Club Culture & Expectations

At Southwest Florida Surge, culture is not a slogan — it is a daily standard.

The courage, creativity, communication, and competitive mindset we value cannot develop in an environment that avoids accountability, shields players from discomfort, or prioritizes convenience over growth. Talent alone is not enough. Development requires ownership, resilience, and a willingness to be coached.

That is why we are intentional about expectations — for players, parents, and coaches alike.

This page outlines how we operate, what we value, and what families can expect when they choose to be part of Surge.

Player Competitive Standard

Championship teams don’t have S.O.F.T. players.

At Surge, we coach players away from habits that limit growth. We do not label children — we develop them. However, we are clear about behaviors that do not align with a high-performance environment.

S.O.F.T. habits include:

• Sensitive to coaching or constructive feedback

• Often feeling entitled to success without the work

• Focused primarily on individual wants over team goals

• Tolerating average effort from themselves or others

Our goal is to develop players who are coachable, resilient, accountable, and competitive — players who respond to challenge, not avoid it.

Player Expectations

Players at Southwest Florida Surge are expected to:

• Train and compete with consistent effort and intensity

• Embrace coaching, feedback, and correction

• Take responsibility for their attitude, preparation, and performance

• Support teammates and contribute positively to the team environment

• Show respect for coaches, opponents, officials, and the game

Mistakes are part of learning. Lack of effort, poor attitude, or avoidance of responsibility is not.

Parent Role in Player Development

Great players are rarely developed by coaching alone. They are developed through a healthy partnership between coaches, players, and parents.

As the author of Hazard of the Game, Coach Hazard has spent years examining how youth sports — and well-intentioned parents — can either strengthen or slowly erode a child’s confidence, decision-making, and love for the game.

The central message is simple:
Children need space to struggle, fail, adjust, and grow.

Players cannot develop confidence or problem-solving skills when decisions are constantly managed for them. Growth requires ownership, and ownership requires freedom within structure.

At Surge, we ask parents to support the development of independent athletes, not manage games from the sideline.

Parent Expectations

To support this environment, parents are expected to:

• Be positive, supportive, and respectful on the sideline

• Allow coaches to coach and players to play

• Keep instruction, criticism, and emotional reactions off the sideline

• Support long-term development over short-term outcomes

• Communicate concerns privately and appropriately

The sideline is for encouragement — not instruction.
The game belongs to the players.

Coaching Philosophy

Our coaching approach reflects the demands of the modern game and higher levels of soccer.

At Southwest Florida Surge:

• Coaches teach decision-making, not dependence

• Players are encouraged to take risks and learn from mistakes

• Accountability is built through standards, not fear

• Playing time and roles are development-based, not entitlement-based

We coach the whole player — technically, tactically, mentally, and personally — preparing them not only for the next level of soccer, but for life beyond the game.

A Shared Commitment

When coaches coach, players take ownership, and parents support the process, development accelerates.

By joining Southwest Florida Surge, families commit to a culture built on:
courage, creativity, communication, and competition.

This shared commitment is what allows players to reach the level their ability deserves.