This season, my U15s are a new team resulting from the merger of my old team and one of our "rival" teams. We also added a couple of new players. In the 2nd half, I'm briefly chatting with a new player and ask her where she usually plays and she tells me she is a striker. So on the next substitution, I flip flop her with the girl playing up top. 2 minutes in the midfielder hits a perfect through-ball and the striker takes in on the run and buries it topshelf. Made me look like a genius.
My U11 boys team, formed last summer, had gone 0-18-3 since August (and lost 11 games on the trot). Finally put it together today for a well-deserved 3-0 win... our first! Should actually have been more, but we squandered a half-dozen chances before finally icing things with 2 goals in the last 10 minutes. Whew. Sure feels nice to get that monkey off our backs!
Coaching a U8 boys team for our first game of the spring season this last weekend and we just added a new boy to the roster. We play two games of 4v4 at the same time, so I have to split the roster for each game. Because of the early spring weather and adding a new player, we had an extra practice. I was hoping that this would make it easier for the players to get the feel of the game again after the winter break. I partner the new boy up with a couple of stronger players to make it easier for him. That combined with the extra practice seemed to make a big difference as we completely dominated control of the game with ball control and teamwork. In addition, our new player scored 3 goals, great start.
So the past two seasons I've been building their technical base so eventually we can play a possession style. The funny thing is that this season we've been actually a pretty good counter attacking team. We have two goals (8 total) in two games from counters and probably around ten chances created from such. We don't specifically train this other than I can draw a strong correlation with playing the endzone game regularly. Only one goal has come about from a multi-pass build up in the attacking third. The rest are the "opportunistic" variety, individual effort, penalty, or from no discernible build up. The "no discernible build up" can be mildly construed as a counter but it's in the opponent's half and one or two passes leads to a goal. So I'm pleased about that. I'm not going to quibble about how we score goals, but it's funny how "you" get this distinct picture in your head of where you want to be, but the kids play and take it their own way.
Finally busted outdoors this weekend. Been a long winter with a lot of change in our club in this age group stepping up to U-12. A lot of the 'best' players left for their greener pastures. We basically started over last winter. Long winter indoors, both training and games. Very few wins. Players weren't as fully committed as my past teams at U-10 (the 'full time' players were the ones that left). Lots of skipping for basketball, now baseball, track and field (got some kids that can run forever. I have an 11 yo who did a 5 mile race in under 34 minutes last week) and my one girl is also a figure skater. Anyway, we really used the winter for skill development and until this weekend, still were unsure if they were getting it. We had a tournament yesterday, went 3-1, only losing 1-0 to the tournament champion. Finished in third place, one point out of second. Today, our idiotic league chose to play. Game time temp of 39 degrees and nor'easter rain falling. The kids played an even better game and won 4-1. Despite the chattering teeth, the win was warming them up.
My 2 year old stood up on the bed yesterday and said, "Daddy, you wanna play soccer?"(first time ever) Man, I was the happiest guy alive at that moment. . It's the little things.
First game of the season last Thursday, U11 girls, lowest division, away game for us about an hour from our town. As I expected many players arrive late. Ref wants to check the players in, keeps asking me if all my players are here. He's getting annoyed. 5 minutes before scheduled start they are all present and we get checked in and underway. Late first half opposing player trips over the ball near our sideline, foul called on us. I look right at my assistant coach and ask "If they trip over the ball it's a foul on us?" I look back to the field to see the ref giving me a nasty look but he doesn't say anything. Not a minute later ball is played over the touchline by my winger right in front of me. Ref is way out of position and screened. I correctly indicate throw in to the other team. Assistant ref then also signals throw in for them. He overrules both of us. Once he saw me indicate one way I guess he decided to go the other way.
Past weekend my GU16 team traveled to play top team in our league. This team hasn't lost a league game for over 3 years and beat us 1-0 at our place several weeks ago. Good, competitive game with them having more possession, but we defended well and were dangerous on the break. Get a free kick about 45 yards from goal, right in front of their bench. I tell my player to hit it to far post (maybe we can get a header or shot). Instead, she drives it near post, bounce about 8 yards out, right over GK head and into goal. In the second half, same girl misses a PK and our goalie had to make a great save late, but we held on for a 1-0 win. My girls were ecstatic and their team was pretty upset. Nice win for us.
You'll definitely get refs like that. Refs on a power trip or refs with an agenda (and a few great ones sprinkled in there). The ref could've checked in what was there and had his ARs do a rolling check in afterward. It's not unheard of. If you can tell he's going to be a "problem ref" then I'd be mindful of egging him on by signalling the direction or making comments. Best to stick your hands in your pockets and focus on your kids, because he's looking to see that he's having an affect on you—that he's bringing you to heel. Let him think that.
Oh I wasn't attempting to egg him on - I didn't even know he was within earshot. You're right I shouldn't have bothered to signal a throw in direction, I know that's the AR's job. I just found it ammusing he would rather make a wrong call *in my team's favor* than have it look like I made the call for him.
I know you didn't mean to do it. There are just refs like that that come to the field with a point to prove. The fact that he's even looking at you after a call says a lot.
What with regular practices, tryouts, league games and tournaments, my daughter has played soccer 26 out of the last 31 days. For Monday's practice, we had to arrive 45 minutes early to accommodate my other daughter's schedule, and we put in some technical work while we waited. 90 minute practice goes by and she works hard. As her teammates head to the parking lot, the fields are deserted and the only sounds are the portable lighting generators , when she whispers to me: "can we stay late and work out some more?" I consider that an early Father's Day present.
