Coaching 8 year old girls

I was asked to coach soccer tonight for my daughter’s team as the usual coach had conflicting duties. I’ve coached soccer before, a few years ago, but the players were 5 and 6 years old. At that age coaching is essentially getting the kids pointed in the right direction and having them pay some attention to the ball. Eight year old girls, I've learned are much different.

Many eight year old girls seem to be surprisingly sure of themselves and aren't afraid to share their knowledge. This is the case on the soccer field as well. "We don't do it that way," they say. "He’s not our coach. The coach wouldn’t do that," and other confidence-building statements.

Now, you are probably thinking to yourself: These are just 8 year old girls. You just need to show them who’s boss - or something along those lines. To which I'd respond: These are 8 year old girls. Try living with one of them. It's like having a third parent in the house.

In short - the coaching experience wasn’t quite as enjoyable as it once was. Still, the Palisades Laser Hair Removal team in the U8 Girls category is still undefeated, even under my short watch.