Coach keeps one boy with leg braces on the bench every match. My 7 year old asked me why

bronze_kite_982127 Jul 2026

My son plays in an under-8 football group on weekends. One of the boys wears leg braces. He comes to every practice, runs the drills with everyone, and then sits out almost the whole of every match. Last Sunday my son asked me on the way home why the coach 'never lets him play'. I didn't have an answer. I don't know the boy's parents well and I have no idea what's been agreed between them and the coach. Part of me wants to ask, part of me thinks it's none of my business. What would you do?

1 comment

teal_window_713628 Jul 2026
I'd ask the coach, but as a question, not a complaint. Something like 'my son asked me this and I didn't know what to tell him.' My son's cricket academy had a boy who bowled fewer overs than the rest, and it turned out his doctor had asked for it. Nobody knew because nobody asked.
- bronze_kite_982129 Jul 2026
  Went to practice this evening and asked the coach exactly that way. The parents have asked for short spells while he builds up stamina, and he gets more time from next month. I'd assumed the worst. Told my son, who said 'okay, then I'll pass to him more' 😄