Hi there, it has been a while. Hope you're all doing fine. The season started, and my U8 team is in a league where there are some U7 teams as well. Not being AYSO, there are not specific rules against running up the score. A simple example: a club's U8s played the same club's U7s last week, and trashed them 16-0 (games last 40 mins...) I am TOTALLY against trashing other teams, especially younger ones, especially at this age; however, it is VERY hard to control 7 and 8yo kids. In particular, in the state where I live there are few teams, and great rivalry, especially among parents and coaches... So, no mercy is the rule. Moreover, my boys used to be U7 last season, and they have been often destroyed by double-digit scores. (I wasn't their coach then, thus I feel no desire for revenge...) Of course one can say: use the left only, or three-passes before shooting, but you probably know that (1) kids tend to "forget" such rules, and (2) when the difference is huge, the score keeps going up anyway. Also, using the less gifted players is an option, but it tends to make the best players (and their moms!!) very nervous, so, the moment you unleash them, they go for the kill. Any idea/opinion/suggestion?
What a horrible situation to be coaching in. Ignoring the age bracket, here are some options-- Swap players to even up sides before the game (the best solution) Play your weakest players at the key positions Play down a man Use restrictions on your best players or all players (limit techniques, weak foot, few or many touches, movement, areas of the field) The league is sending all the wrong messages to the kids. Hopefully the kids are still having fun.
Also, adding players to the field will help this out. It gums up the field. You can sell this to the other coach in that the kids get to play more.
If they play U7s and U8s in the same bracket for games, why don't they compose the teams evenly of U7 and U8 players? The sort of system you describe makes very little sense, and every artificial attempt to put a bandage on it and keep the scores down will never fix the problem.
Norsk makes a good point... but it is already too late for that. I run an Academy program for 4 through 9 year olds, and we play inter club league games on Sundays, and quite often see lopsided scores by halftime. I have informed all of my coaches and the parents that they are expected to try everything they can to avoid embarrasing scores, but it is inevitable at times. One of the more effective ways is to designate one kid, your worst player, as the only one allowed to score or else the player who violated the rule sits the rest of the game and/or can't start the next game. Another condition is to require the team to complete 3, 4, or 5 passes on their own half of the field before they are allowed to score. Finally, I often use the restriction that on goal kicks, keeper picks it up, or their defense wins the ball, my team has to let them get the ball into our half of the field before we can take it from them.... if they screw up and pass right to us, my players have to pass it back, get the 3 to 5 passes in our half, and then go forward again. To be truthful, this allows the other team to get some looks at goal, allows my team to develop, and it honors the spirit of the game.
* Give the kids a target that doesn't involve scoring a goal. Ask them to do moves, if possible. Can we do three different moves in the game today? If you do, you can have two popsicles after the match. * Stop keeping score. If they ask you what the score is, say "I don't know, does it matter?" That doesn't help your opponents, but it does help reduce the "performance" oriented atmosphere around your players and the opposition. * Tell them to try and set-up teammates for goals. Can we get 'Joey' a goal? Has everyone scored one goal today? Make it a team goal to get everyone a goal. Bottomline, just do whatever. These kids won't lose anything by not scoring. Only parents get bruised egos and who cares what they think?
Second best quote I've seen on this forum.... wasn't it Dewazien that said youth soccer would be perfect if we all coached orphans?
Thanks everybody for the advices. A lot of them (swapping players, reducing numbers, etc.) are unfortunately forbidden by our league. Well, I have two little amazing players, and they have struggled playing up for two years, so whenever they see a chance now, they're out for blood. Usually, they play a few minutes in the U9s, so that I have an excuse for keeping them out of the U8s game when we're too strong; however, on the day they play the weakly U7 team, the U9s have a bye...! So, I have settled with them that they can score one goal each, then they will play on the sides and put crosses in the middle. Problem is I am not sure this will keep the score down... They actually cross very well It's a bit of a cul-de-sac. If I hold the team too much, my parents and the kids might get annoyed, and if we run over the otehr team, imho we defeat the spirit of the game... Well, I'll let you know. I'll be proud of me if we can stay below double-digit.
Then work with your league to fix this. Last time I was on a BOD, we did just this type of thing. Why? Kids dropping out of soccer because of bad experiences like this.
AYSO is like rec soccer. His team sounds like club travel its different. 2 yr age grouping is like our youth travel has. Every other year the player is the younger player. How many teams is in your division. If it is like 16 you can seperate that div by b teams and A teams. Older in A less blow outs that way on average. You can not divide the players on your team to the opponents team in club without taking a forfiet first. Get charge 50 dollar a forfiet and 3 forfiet your team is gone. I would suggest that both teams need better coaching for different reasons.
I'm a very small fish and a relatively newxomer in this club-league (it is NOT AYSO). The whole league is sort of monopolized by the only big club in the state, and since they have sent two players to the MLS, everybody kinda listen to them. Anyway, the irony is that the U7 team we will face, belongs exactly to this club; however, I'd take no pleasure in trashing them, since the "victims" would be the kids and not the club. Also, people here think that the more goals you score, the better you are; while everybody who has played knows that a "strong" victory is perhaps a 4-1, NOT a 16-0. I spoke todat with the coach of the best U13 team in the state. She told me that for them it is a matter of principle never to go double-digit. When they get 9 goals, they stop shooting on goal, and since the players know, they "measure" their effort accordingly. ...of course it is much easier with u13s...
You did not answer my main question how many teams play in your age division group against your team?
Sorry. There are 16 teams, we play 10, random. the problem is U8 is the "youngest" age, a bit of a catch-all under 8, thus some teams have mostly "pure" U8 (us, for example), while otehrs have a lot of U7 (we have 3), and even U6. Of course, boys and girls mixed together. Thus, they year you're mainly U7, you suffer, then the next year then is too easy Things level up well at U9, usually
Just break up that division into two groups of 8 teams. Older players go in A younger go in B. Should have less blowouts that way.
BigGuy, you seem to miss a key point: I have NO decisional power whatsoever about the league-related decisions. I am just a U8 coach trying to develop my team without rolling over the others...
Frankly, if I was their coach I would call up the league better yet go see them. Tell them about those 16-0 games and suggest to them if they divided the division the way I said should limit those blow out games. You can suggest things to the league your one of their coaches in their league. Do you think it make sense to do it my way? If you think that you should do it talk to them. Maybe they need someone to stick their nose into their business. What are you worried about? What can they do to you except say no or mind your own business. If they do say no just blow the teams you play against away, and practice defense so they can't blow your team away. Some one has a problem with that just tell them your suggestion and say they did not want to consider it. Good luck
The U7 team belongs to club that "controls" the leagues. they are famous for nailing people and making their life hard. I don't want to sound arrogant, but they might take it that way.
In the end I have decided to do so: I have three 6yo in my roster. They will play the entire game, no matter what. If tired, they will sit. For the other 5 positions I will rotate my other players, but I will keep the best guys in the back, and in general try to play the kids in positions different from those they naturally occupy. Moreover, before the game, I will have my boys to reason about the meaning of winning 16-0 or so. Does that mean you're REALLY good? Or there is something else? How many times Man Utd or Barcelona win 16-0...? Uh? In this way, I hope to contain it to a maximum of 9-0. (Note: in day2, the U7 lost their second game 11-0...)
Utter failure: 17-2. I managed to let the other team to score their first ever goals, but it was impossible to contain the score. With a 50m game, it could have easily been 30-0 or more. The blame, imho, is to a club that throws in what is supposed to be a competitive U8 league a team of 6-7yo kids who could barely run, let alone kicking the ball. Well, at least is over. Amen.
Out of curiosity, what did the other coach think of the game? Was he/she upset? Maybe talking to he/she before the game about options might have helped? Doesn't sound like anyone learned anything from the game. In now way am I cricitizing you. Please don't take it that way at all. But the league has to do something about it. All it's going to do is dissuade future players.
The coach in the other team is one of the owners of the club, who has some 600 players. Most likely he thought that there were $14,000 on the field/bench (they charge $1,000/season), and the important thing was to cheer them up, and to make feel they were having fun and will sign up next season. At my club, we sign up U7s, ONLY if they are ready to play in the U8 league. They do sign them anyway, because... they pay. Even if for losing 19-0 or 17-2. I know the guy quite well. Whatever I tell him, he's happy with how things are going.
Also, there is nothing wrong with getting "double digit" scores. Show who's the best team there and no mercy. That's how it is in my league. Only the fittest survives.
Yer a goon and I'd kick you off my team or out of my league with an attitude like that.... and if you were on the opposing team playing against me, I'd break your leg and let you "think about it" in the hospital. There is a little something called "honor", and it has a sibbling called "sportsmanship", I'd tell you to look them up and learn something, but if you have an attitude like that already, you will never grasp the concepts anyway. A wise man once told me, "Punching a jerk in the nose for being a jerk only makes him a jerk with a broken nose". That said, it sure makes me feel pretty good to stick it to someone who doesn't have any respect for the game. Seriously, I hope you were kidding about your post... right now I would just love to meet you on a pitch somewhere for a nice game of pick up soccer.