Soccer Moms Unite!!

[mdsoccermom]

My DS 13 lives and breathes soccer. Despite starting kind of late and having non-athletic parents (we don't even typically watch sports on tv ), he has thrived and literally worked his way to the highest level team in our area. Now, I am sucked in and discovering competetiveness in myself I didn't know was there . I love it because he loves it, and so far, I've been able to stay out of it enough that he still loves it and wants to practice without us telling him to. Its a formula that works for him - he still practices 1-3 hours almost every day in the backyard.

I have a bad ref story though. We've had this guy several times and he totally steals the games form the boys treating them as if they are his enemy. Its insane and every game he refs ends with hurt feelings, unjustified or barely justified yellow or red cards, and parents as well as coaches and line judges shaking their heads. I don't think we have any recourse, but I think we're stuck with him. He starts every game and 2nd half by yelling, "35 minutes of the beautiful game!" My son has learned to adjust the way he plays with this ref and he considers him a "field condition." Maybe its a life lesson for dealing with difficult people!

I'm sorry, but I had to laugh at that. We have a ref for futsal that yells the same thing. Now, it's a joke with all the parents.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

I always find is shocking when there is physical roughness! BUT, that said, we took our team 10U girls - to a women's college soccer game. It was ROUGH!!! It is a full contact sport! Us moms were shocked. I guess that is just part of the game when they get older. Not that I like it though.

I remember seeing the girl from New Mexico (?) that yanked a girl by her braid down to the floor. Okay, I understand, sometimes it gets rough. I tell DD that if someone is shoving, to challenger harder. I have a narrow hallway and I practice with DD in it. I try to teach her how to keep the ball with her by using her hips and sides without putting her arm out. I know you can shove, I know you can push with your side. My gripe is, if the girls are going to get rough, I wish the ref would call it. These refs are BLIND!!!

 

[pooh4evr]

Some of the "roughness' IMO depends on the level and league- church (CYC here) leagues are much more recreational than SLYSA (St louis youth soccer association) league which is a "competitive" club team level. the players start the elbows, and pushing at U8 - most young teams will take a knee for in injured player but as you get older, the competition increases and so does strategy-- already our U8 DD's coach is trying to instill a level of competition that some might say is unsportsmanlike, ex- don't stop until the whistle is blown (player down or not) do not say you are sorry, and they do the good game thing at the end, then shake the refs hands, some teams make tunnells for the teams to go through but ours will not because "soccer isn't a friendly sport, they are not your friends they are your competition" I am not sure how I feel about that. I don't want my girls to be dirty players, they are both defenders and are trying to learn how to use their bodies to protect the ball, hips tush shoulders,-- it can be a very physical game.

Both girls teams are playing FUTSAL this winter- I have never seen it, sounds interesting-- if you have seen it or your kids have ppayed it what is it like?? Did you notice an increase in foot skills after the season?

 

[mdsoccermom]

Some of the "roughness' IMO depends on the level and league- church (CYC here) leagues are much more recreational than SLYSA (St louis youth soccer association) league which is a "competitive" club team level. the players start the elbows, and pushing at U8 - most young teams will take a knee for in injured player but as you get older, the competition increases and so does strategy-- already our U8 DD's coach is trying to instill a level of competition that some might say is unsportsmanlike, ex- don't stop until the whistle is blown (player down or not) do not say you are sorry, and they do the good game thing at the end, then shake the refs hands, some teams make tunnells for the teams to go through but ours will not because "soccer isn't a friendly sport, they are not your friends they are your competition" I am not sure how I feel about that. I don't want my girls to be dirty players, they are both defenders and are trying to learn how to use their bodies to protect the ball, hips tush shoulders,-- it can be a very physical game.

Both girls teams are playing FUTSAL this winter- I have never seen it, sounds interesting-- if you have seen it or your kids have ppayed it what is it like?? Did you notice an increase in foot skills after the season?

My husband is Executive Vice President of US Futsal and president of Maryland Futsal. We live, breathe, eat Futsal in this house.

Futsal is the only form of indoor soccer sanctioned by FIFA. It is played with a smaller, heavier, low bounce ball. There are no boards like in indoor soccer. This way, it allows kids to develop control and foot skills without relying on the boards.

Futsal transformed my daughter's team. You can definitely tell the teams that have played futsal because of their foot skills. It's also very fast-paced and exciting to watch.

 

[Disneycrazymom]

Some of the "roughness' IMO depends on the level and league- church (CYC here) leagues are much more recreational than SLYSA (St louis youth soccer association) league which is a "competitive" club team level. the players start the elbows, and pushing at U8 - most young teams will take a knee for in injured player but as you get older, the competition increases and so does strategy-- already our U8 DD's coach is trying to instill a level of competition that some might say is unsportsmanlike, ex- don't stop until the whistle is blown (player down or not) do not say you are sorry, and they do the good game thing at the end, then shake the refs hands, some teams make tunnels for the teams to go through but ours will not because "soccer isn't a friendly sport, they are not your friends they are your competition" I am not sure how I feel about that. I don't want my girls to be dirty players, they are both defenders and are trying to learn how to use their bodies to protect the ball, hips tush shoulders,-- it can be a very physical game.

I see this in some clubs here in StL. My DD won't play for those coaches. Yes soccer is physical - I have no problem with fair tough play, but when the game is over, we are finished, no need to push the "we don't talk to you because you are the competition" agenda. There are lots of choices for club soccer here, where the girls are taught both skills and sportsmanship. Don't stop until the whistle blows is fine but not taking a knee or acknowledging the other team when the game is finished is not what soccer is about.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

Some of the "roughness' IMO depends on the level and league- church (CYC here) leagues are much more recreational than SLYSA (St louis youth soccer association) league which is a "competitive" club team level. the players start the elbows, and pushing at U8 - most young teams will take a knee for in injured player but as you get older, the competition increases and so does strategy-- already our U8 DD's coach is trying to instill a level of competition that some might say is unsportsmanlike, ex- don't stop until the whistle is blown (player down or not) do not say you are sorry, and they do the good game thing at the end, then shake the refs hands, some teams make tunnells for the teams to go through but ours will not because "soccer isn't a friendly sport, they are not your friends they are your competition" I am not sure how I feel about that. I don't want my girls to be dirty players, they are both defenders and are trying to learn how to use their bodies to protect the ball, hips tush shoulders,-- it can be a very physical game.

Both girls teams are playing FUTSAL this winter- I have never seen it, sounds interesting-- if you have seen it or your kids have ppayed it what is it like?? Did you notice an increase in foot skills after the season?

DD played it last year and her team will play this year. I noticed a HUGE difference in the girls during the futsal season. They lost EVERY game during fall season and then in futsal came together as a team a bit more. It's played in school gyms, the "fields" are smaller and you have to learn to control the ball better. The ball is also different. It's heavier so it doesn't fly up during kicks. During futsal season, they won their first games and placed 2nd during an indoor tournament. It was the start of such good things!! They came into the spring season with confidence, started winning and moved up a division!

DH doesn't want DD to play indoor this year. He wants a "break", but I reminded him that when we signed her up for travel, we were told it was going to take up a lot of our time and $ and we agreed.

I admit that it is a physical sport, but the elbows are unnecessary. The refs should be trained a little more and pay attention more.

BTW, if your child plans to do this long-term, do you know they start being nationally ranked at U12? Crazy...

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

Today is the start to the "lasts". My DD is a senior and today is her last game playing travel. She has been with this team for 7 years. She is hoping to play in college, so I know it won't be the "last" of the travel part, but it is the start of a very bittersweet year! Now the question is: What to do with all this extra time!

If you're anything like my in-laws, you'll follow her in an RV during her college years! LOL They did that for my BIL's when they played football in college.

 

[MomofKatie]

Don't stop until the whistle blows is fine but not taking a knee or acknowledging the other team when the game is finished is not what soccer is about.

ITA.

We played a team at our last tournament that was of the "this is not a friendly game" variety. We have ALWAYS been taught,from Micro league Rec ball on up, to take a knee when a player is down on the field (after the whistle is blown) and to applaud for that player when they are back up or escorted off the field. This team, after one of their players grabbed one of our girls around the neck and threw her to the ground, all ran to the sidelines and TOOK A WATER BREAK when our girl was crying on the ground. We were stunned!

Our coaches take those situations as opportunities to show how NOT to act during a game.

 

[emma'smom]

My dd is on a U9 travel team and she plays their first big tournament next week. It's an hour away with an 8am start time. So much for sleep....but it'll be fun! They've come together so much as a team this year and most will play together in the spring too.

 

[PRmamiDEdos]

My dd is on a U9 travel team and she plays their first big tournament next week. It's an hour away with an 8am start time. So much for sleep....but it'll be fun! They've come together so much as a team this year and most will play together in the spring too.

Eeek! That means leaving by 6:30 the latest!! We usually have to be on the field 30 minutes before so the girls can get in a quick practice.

 

[skater]

Sounds like the girls are more viscious than the boys . I've seen some ugly stuff, but not like what I've read here!

I always tell my son (13) I'm more concerned with his character than his sports skills and I try to make sure I'm communicating that regularly. Fortunately, his coach seems to have that same philosophy. Yesterday, a boy on the other team pushed my son down (he had been doing this throughout the game to other boys) and my son got mad and yelled at him. His coach pulled him out at the first opportunity and told him not to respond that way and he didn't want to see it again. Go coach! I understand my son's anger, but I want him to learn self-control and I was glad his coach called him on it.

Last year my son received a red card (everyone agreed it was unfairly, but who knows ). He was very upset and angry, but we told him this was his opportunity to show good character. He pulled himself together and sat on the bench with his team to watch the rest of the game. He went out with his team after the game and actually apologized to the other coach for his foul. Although the red card was truly devastating for a couple weeks, I think the life lessons he learned were invaluable.

I hope that we are able to keep the proper perspective on soccer and continue to focus on the important things in life. Sometimes its hard because of the competitive nature of the sport (and of my son ), but we're trying!