Odd Soccer "rules"

[WDW2002]

Yesterday my DD had a soccer game out of town. And they had some odd rule that i had never heard of before. If one team was up by more then 4 points they are not allowed to try to score. HUH?? WA?? telling a group of kids to STOP trying?? That makes no sense to me.

IMO, kids should never be told NOT to try.

 

[RoqueC]

What if they're trying to kill somebody? Should we tell them not to stop then? Huh?

 

[WDW2002]

RoqueC - do you ever give a serious answer to anything?? Every post I see from you is just like the one you posted here. If you can't post a serious answer then DON"T POST.

 

[Kteacher]

WDW2002- I've heard of similar rules, but usually it's if there is a larger spread than 4 points. What I've seen happen is that they basically stop keeping track of the score. Only 4 points difference is a pretty small spread,though.

 

[Zurg]

I have been coaching, been way up (in lacrosse) and told the kids, everone has to touch the ball befoe a shot and they could only shoot with their weak hand. The point being they needed to build skills they were weak at and not just run up the score.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

When DS was playing rec soccer under 12 and under 10, if they got way ahead, the whole team worked together to try to get some of the players who usually don't score get a goal. It was nice.

Zurg, I think I would be glad to have you coach my kids. You sound reasonable and in it for the kids.

 

[Eeyore2U]

It's common practice, not rule to try to score with your off foot or play 1 or 2 touch.

IMHO, this is more embarassing then giving up a 100 goals. Beat me but don't embarass me.

 

[CamColt]

My nieces team had an issue with this last year. Their team(u10) was the typical Bad News Bears. These kids played their hearts out but just couldnt score a goal for anything. I believe the rule is if you are up by 5, you have to pull back your forwards. One coach wouldnt do this and he was still pushing his girls to go up and score(it was like 7-0 at this point). Obviously the coach of the losing team, knowing the rule was angry over the other coaches actions and it started a big to do within the league.

On a happy note, DN's team won 2 games in a row this fall(both 1-0) and their last game, which they lost, was 6-3. Even a 6-3 loss was a big victory for this team since they scored goals. AND, DN got one of the goals!!!!

 

[WDW2002]

Originally posted by CamColt
I believe the rule is if you are up by 5, you have to pull back your forwards.

In our teams case, only the forwards were allowed past midfield. The midfielders/half backs had to stay back. This I can understand. This gives the other team 3 to 1 defensive advantage. I can not understand telling your players to not "try."

I also like the idea that Breezy_Carol said, to "switch up" your team to give others a chance. My younger DD coach does this, much to my DD dismay. She is one of the better players on the team, she loves a forward and midfielder, she does not like defender/fullback & goalie. But the coach is really good at giving everyone a chance at the various positions.

In Basketball, they turn of the scoreboard if one team is up by 20 or more, but they continue to play. Soccer there isn't even an "official" score.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I don't think you have to ban them from trying, but some of these ideas are very good for building skills while not embarrassing the other side.
Last year we had a team in our house league that annihalated everyone. In the house tourney I think they beat us 9-1 or something--and to make it worse, their parents thought it was "cute" that they had brought out a bunch of old band instruments, and every time their team scored they played a fight song!! I knew one mom and she said they would play IF we scored too.
Then in the spring we tied that team--they hadn't been beaten or tied in 2 years--their coach was screaming at them as our girls calmly ate their snacks!!
I thank the Lord every weekend that my girls have never had that kind of coach--and hope the luck holds for DS.
Robin M.

 

[BCVOwner2002]

I think people lose sight of youth sports. The object of any game should not be about winning but rather learn how to compete in a team situation. It is also important for children to make friends along the way. My son has played hockey for 11 years and he still remembers one of his first coaches. At the beginning of every game Coach McPherson would ask, "What's rule number one?" The answer was always, "To have fun."

I really think parents put too much emphasis on winning. Let's face it, we are talking youth sports!! How many of these kids will play the sport in high school? Even fewer will play in college!!

A week from now, ask your child what the score was in the game and they probably won't remember! It's the adults that get caught up with the score!

This is just my honest opinion. I'm sure others will disagree, but that's why I like the DIS so much!

 

[shortbun]

Our league requires that anyone scoring twice
play defense. We don't keep official score.
The coaches ALL play the least experienced players
at forwards and goalie also instructing the midfield
players to hold their positions if any team goes
ahead by 5 or more. This frustrates my ds as he
is very good and gets very little playing time.
His team is "undefeated" (we don't keep score?!)
in three years so the rookies just keep gettng
better and the best players stand on the sidelines.He
understands WHY but next year, we're going to
a more competitive league so he can actually
play soccer. I totally support his current league's
system, it's just time for him to move up so he
can play. BCV-my ds knows the score against
each opponent from last years games and who
the good players were. The coach does not discuss
it-the players remember. they are 7. He remembers
who scored against them-who the player scoring
was and the circumstances. DH and I are no compete
folks, we've finally accepted that ds is a
competitor. We're trying to give him some
challenges in little bits as he is very young. His
competitive nature disturbs and amuses me but
it's undeniable.

 

[Indyman]

Originally posted by WDW2002
Yesterday my DD had a soccer game out of town. And they had some odd rule that i had never heard of before. If one team was up by more then 4 points they are not allowed to try to score. HUH?? WA?? telling a group of kids to STOP trying?? That makes no sense to me.

IMO, kids should never be told NOT to try.

In our rec league the rule was if one team went up by 3 goals, the coach had to make a change. Usually as a coach I would put some kind of restriction on the better players. I would either start them further back, encourage them to shoot with their weka foot, or have them try to set up the weaker players. I never told them to not try scoring. If they had an open shot on goal they were to take the shot. I never told them to stop playing.

I was on the board for that same league for a few seasons and heard many proposed amendments to our rule. The one I was vehemently against was pulling a kid off the field and playing one short if a team went up by more than 3. Not only is this punishing players for playing well, but it is also embarrassing to the other team.

Don't ever tell the kids to stop playing. Teach them to try their best, and teach them to be good sports, but don't tell them to stop trying.

 

[WDW2002]

Originally posted by Indyman
this punishing players for playing well...

That is what I thought too about being told they couldn't try to score...sorry you are playing so well now you can't play anymore...

 

[Serena]

I don't know if it was a rule or not. But back when I was in 7 and 8th grade our football team went totally undefeated the entire season except for the last game, the second season they actually had someone score against them more than once.
Our coach did something similar. Once we knew we had no competition from the team, he had the players that needed the practice play and other things like that. We never embarrassed the opposing team. The cheerleaders didn't either.