The Proud and the Mighty - Girls Youth Soccer, Undefeated Season...

[M.D. Holloway]

First time coaching this year, our Lil one wanted me to coach so I took on the task. She plays on three different teams - mine (a rec team) and two academy squads (same club, different teams). She is a soccer nut - loves it. Even watches it on the Mexican channels.

We went undefeated this year - 10-0 and won a tournament this past weekend beeating three teams very easily. Infact by half time we were always up at least 7-0. Second half we instructed the girls to focus on passing only and only. One of the parents asked me afterwards if that was fair for me to do - they thought it was a little like throwing in the other teams faces that we dominated. I asked her "What should I do? Have them run up the score 30-0? How about play a girl short? I can't help the fact that we are killing the these teams but come on."

Our girls work really hard and they listen. We get kinda silly and goofy sometimes but when the whislte blows they run. They have been playing together for several seasons so they know each other real well. Half the team plays on the same academy club so these girls are playing year round.

In a country where every kid gets a trophy and a pat on the back for 'just trying' we have attempted to instill a sense of worth on winning and what hard work and focus will bring.

The girls do have fun but they also understand that score is kept during a game - that is to determine a winner and a looser. If you just wanna kick thats cool! Its called practice but if you want to compete and test your skill than you must be winning to play a game and take the chance that you may lose.

Consider the following two pics. This is her club team pic - the first is my lil one getting kicked in the gut and the second she has grabed the ball and stopped a goal. The team we beat won nationals last year. We beat them this year.

My little one wants to play in a World Cup as well as in College and the Olympics. Tall order...

[89911]

My only thoughts are that if you are undefeated and beating teams 7-0 at half time, its time to move up an age bracket or travel farther to play other competitive teams. Frankly, I get nothing out of watching my daughters team win or lose lopsided victories. Not much to gain for your team or theirs. My 12 year old plays for two teams. One is a local team that we play close to home. The other is a cup team that we travel up to 5 hours at times to play tournaments. There are much better teams locally that we don't play since the teams are ranked every year according to win-loss and placed in brackets for the next season. Her team is a new team and is holding its own, most games winning or losing by a goal or two. I've had more fun watching them lose a tight game 1-0 then beating a poor team badly. Plus I think they get more out of it also.

[M.D. Holloway]

We did move up a level - the league balked at it but did it - we are at the highest for rec league. Our lil one does play academy ball where she does see good net time. Next year the rules change for the age group and we take on more players - 7v7 instead of 5v5.

I agree - the huge wins are not fun nor do they do anything for the girls. I just didn't know how else to play it. They are very good. Any suggestions?

[bivenator]

They two girls in the picture are both blond. Perhaps a little darker pigment in your competitors will increase the level of competition.

[scsteve1]

First of all Congratulations on going undefeated! I Coach a BU16 soccer team. I was taught that anything more than 5-0 is disrespectful to the other team and to the sport. I move my players around, (offense to defense and vice versa). If that doesn't work, than my team must make 10 two touch minimum ( 1 touch if that doesn't work) passes in a row before taking a shot on goal. I've been on the other end of blowouts, it's not fun.

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally Posted by bivenator

They two girls in the picture are both blond. Perhaps a little darker pigment in your competitors will increase the level of competition.

Hmmm, not in this case. The girl playing forward was incredible. Her skills were plain sick. She was the forward for the national champs. My lil one (being the lil sis to a bruser) is fearless and in this instant charged her. I don't think the forward was used to such aggressive play from another 8 year old.

We have played 'darker' teams with similar results. The 'darker' teams veiw soccer as part of the culture so they do play it a lot but our girls have been playing as often both recreationally (they play during recess every day) and after school during practice every day - year round. They are getting to the point were they define themselves as soccer players.

Only in a few instances that I know about do the parents pressure the girls. The core majority on our teams (the girls that define them selves as soccer players) make up about 50%. The other 50% wonder in and out every year.

The next several years should be very interesting.

[89911]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

We did move up a level - the league balked at it but did it - we are at the highest for rec league. Our lil one does play academy ball where she does see good net time. Next year the rules change for the age group and we take on more players - 7v7 instead of 5v5.

I agree - the huge wins are not fun nor do they do anything for the girls. I just didn't know how else to play it. They are very good. Any suggestions?

Play boys? Sounds like you are doing all the right things. I was only suggesting what would be best for your team and ultimately your child's development. Playing bad teams is like running a race against a slower runner. Not much to gain and you never get pushed. My daughter plays up a level and it has been a good challenge. I can go on and on about soccer and all the good and the bad. What I look for is 1. Is your child playing or is she part of a great team and enjoying the game from the bench? We have some super teams here in my area that travel half the nation to play. Are they good, yes. Does your child gain anything from it, depends. These teams will keep their starters on for the entire game and never let the 2nd team players touch the ball. 2. Are they getting good instruction? Generally the superior teams have great coaching. But these team are also getting the cream of players that are already good. Not much needed in their development. Alright, enough plabber. congratulation on a great season by the way.

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by bivenator

They two girls in the picture are both blond. Perhaps a little darker pigment in your competitors will increase the level of competition.

Our town is about 40% hispanic. Therefore, about 40% of the boys on soccer teams are hispanic. But there are no hispanic girls playing soccer. Zero. Must be a cultural thing.

[M.D. Holloway]

In the Academy and Select (U9 and up) teams are more competitive but in the rec league its about quantity not quality - like a buffet.

As for playing time - all the leagues (rec and academy) require all kiddos to play at least 2 quarters. We ran lean this year due to one girls parents splitting up. She made only 3 games and 2 practices. We played her the entire games she showed. She was by far the worst but the other girls on our team really supported her to the point of setting it up so she got a few goals for her parents to see.

Her academy team does half skill work and half position play - they really get to learn the game and work the skills. The rec team I coach is more like 14/ skill work and the rest scrimmage and position play. Unless a kid is gonna have the foot-eye coordination already or they are willing to put time in on their own skill work once a week is a waste.

[gatotom]

Lube....that is awesome and please with a passion, DO NOT become a little league parent. You know the type, push the kid, let them be kids having fun, serious play will come soon enough.

I am impressed that the U9 are not beehive playing and that their skills are such that passing is the way to play the game or I should say 2 touch ball.

Back when my kids were playing the game 25 yrs ago, I coached and ref'ed many games, tournaments and parents were the worst offenders of sportsmanship.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, she will grow up faster than you can imagine.

[M.D. Holloway]

Yup but its U8, U9 is next year. The word that is pounded in their heads is pass, pass, pass. A pass is as good as a goal at this age. Its truly is amazing, we play a passing game and every team will swarm our girl with the ball. I tell them to use the field and trap soundly. A girl will take 3 to 10 seconds to get anywhere near ya. Thats plenty of time to trap, look, decide and kick. I can't tell you how often we would do that and wouldn't you know, that is the reason we won so many times. That and following a kick into the goal and playing 'Girl-Up' which is covering an opponant on throw-ins and goal kicks.

Just a few basic things repeated and repeated and repeated and before you know it goals are scored. They start understanding that if you do kick back to your keeper, plays can be set up - wings to the ends, midfielders going high post, forward taking it up. The defenders know to pull up to draw offsides they also get instruction from the bossy keeper not to block vision or 'mess with her vectors!'.

I do have the biggest mouth on the fields but the only thing you will hear me boom is "Nice Work!", "Well Played!", "Girl-Up!", "Your the Best!". I am never negative (some of the coaches can be). If a mistakes is made, during a break I will get down on my knee and look up at a player and ask her what she thought went wrong then I will offer a solution but rarely do I have to - they know they just didn't do it right. No one is perfect and they only have 8 years of life in them. I expect very little if anything. I just don't like it when any girl doesn't try. Its not fair to the game or her commitment to the team. I always say let me know if you want to sit out a quarter - I have never had a girl want that in fact they pout when they have to sit out for someone else to play. If thats as bad as it gets I'll take it.

[M.D. Holloway]

Here are the Mighty D-Bugs! Yup, a bunch of blondies very rich in talent and spirit...

[Paco Anton]

Originally Posted by ckissick

Our town is about 40% hispanic. Therefore, about 40% of the boys on soccer teams are hispanic. But there are no hispanic girls playing soccer. Zero. Must be a cultural thing.

Interesnting.

Here in Spain (we are the current world champions, remember ) 90% of the boys play soccer at school and not even 5% of the girls do. Soccer is viewed as a boys sport and girls would not even come close to a soccer ball.

Maybe it is because we tend to focus less on sports at school level than you guys do. Usually kids play soccer in their free time and not in an organized manner (coachs, referees, reserved playground, and such). Therefore all playgrounds are used by boys, and girls would have to share the same field, which leaves them out. When I was a kid I remember 5 matches being played at the same time in the same field during the mid-morning break, so that different age goups were playing at the same time with different balls (yes, there were 5 goalkeepers on each goal). I think this approach is what makes it a boys game.

I don't know about latin american countries (Mexico, Colombia, etc.) but suspect the reason may be similar.

In fact, I am amazed that girls play soccer at all in the USA.

[KFC911]

Congrats to you, your daughter, and team Mike! I don't know squat about soccer, and was only an average athelete, but b-ball was my passion. Just a thought, but is there any way for your daughter (or team) to compete with guys? I still remember competing against one female in college (pick-up games), and she had grown up playing against older brothers, and was truly "one of the guys" when she played. I never had any problem finding better competition to play against, and learned to be a "good loser" in the process too, but imo, that's the key to improving one's game in any sport.

ps: I didn't read all of this thread...might be redundent in my suggestion.

[M.D. Holloway]

Funny you mention that but as Tejas heats up she shifts to indoor season and does play against boys. Let me tell you, the girls get rougher than the boys at this age! Things change as they get older and the boys get stronger.

[KFC911]

Of course you are right Lubey...I wasn't considering the age she's at .

ps: Are younger southerners "gettin' wimpy with the heat"? I seriously mean that...it's all about aclimation and drinking plenty of water.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

You are a fortunate man, Mike...your lovely daughter will never forget your involvement.

But, for the love of god, lose the black socks.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

But, for the love of god, lose the black socks.

Even a devout athiest would lose the black socks

[M.D. Holloway]

Those are my Crock Socks! I have several pairs and shall never give them up! All the cool Dads are wearing them.

As for the indoor season - only games are inside, practice is still outside. There are some tournys outside during the summer as well.

[Rikao4]

your girl has guts..
I'm sure she will stand her ground in yrs too come..
my Lady played on a Co-ed softball team @ her Hospital...
Ortho-surgeon slidding into home-plate was sure she would move..
she's a girl after all...
Ambulance took him away..
broken femur & out!

Rika