A question of match reporting

The Under 13s lost 10 - 40. Looks bad but in fact it wasn't a bad match. Our forwards worked like hell, stealing four lineouts, taking a scrum against the head and generally toughing it out until the last minute. If the backs had been capable of holding on to the ball instead of kicking possession away, dropping it or letting it roll free in contact, we might have had a chance. Even so, they were still moving forward at the end and we scored in the final minutes.

Now, it's tempting to talk in terms of dropped balls, turnovers, poor defence, weak links, but in the end what good will it do?

A junior match report, I always feel, needs to be positive, partisan and uplifting. Accuracy is secondary. The question is, am I doing the kids and favours by reporting losses in glowing terms? We definitely had three kids who played below par and let the side down, but what is the point in telling them this. Two of them already know and the third will remain oblivious to his weaknesses whatever I say. Next week, being twelve years old, they will be playing again and I'd rather they went into the game with confidence than a list fo failings. Anyway, it's easy to be good when you're only watching.

Next time you see the words Nottingham 10 Newark 40 it will be in the context of an heroic struggle where Nottingham emerged as victors in all but points.

The question is, am I doing the kids any favours in this, or should I be more realistic?