Great Moments in Soccer - Selection #2

Bilingually Challenged

Two parents met with their son’s coach and Coaching Director, Mike Petrovic, about issues and concerns. Although native Germans, the couple spoke English. The conversation quickly got tense. The mom was angry and the coach was overwhelmed. Her concerns were irrational, her solutions ridiculous. Mike provided his perspective. The mom was having none of it, expressing herself angrily, in German, to her husband. The conversation continued this way for several minutes. She’d speak and Mike would reply. She’d demonstratively speak to her husband in German. She’d speak again to everyone. Mike provided input. Again, she’d talk to her husband in German. And so on. The coach and the dad stayed silent. Eventually, Mike interrupted her German speak.

“I’m not crazy. I’m not stupid, I’m not an asshole and I know what I’m talking about,” Mike told her. She froze, stared at her husband. Her face said nothing. Her silence said everything – Petrovic isn’t a German name.

“My mom’s from Germany,” Mike conveyed, “I understand everything you’ve been saying about us.”