For parents of soccer club kids

[ZooCougar]

Signing with a pro academy is one thing, D1 is quite another. I'd say most parents in the top clubs are lured by their track record of placing players on the top teams with scholarships (not all D1 but D2 as well). I'd say that is the lure. At least this is what parents are telling me.

Seems like most D1 Athletes are coming out of pro academies. At least the ones that are worth talking about.

 

[upstater]

Seems like most D1 Athletes are coming out of pro academies. At least the ones that are worth talking about.

???

If my kid gets a college scholarship, I couldn't care less if she were worth talking about.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Concussions in particular are my fear. I’m not sure how, but we haven’t had any concussions for my son’s or daughter’s teams. We suspected one at a tournament for my daughter’s team. After sitting our player out for 15 minutes she said she was fine. She seemed ok, but she took such a hard shot to the face that we just held her out to the team’s detriment. All of the parents were appreciative.

We now play against some kids that take dives. Only the boys. It’s frustrating because it should be taught out of the game and I know these kids are encouraged. But it’s always the grunt and grab a shin move, not faking a head injury.

Interestingly, I’ve found the parents have gotten better on the whole as the kids have gotten older. Sometimes you’ll have a parent that won’t shut up, but they’re usually ignored by even their team’s parents. And the refs are quick to toss anyone that crosses the line. When my kids were little, the parent coaches (like me) could be difficult, but the trainer coaches had a much better attitude. I changed my ways to emulate them. That’s changed over the past couple seasons. We are coaching against some obnoxious trainers. But I also believe some of the parents think a tough trainer that yells during the game and does some joystick coaching is a good thing..

Concussion are on my radar, too, as no soccer game at U12 is worth a lifetime of problems.

Safety is usually the one thing that gets under my skin. I got a 1 game suspension a few years back from yelling (not swearing) at a ref because the same player on the opposing team kept slide tackling and our rec league bans it. By the third blatant tackle, I lost it as I had one kid knocked out of the game as he took studs to the ankle that drew blood (probable Red at any level) and several other kids looks like they were about to brawl. The ref responded by saying in his judgement that it wasn't a slide tackle and the other coach said that slide tackling was allowed. I got berated by the Commissioner after but, I did point out that 1) the other coach either lied about slide tackling or did not read the rules, which was a requirement, because I was the one responsible for editing the rule book that season. I also noted that I had to do something during the game about slide tackling because of immediate player safety concerns while, on the other hand, I said nothing during the game when the opposing kepper made a save in the field of play, rolled with the ball in his hands 3 times over the end-line, and the Ref gave them a goal kick. That was in my game report instead.

Last week, the opposing coach playing my 12U team got thrown-out because he kept screaming about offside calls and then would loudly complain to his assistant coach in Spanish, which the Ref apparently understood. Whoops. Yeah, some of the calls did not look good; but, it was night game on a poorly lit field in the rain with just two refs and the field itself was a swamp due to the neverending rain this fall. I could barely see the lines standing on top of them. They to were doing their best.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

it's worse when it's your own team's parents. My kid is a keeper - he's pretty decent at it, but his team was weak and he'd get shelled virtually every game. One of the moms on our team was quite vocal about criticizing him loudly (she also criticized other kids too). I ended up just sitting away from the team's parents in general (I'm fine with that, I'm not a social butterfly that way) and I heard that she ended up getting in a huge row when one of our parents went after her verbally to shut up.

There was this one coach-pitch baseball game from years ago that people in my town still talk about. One coach, whose a good coach unless his own kid is on the team, was berating his own kid at bat because he just couldn't hit at that moment. One of the other kid's Mom said something in the stands about the Coach that the kid's Mom hear. A moment later (I was the 1st Base Coach), I am herding kids from both teams as far out into Right Field as possible whiel the other coaches were trying to seperate the Coach, his wife, and several other parents as f-bombs were just pouring out along with the C-word. No one actually threw a punch before the Police arrived, so no charges, but, it was made every clear that several parents would not be welcomed at rec games for a year.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

A girl ran into our goalie when she had the ball secured, kneed her in the head, ball came loose, the other team scored. Our goalie was down and rolling around holding her head. When the coach protested to the referee, and the ref did nothing.

That call refs have issues with. I was at a State Playoff game a year or so ago as a spectator and one team's Keeper caught a ball; but, dropped it straight down in front of him. The opposing team's striker then nutmeged the Keeper for a goal without any contact with the Keeper. The Ref disallowed the goal and called a foul for Keeper interference. I really wanted to contact the HS referee commissioner about it as I videoed the goal; but, it would have been a waste of time.

High school Refs in my state are notoriously poor. Saw a sectional final two years ago where a team got a golden goal in OT off of a direct header from a long throw. The Ref waived the goal because the player was offside. There is no offside on a throw-in. The other team later won on PK's.

 

[meyers7]

Safety is usually the one thing that gets under my skin. I got a 1 game suspension a few years back from yelling (not swearing) at a ref because the same player on the opposing team kept slide tackling and our rec league bans it. By the third blatant tackle, I lost it as I had one kid knocked out of the game as he took studs to the ankle that drew blood (probable Red at any level) and several other kids looks like they were about to brawl. The ref responded by saying in his judgement that it wasn't a slide tackle and the other coach said that slide tackling was allowed. I got berated by the Commissioner after but, I did point out that 1) the other coach either lied about slide tackling or did not read the rules, which was a requirement, because I was the one responsible for editing the rule book that season. I also noted that I had to do something during the game about slide tackling because of immediate player safety concerns while, on the other hand, I said nothing during the game when the opposing kepper made a save in the field of play, rolled with the ball in his hands 3 times over the end-line, and the Ref gave them a goal kick. That was in my game report instead.

Probably the best approach with a ref if you feel there is a safety issue is to address the ref, not yell, and let him/her know of the safety issue. If it doesn't look like he/she is going to rein in the game, pull your team off the field. It'll make a much bigger impression than getting yourself thrown out for arguing with the ref.

However on the other side, I've had a couple coaches threaten to pull their teams off the field for safety reasons while I was reffing. They never did, because it was not really about safety, but about getting calls. Just make sure it is really about safety.

 

[upstater]

There is no offside on a throw-in.

LOL.... When coaching a couple years ago, I very politely pointed out to the 30 year old ref that there are no re-kicks on corner kicks if the ball doesn't come back into play. Of course the opposing team scored a goal against my team on the re-kick. But the ref did learn his soccer rule lesson from me, as he called goal kick when one of my players didn't kick the corner into the field of play!!!!

 

[meyers7]

LOL.... When coaching a couple years ago, I very politely pointed out to the 30 year old ref that there are no re-kicks on corner kicks if the ball doesn't come back into play. Of course the opposing team scored a goal against my team on the re-kick. But the ref did learn his soccer rule lesson from me, as he called goal kick when one of my players didn't kick the corner into the field of play!!!!

What do you mean "come back into play"?

 

[upstater]

What do you mean "come back into play"?

Kicking the ball from the corner spot into the field of play.

Are you testing me to see if I know that a ball that curves out and then comes in is still considered out?

 

[meyers7]

Kicking the ball from the corner spot into the field of play.

Are you testing me to see if I know that a ball that curves out and then comes in is still considered out?

No, just trying to figure out what you meant, seeing as the corner spot is in the field of play. I thought you might have meant kicked it straight into touch, but not sure if that's it????

 

[upstater]

No, just trying to figure out what you meant, seeing as the corner spot is in the field of play. I thought you might have meant kicked it straight into touch, but not sure if that's it????

Right, she never kicked the ball into the field of play. In fact, when she kicked it, it went behind the goal.

 

[Chuck]

A hate the rule that you retake a throw in if the ball never goes in. That should be deemed out of play or a foul throw.

Here's a couple questions for our refs:

A trick set-piece is going through our age group (which means it's already no longer effective). Two girls go out to the corner kick. The coach yells for one of the girls to take the kick. The other jogs away dragging a marking defender with her since. As she's doing that, she touches the ball with her foot. The remaining player then dribbles the ball in with the idea that the touch was the corner kick. A corner kick must be kicked. What is the current definition of "kick?" Is a touch enough, or does it have to be a rotation? Also, a coach told me they ran that play and a ref called it a rekick because you aren't allowed to trick the other team. That seemed odd. The coach was pretty sure the ref was tricked and blew the whistle think the corner kicker just dribbled the ball in.

Must a player automatically give 10 yards on a restart, or does the kicking player have to ask for 10? We cheat a bit and give like 6 yards. We had a ref recently mark off 10 proactively. Our head coach was upset saying that the other team needs to ask for 10. I don't know which is right.

When the goalie walks the ball up to the 18 to punt, when is it a hand ball? If the ball is still in their hand while the ball is over the line, I'd think that is a handball. But I had a ref tell me it's fine if the goal still had a foot in the box.

 

[meyers7]

Right, she never kicked the ball into the field of play. In fact, when she kicked it, it went behind the goal.

Well it was in the field of play, she kicked it out of the field of play. But yes, that should have been a goal kick.

Your verbiage made it sound like somehow the ball was out of the field of play to start with.

 

[upstater]

A hate the rule that you retake a throw in if the ball never goes in. That should be deemed out of play or a foul throw.

Here's a couple questions for our refs:

A trick set-piece is going through our age group (which means it's already no longer effective). Two girls go out to the corner kick. The coach yells for one of the girls to take the kick. The other jogs away dragging a marking defender with her since. As she's doing that, she touches the ball with her foot. The remaining player then dribbles the ball in with the idea that the touch was the corner kick. A corner kick must be kicked. What is the current definition of "kick?" Is a touch enough, or does it have to be a rotation? Also, a coach told me they ran that play and a ref called it a rekick because you aren't allowed to trick the other team. That seemed odd. The coach was pretty sure the ref was tricked and blew the whistle think the corner kicker just dribbled the ball in.

Must a player automatically give 10 yards on a restart, or does the kicking player have to ask for 10? We cheat a bit and give like 6 yards. We had a ref recently mark off 10 proactively. Our head coach was upset saying that the other team needs to ask for 10. I don't know which is right.

When the goalie walks the ball up to the 18 to punt, when is it a hand ball? If the ball is still in their hand while the ball is over the line, I'd think that is a handball. But I had a ref tell me it's fine if the goal still had a foot in the box.

I think the ref should be able to designate 10 yards whenever he likes.

On the last one, I wonder if they do it that way because it's such a fine line to determine if the goalie is over or not.

 

[meyers7]

A hate the rule that you retake a throw in if the ball never goes in. That should be deemed out of play or a foul throw.

Here's a couple questions for our refs:

A trick set-piece is going through our age group (which means it's already no longer effective). Two girls go out to the corner kick. The coach yells for one of the girls to take the kick. The other jogs away dragging a marking defender with her since. As she's doing that, she touches the ball with her foot. The remaining player then dribbles the ball in with the idea that the touch was the corner kick. A corner kick must be kicked. What is the current definition of "kick?" Is a touch enough, or does it have to be a rotation? Also, a coach told me they ran that play and a ref called it a rekick because you aren't allowed to trick the other team. That seemed odd. The coach was pretty sure the ref was tricked and blew the whistle think the corner kicker just dribbled the ball in.

The Laws say, kicked and moves to be put in play. (not into the field of play). A touch/tap on top of the ball does not constitute this. There is nothing about 1/2 or 1 rotation. If they don't do it correctly, and the second player starts dribbling the ball, the correct restart is an Indirect Free Kick for the other team. (I call it a 2 touch foul, same for KO's, FK's, PKs, GK's and even Throw Ins. )

A hate the rule that you retake a throw in if the ball never goes in. That should be deemed out of play or a foul throw.

Similar to the GK (and not leaving the Penalty Area), if the ball is never in play, then there cannot be any fouls. Although HS rules don't agree.

Must a player automatically give 10 yards on a restart, or does the kicking player have to ask for 10? We cheat a bit and give like 6 yards. We had a ref recently mark off 10 proactively. Our head coach was upset saying that the other team needs to ask for 10. I don't know which is right.

Yes, the team that committed the foul MUST give 10 yards. They committed the foul, they don't get privileges in preventing a "Free Kick" from being free. However, the offense does not have to wait for them, they can start as quickly as they want. If they do ask or other situations arise (giving YC for the foul, etc.) the ref will make it "Ceremonial", marking off the 10 yards. Restart on the whistle. Failure To Respect the Distance is a YC offense.

When the goalie walks the ball up to the 18 to punt, when is it a hand ball? If the ball is still in their hand while the ball is over the line, I'd think that is a handball. But I had a ref tell me it's fine if the goal still had a foot in the box.

It's where the ball is. Doesn't matter where the player is. If the ball is outside the Penalty Area (18) and "anyone" deliberately handles it, it's a FK. However the GK can kick the ball outside the PA just like everyone else. So if he/she releases it from inside the PA and kicks it outside the PA, that's fine. And the line is part of the PA.

 

[ZooCougar]

Not sure where to post this. But take notice that this player’s mom had to cold call and MLS Club to get on board and he was a total standout.

In other sports terms, this would be like a 5 Star caliber recruit going unnoticed. MLS Clubs should have been fighting over this kid.

Stejskal: MLS clubs competing head-to-head for academy talent far from home

 

[Chuck]

Not sure where to post this. But take notice that this player’s mom had to cold call and MLS Club to get on board and he was a total standout.

In other sports terms, this would be like a 5 Star caliber recruit going unnoticed. MLS Clubs should have been fighting over this kid.

Stejskal: MLS clubs competing head-to-head for academy talent far from home

They shouldn't be eligible to sign with an MLS club until one year after their high school would have graduated! ;o)

Is the "home territory" thing the same internationally, or is that just an MLS thing?

 

[ZooCougar]

They shouldn't be eligible to sign with an MLS club until one year after their high school would have graduated! ;o)

Is the "home territory" thing the same internationally, or is that just an MLS thing?

MLS thing. Sounds like they are doing away with it.

Sporting thinks that Busio is a top talent and they will be looking to sell in the future.