Kid's sports - Revenge of the Coaches

[lookout123]

If I did it would go something like this:

1) Organize teams so that they have about the same overall skill level BUT do not separate kids from their friends simply to make it more fair by some adult's calculations.

2) Teach the basics in the first week through demonstration and drills. After that week only use drills as a warm up for the real practice, don't waste valuable time telling kids repeatedly to pass with the inside of the foot. Practice mental awareness and thinking on your feet. Kids will use the basics while doing it and be more motivated to practice on their own when they can compare their skills to their peers in friendly competition.

3) Games are for fun, but don't pretend they don't mean anything. I promise you that even if you don't keep score, every kid on the field knows the score. Play to win. Don't ever tell kids not to play hard or not score. Make it harder for them by giving them different challenges if they are exceptional players but don't ever ever tell them not to play hard.

4) First adult who says "it's not fair" gets kicked in the crotch by every player on both teams, then the coaches, then the refs. Life isn't fair. Each team starts every week with zero points. Anything can happen during a game so try hard and accept that you don't win them all. Sports are a good training ground for life skills. Learn to deal with "unfair" obstacles.

5) (a) First parent who pulls a book out of their bag and starts reading it at practice is named the new assistant coach. Show your kids you care about what they are doing. Yes you are busy. Yes it is nice to take a break from parenting. But just take an hour out of life every week to watch the kid interact with his/her peers without being the one to offer corrective input. You might just learn what a great job you're doing parenting. or not.

(b) Every parent of a young soccer player has to play at least one season on an adult rec league team. This will go a long way to solving the problem of parents not understanding what they see and screaming asinine instructions to the kids at games. If they spent an hour running up and down a field getting pushed, shoved, and kicked they might come up with something more intelligent to yell at the kids than "RUN AFTER THE BALL!" Other lessons will include: not everyone is born to be a forward, defenders are just as important as everyone else, and that big kid who knocked your son down is not necessarily a psychopathic axemurderer maliciously hunting your firstborn.

6) Sportsmanship. So that we can make sure it is being instilled at home coaches will watch and listen as the kids shake hands after the game. Any child who refuses to shake hands, spits on his hand, or insults the other players in the line has to go get his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, babysitters, and anyone else who came to watch them. The child will be placed in the center circle, given a big slushy and a bag of skittles to enjoy while they watch their family run, not walk, five complete laps around the field. Encourage the child to point and laugh. After the family is done running make sure the child says, "bad job" or "you suck". I promise that child will never exhibit poor sportsmanship again.

That should be a good starting framework.

[LabRat]

Originally Posted by lookout123

(b) Every parent of a young soccer player has to play at least one season on an adult rec league team.

My daughter played soccer for the first time this spring. Soccer wasn't an option as a sport to go out for when I was in school, so I knew absolutely nothing about it. One of my gripes about the program was that I had to go check out a few books to teach myself basic soccer, and then I found out that the rules are different for different ages/leagues etc. so I had no idea what the kids were supposed to be doing, or what was allowed when they were playing.

SO,

Might I suggest that the league present each parent with a small booklet of the basics appropriate for their child's level of play. Or at the very least post the rules of the game on the website (I assume they have) so that those of us who DO pay attention, can help teach their own kids on their own time out of practice.

I find it frustrating that I really didn't know a whole lot more about soccer than I did before she ever played.

[lookout123]

In our magical league only two things will be different than adult soccer.

1) No offside rule until U12 age group.

2) Adults play on large fields with 11 to a side. Kids play on smaller fields. U6/8/10 play with 6 and a keeper. U12/14 with 8 and a keeper. Above 14 and still playing? Welcome to the adult world.