing by myself near one of the corner flags. A young linesman was working that sideline and was doing a good job. In a close game, a long ball over the top cleared one player and went to a player for a breakaway. That player shot and hit it right at the goalkeeper but unfortunately for the goalkeeper, it went through his hands and then his legs and into the goal. The coach of the goalkeeper said nothing to him but did engage the young referee by questioning if the player that the ball went over on the way to the breakaway player was in an offside position and that, according to the coach, yes he was and that he was influencing the play (I thought that the player was in an ONside position and wasn't influencing the play). To the young referee's credit, he listened to the coach and was respectful and the game resumed. My thought, in this situation, was the person that needed talking to was the goalkeeper. He needed encouragement from the coach and his fellow teammates, but none was forthcoming(it may have come at halftime-but i wasn't around at halftime....)!
I, also, received a note from a referee who was doing an Under 10 game at Cedar Fork Park. He described a play where a goalkeeper reached for a ball and in the ref's opinion, did not touch it as it went out of bounds. The referee signaled for a goal kick but the young goalkeeper told him that he touched it and he changed his call to a corner kick. This same referee noticed that one parent during the same game, on a few occassions, was lauding the play of the other team (a good pass, a good throw-in, etc.). This parent thanked the referee for his service after the game and the referee inquired as to who he was................the aforementioned goalkeeper's dad!
I'm sure on Monday morning (if not before), I will either directly or indirectly hear about some negative incidents that happened during games this weekend. I, however, wanted to share with you these two positive stories and also my take on a particular coaching situation that I witnessed! Let the games continue and Have Fun and Remember, it is Just a Game!
                                                                               Charlie Slagle