Managing Anger and Emotional Regulation in Grassroots Football

Managing Anger and Emotional Regulation in Grassroots Football is a practical 3-hour training session designed for coaches, welfare officers, and club volunteers who deal with emotional and behavioural incidents in the grassroots game.

Built around Professor Steve Peters’ Chimp Paradox model - the same framework used by British Cycling, Liverpool FC, and England Cricket - this session gives you the understanding and tools to manage touchline anger before it becomes a disciplinary matter, and to handle it properly when it does.

You’ll walk away with:

• A practical understanding of why anger escalates - and how to read it before it peaks
• Five de-escalation scripts you can use pitch-side at the weekend
• A framework for handling discrimination incidents with confidence
• Knowledge of FA sanctions at club level (Rule E20) that most welfare officers don’t know exist
• An action plan with three commitments you write during the session and take back to your club

Equip yourself and your club with the tools to manage anger, reduce sanctions, and create a safer football environment for everyone.

• The Escalation Ladder: Five levels from simmering to physical - how to read each stage

• Five De-escalation Scripts: Exact words to use in real touchline scenarios
•  
• Contagion Effect: Why one person’s Chimp wakes up every Chimp nearby
•  
• Safety Protocol: When to step in, when to step back, and when to call for help

• Why Bias Surfaces: Stored in the Computer, deployed by the Chimp under stress

• Protected Characteristics: What the law and FA rules actually cover
•  
• FA Sanctions: Minimum 6-week ban for individuals, unlimited fines for clubs
•  
• Youth Football Crisis: 57% of discrimination charges from under-18 football

• Four Pillars: Clear expectations, visible leadership, consistent consequences, proactive communication

• Restorative Approach: Accountability without exclusion — keeping people in the game
•  
• FA Behavioural Framework: Sin bins, spectator management, codes of conduct
•  
• The Welfare Officer: Your club’s most important (and most under-supported) role

• Three Commitments: Something for yourself, something for your club, something for someone else

• Action Plan Template: What, when, how you’ll know - written during the session
•  
• Follow-up Mechanism: Digital club implementation guide
•  
• Session Close: Key reflections, resources, and what happens next

• Group Discussions: Share real experiences and work through scenarios together.

• Role-specific Q&A: Questions tailored to coaches, welfare officers, and committee members.

• Scenario-Based Practice: Work through realistic touchline incidents using the de-escalation scripts.

• Action Planning: Leave with three written commitments and a club implementation plan.