Curious how coaches on board would handle this situation. U11 A team Boys- Winter indoor league starts on Saturday- Practice scheduled for 6pm Wed. have had Wed practice all winter, so normal routine. Due to conflicts with basketball, wrestling, hockey, religion- 8 of 12 kids(parents) had communicated by 2:00 they would not be attending practice. Leaving 4 who could. As the coach- do you cancel practice, or keep it going for the 4 kids who can make it.
I’d keep it for the 4 that could make it. Focus more on individual skills. Don’t punish those that can actually fulfill their commitment.
Hold practice. If this were a senior team playing 11v11, I would cancel, but U11 indoor the coaching focus should be on developing individual players. A group of 4 is perfect for skill development.
Yup I had 5 the other night. Treated it like one of my private sessions. We worked on things I probably wouldn't entertain with my full group. We worked on punting and volleys and breakaways—it was a bit of a hodge podge but it is what it is.
If a player takes a non-serious knock during a game, do you immediately run out to, what usually amounts to, helping them walk off the field? Or do you let them sort it out and let them continue? This is different than an obvious injury that needs immediate attention. I'm hardly a "hard-ass" coach, but I cringe when players automatically take a knee when there's an "injury". Sometimes they don't even wait for the whistle to stop. My kid got hit in the face, glancing hit, gave her a bloody mouth. But it felt like everyone's head snapped over to me, "what are you going to do??" I was perfectly fine letting my kid sort herself out a bit. It wasn't a haymaker. I remember when I was a kid, you never wanted to let others see you in pain. I remember collisions on the field where I was disoriented but my first instinct was to get back up. Sometimes, I, literally, had the snot knocked out of me and I'd be getting up and wiping the snot off. We're not all wired the same, but if I keep running out there every time there's a run of the mill bump, hit, collision—will they ever learn to pick themselves up and carry on? Is this an outdated, neanderthal mindset (particularly in our current concussion concerned climate)?
If the ref waves me on, I go. It seems the majority of the time they're in shock for a second, by the time they get to the bench, grab a sip of water they're telling me they're ready to go back in. In a friendly over the weekend, my daughter got hit pretty good with a shot, she immediately looked to the bench. I said you're fine, keep playing, and she did. If adults act like something traumatic happened, usually the child follows suit
I never inserted myself immediately, but I was lucky in never having a serious injury to a youth player. I take my cue from the referee as to entering the field. The taking a knee business always bothered me too. They don't take an knee when someone is injured. They take a knee every time someone falls down, hurt or not. Bad thing to teach players from a soccer standpoint. It invites the other team to start diving. Players should always be moving to a better position, even when the whistle stops play. Just another bad habit to unlearn.
Agree. But even experienced adult refs automatically, at least in my experience, stop play and look over right away and wave on. Not blaming refs, but could they do more of a wait and see approach?
I agree that they could be a little more patient. No one wants to appear that they aren't concerned with the players "best interest".
we spent 3.5 hours setting fields yesterday so we're ready to start training tomorrow. it's like christmas eve for me and my players. my wife, on the other hand, is not as excited for the season to start. she stays home with our 10 month old so it's long days for her even though i'm home for lunch most days and get home from work at 5:15. during the season i won't be home until 7:30ish 3 days a week, and she's not excited about the prospect of doing bedtime alone for the next 10 weeks. should i remind her about her new years resolution? lol. no chance.
Quick story that rubbed me wrong yesterday. I was refereeing a game. U-12 Girls at a fairly competitive level. Goalkeeper punts a ball over the halfway line at a pretty good height for the age. Defender backs away and tries to make a foot trap, misses, ball bounces over her head. Nothing comes of it as another defender disposses the attacker who had then won possession. Coach of defending team "You head that ball or you'll be spending the season here on the bench." Now, I am fine with the 'threats' that coaches make at this level. I've done enough of these games and there are kids that are driven by the 'negative' talk. But, I'll never for the life of me get the coach that is insisting that 11-yo's MUST head such a high ball. I'm 50, and I still hate having to win the midfield punt header. Haven't coaches noticed that we are trying to avoid these types of challenges for a scientific reason?
No real pro coach. Paid to do his job. 'Premier club.' Generally a likable person, his girls like him. Though, I have my doubts about his quality. This is the second game in a row where I have seen him with poor behavior. Aside from that one comment yesterday he was fine (his team won 4-0). The last time when his team was outclassed and chasing shadows, it was my fault.
Obviously. Would love to see how much they work on heading in practice. Can't expect players to do something they are not prepared for. Yeah, as an adult with lots of practice heading, I don't want a piece of that punt. I stuck my head in front of shots in O-30 and got my bell rung—not interested in that shit any more.
Last fall, I took like 3-4 long kicks headed clear. Later that night walking my dog with my wife, my wife was moving the flashlight around and that was making my head spin. Realized I probably took 1 or 2 too many earlier that day.
Yeah, it really just comes down to caring about our players more than the outcome. Yeah, I don't want to have soft players, but at the same time they'll need their brains for much more than clearing a ball. Would just prefer it if teams just played everything on the ground. It's much better soccer anyway?
My team is shaping up to have a problem come the spring. I had two players take the entire winter off, not coincidentally also the two weakest players. As well as two other weaker players playing other sports. The ones who have been focused on soccer have improved considerably. They are young, so my directors are okay with these players. On some level, I'm okay with it too—I'll train whomever. BUT realistically, the other parents are not going to be happy about these players returning—the committed group has really pulled away and there's going to be a vast difference in ability in a month. On one level they did pay/have been paying. They're also seven, so we can't just cut them. Probably could.
Barca and Ajax (at least at one time) both want their youth players to play other sports too. You may be surprised. Kids that play multiple sports are tactically smarter. Seven though is pretty young to be making predictions. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
i had my first 18U training last night. 16 out of 18 were there. one just had surgery so i knew he was out. another had to help his family put together a trampoline. ya. idk either. everyone came to work hard. it looks like they are all getting along too, even if they lack chemistry. i'm excited to work with these older kids this season. it will be fun to watch them grow into a team.
They are seven. They are active. Who cares? They may be the best players on the team by season end. That's how I sell it.