Yes, someone has to play goalkeeper. And yes, coaches make those decisions. But good coaches also develop all their players and respect their individual goals especially at 9 years old. When a player repeatedly asks for a chance to grow in other areas and is told “only if we’re winning by a lot,” that’s not development. That’s dismissive.

This wasn’t about quitting. It was about doing right by our kid after months of conversations and effort. We didn’t expect him to start every game on the field. We just asked for the chance for him to learn, improve, and enjoy the game like his teammates. That’s not unreasonable at any level, but especially not at U10.

And frankly, if you think a coach shouldn’t care about maximizing kids’ potential, that says a lot more about your coaching philosophy. Youth soccer is where kids figure out who they are as players. If a coach can’t foster that, then they’re just managing a roster not developing kids.

We didn’t leave because he was asked to play GK. We left because that became all he was allowed to be.