Parents are paying ‘$5 per goal’ to kids if they score a soccer goal

Parents are bribing their children as young as five with money… The catch? They score a goal in their junior’s soccer game.

Australian father-of-two Damien Willoughby revealed how he overheard parents offering to pay their child $5 per goal at his son’s match.

Weighing in on the controversy on the Today show, the panel discussed whether they would pay their children money if they performed well on the field.

Parents are bribing their children as young as five with money… The catch? They score a goal in their junior’s soccer game (stock image) 

Weighing in on the controversy on the Today show, the panel discussed whether they would pay their children money if they performed well on the field

Weighing in on the controversy on the Today show, the panel discussed whether they would pay their children money if they performed well on the field

Poll

Would you pay your child for scoring a goal at soccer?

Sydney mother Jo Abi said she believed the financial incentive was more of a reward to encourage children to participate in the sport.

‘I don’t think it’s bribing, not that I’ve ever done this. But I think it’s rewarding. I think it’s okay to reward children for doing well,’ she explained.

‘I must say none of my kids were good at soccer, sorry darlings, love you, but they were really bad at it, and we’re Italian, it was a disgrace.

‘But if they behaved on the field and participated, I would give them a reward… a reward, not a bribe.’

Australian father-of-two Damien Willoughby revealed how he overheard parents offering to pay their child $5 per goal at his son's match (stock image)

Australian father-of-two Damien Willoughby revealed how he overheard parents offering to pay their child $5 per goal at his son’s match (stock image)

Her opinion came after Mr Willoughby penned a powerful piece for News Corp expressing his shock after he discovered what was happening behind the sidelines.

‘I realise what it meant when some parents shouted from the sidelines: “C’mon, you want another $5?”,’ he recalled. 

‘What was more troubling to me was some of the adult coaches were amused by this tidy little arrangement and actively encouraged it.

‘Remember, we’re talking about six-year-olds chasing a ball around for an hour on Saturday morning, not the World Cup.’

Mr Willoughby said he found how parents giving cash in exchange for goals would influence a youngster’s attitude towards sport.

‘How much will they share the ball around now knowing they’ll earn less if they do?’ he added. 



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