Kid's sports - Revenge of the Coaches
 

So it begins. Wednesday night I had the opportunity to evaluate the soccer skills of 73 children between the ages of 5-8 years old. Many I knew, many are new.

I was well aware that the general consensus was that I had a stacked team last session so we would destroy the competition. Nobody thought that when teams were picked, but they did by the end of the session. I was told this time we were going to break all the teams up and start over from scratch rather than filling our losses in with players who were new. There are 3 coaches returning and 3 who are brand new guys I've never met before. One of them I'm certain will be a lifelong friend. I knew that from the minute I met him and he gave me a crushing handshake, started juggling a soccer ball, and telling me about all of the Championship teams he's coached for other clubs. BFF, I tell ya.

After two hours of evaluating kids all the coaches sat down with their notes and a huge whiteboard. I sat quietly while R, a returning coach wrote each of our team names on the board then announced he wanted all of his returning kids back. No objections, so he wrote all their names under his team. M made the same statement, so they wrote all appropriate names under her team. They all looked at me expecting the same and I just plainly said I knew there was bitching about my team last time. Two of my stronger players moved up to the next age group so they were out of play. I told them to just write Lil Lookout and B under my team name and then I'll be in the round robin picking for the rest of my team. They all quickly agreed so we started the round robin.

Each kid had been assigned a mutually agreed upon score from 1 to 5, 5 being the bee's knees of skill level. The plan was to go round the table and pick players from highest skill level til they were gone. R's team already had two 5's, and I had Lil Lookout as a 5, so we were out. The other coaches took the remaining 5's at two per team. Then the same with 4's. I had B so I was out. They didn't let me have my next pick from the 4's because he was on my team before and another coach really wanted him. So after all the 5's and 4's are gone I have LL and B and the other coaches have 4/5 of their players filled.

We followed the same process for the 3's, 2's, and were just going through the ones when someone looked up and noticed that everyone who was on my team was a returning player from my last team and that is when the argument started. The two coaches who had kept their teams together just sat quietly while the other 3 coaches and director got on my case about stacking my team. I let them go and go until finally it got quiet and I asked them who was the last coach who got to pick in each round. It was me. How many players did we pick each round? One. How many rounds have we gone? 7. How many of you picked ANY of my returning players when they were sitting in the open pool? ZERO. They argued a bit more but the director finally got my point - Those coaches didn't rate any of my players highly enough to actually pick them for their teams. If my players were so vastly superior in skill, why didn't they pick them? I followed the rules and picked players just like they did - but I rated these kids highly enough to bring back even the one who everybody laughed about because his skill level is a -.5 on a 1-5 scale. Discussion ended there. One of the new coaches - my BFF, of course, was still bent out of shape saying I was still going to run the league and it wasn't fair. I was annoyed and tired as we'd now been picking teams for two hours. I had all the players I specifically wanted (just my returning kids minus one) so I just told them they could assign the rest of my players and I'll take what I get without complaint. They all smirked and agreed as I left.

I got my team sheet today and I have 12 players. That means that if everyone shows up, no player will spend more than half the game on the field - including LL and B. The other players that they assigned me after I left were all of the kids who didn't show up for evaluations. They could be 1's, they could be 5's. All we know is they've never played at our club before. History tells us they're usually 1's. My team has 7 boys and 5 girls with a combine point total of 27 as the unknowns are ranked as 1's. The average point total for the other teams is 37.

Eh, that's cool. I've started from scratch before so I don't mind that, I just hate that I've got so many players that the playing time could be limited. Oh well, we'll see what happens come Wednesday for the first practice.

Team Record: 0-0-0

One view: Tied for first place, undefeated. wooT1!!

Another view: Let's go have some fun with our new friends!

Gonna be a good season, I can tell. :)

See, I'm not real worried about it. It's going to be fun. I haven't seen the kids yet, but I'm fairly confident we can have a .500 season or better. D, my girl that moved up to the next age group was regarded as being too strong of a player and too big of an advantage for our team last session. This is the same girl that about 8 months ago showed up for th first time and stood crying on the field because she was scared and didn't know what to do. Make it fun, give them permission to screw up without repurcussion, and see what happens.

Go for it lookout.
The children who play for your team get exercise, lessons in teamwork, (hopefully) a love of the most popular global sport and a damn good coach.

The haters can go and eat their own livers.

There are several threads that I delight in seeing show up in my New Posts scan, and this will be another one. Thanks l123. No matter what happens, I can't wait for the story to unfold.

My prediction: by the end of the season, every other coach will have a voodoo doll full of pins, that looks just like you. :thumb:

I think they already do Bruce. They're always saying "prick this" or "prick that"... Not sure what to make of it.

On a funny note, I was informed that all good coaches have accents and played at least at the semi pro level. uh huh.

You have an accent ;)

People wonder why its hard to get coaches, these threads kinda show why. Stay with it and blow off steam here.

OK. So this is not part of the normal rec league season but I'll put this story here because I coached the game and Lil Lookout played the game.

This is the game report for the club game from Saturday. Lil Lookout is on an '01 team which means that all kids on the team had to have been born after 01 Aug '00. This is the only '01 team playing in the league so every other team they face is a year older. Sometimes that doesn't mean much, sometimes it is a huge and obvious difference. Saturday was one such day.

I was asked to coach the club team for this Saturday in a game which had the potential to be very disheartening. All sports have rivalries and this is no different, even at this young age. The reason here is that the team we were to face formed after one of their founders was fired from our club for being overly aggressive and nasty to the players, after he was gone it came to light that he stole equipment and money, and he actively recruited our players and coaches with monetary incentives. Come on Jackass, it's a game... for kids. For me it was a little personal, because he is the reason that I wouldn't let Lil Lookout play club the first two seasons he was invited - the man is an overly competitive psychopath. He doesn't like me, I don't like him. We've both taken skin from eachother in the adult leagues. He is the stereotypical "bad coach". He has no loyalty to his players as people found out when he would kick out players if he could find a replacement who was bigger, stronger, better, or willing to pay more. I've never seen more people packed into the club. Every spot in the bleachers was filled. The tables were filled. Standing room along the glass was filled. The club isn't even that full for the semi-pro games we host. With that the stage is set for an intense game.

Our team is built around speed and finesse and as such they look a bit undersized against a lot of the teams. The other team has plenty of skill, but is based on size and power. The difference in appearance was staggering as the teams warmed up. Then the first shot was fired. One minute before kickoff the other coach tried to force us into a forfeit when he claimed that our keeper was not on the roster. The ref verified that he was. Then he protested that he wasn't an '01 player. He had me there. Our keeper was born 4 hours before the cutoff. He won't be able to play with us in the outdoor season, but we are playing an age group up in this league so he is eligible. I pointed that out and the ref verified that he was eligible. So the game began.

I have never seen a kids' game start at such a blistering pace. There was no feeling each other out and looking for weaknesses. The other team just kept pushing and pushing. They had our kids' ears pinned back and it looked like it was going to be ugly. K (technically an '02 player) and B just started playing with the club team this week after a lot of lobbying on my part and were caught completely off guard by the difference in intensity. My defense and midfielders couldn't get out of our side of the field. When the ball did break out our kids were pushed off the ball. Their defenders came up to my chin. K and B barely make it to my elbow. I subbed K and B out and talked to them, reminding them that they both play against me at the park and they aren't afraid of me. While I had my doubts I assured them that they may be smaller but they had greater skill and they just needed to work hard.

As I looked back to the game our keeper punted the ball as Lil Lookout sprinted across the center line. The ball was dropping right in front of a defender who was pressed nearly to the center line when LL crossed in front of him and was able to distract him long enough to flick the ball back over both of their heads. LL rounded the defender to see the ball was going to land halfway between him and the onrushing keeper. He started on a lungbusting sprint and got to the ball at the same time as the keeper. LL barely got a soft touch on the ball before the keeper took his legs out - but the ball kept rolling. In slow motion the ball rolled across the goalline! Commence the celebrations.

The other team pushed forward even harder and were quickly rewarded with a goal from a free kick from outside right. LL, K, and B exchanged some beautiful switches and crosses until a free for all in the goal box ended with K scoring his first club goal. I had to sub him so he could go hug his dad he was so excited. We went into the half tied 2-2.

By this time LL and B2 who are the playmakers due to their creativity on the ball were flat dead on their feet. K and B were starting to gain some confidence though and they are fast straightforward players. I pulled LL and B2 back into midfield roles as they're both aware enough to cover for the other if they break downfield. I put my two most solid defenders in place and told them to guard the alamo - nothing fancy, just clear the ball. Our kids settled into a rhythm of holding the other team up a bit farther from the goal than they had been able in the first half and making them shoot from outside. As soon as our keeper got hold of the ball LL would sprint down the center while K and B ran up the wings. B2 would follow about 15 feet back from LL. LL would get to the ball before the defenders and flick it back to B2 who would then redirect to K or B as LL would sprint back around the defender and take up a center position outside the goalbox with K and B on left and right. Good movement. We managed to hold the other team off and score another one. Now it's 3-2. The kids are running on fumes but they're holding on. LL gets fouled hard outside of the box and puts the freekick into the top right corner. We're up by two points with 2 minutes left. At that point I pull everyone but K back to our half and park the bus to burn time. Our kids would clear the ball downfield and K would sprint at it, so the other team still had to play with two defenders back while we had 5 plus the keeper blocking them from our goal.

The final buzzer sounds and the kids line up. The other coach refuses to shake any of their hands but they didn't notice. As they're jumping up and down after their hard fought win the other coach shouts, "show some fucking class, ya little pricks!" and then had a few choice words for me and let me know what he'd do to me if there weren't kids around. I kindly invited him to either do it or never speak to my kids again. He walked away. Two of his players' parents promptly quit his club and asked for tryouts for their kids.

That was a very satisfying win. I've NEVER seen such an intense game for kids. Did I mention that this team had beat our '00 team 6-1?;)

Now I'm imagining the jackass coach standing in the showers, angrily trying to scrub the failure off himself with a brillo pad, howling unintelligible curse words in between muffled sobs. He's wearing a swimsuit, I'm not sure if that's because he's hiding something (which would explain his hyper-competitive nature) or if it's because I really just don't feel the need to envision him naked. I'll stop talking now. Good story though.

On a completely unrelated tangent, you need some hooligans, maybe even an organized firm. That would be freaking sweet.

You're wasting your time, Lookout. You should be creating a cult, where naked women bring you gold. :lol:

I tried that once, but they all started pissing on me. I realized later I might not have communicated precisely what I desired.

See, this is exactly why I didn't really want my kids to play baseball. It turns out our local town league is very supportive, and the emphasis is on making it a learning experience for all the kids. But that seems to be the exception rather than the rule. My family and I don't need to deal with the kind of behavior you're talking about here.

?

Steve I understand what you're saying. Some people place too much emphasis on winning or being the best at all costs when it comes to their kids' sports. That makes sense though. Think about it, these people don't hide in the basement only to come out and scream and yell on saturday. You live with them everyday - they're the weaksuck coworker who fails at everything. They're the psychopath department head who will grind his people into dust then sell them down the river if there is a chance for a promotion. They're the chest pounding men who grunt and have to point at pictures on menus, only to be completely whipped and under the thumb at home. They're...

Get the point? Even if you don't put your kids in sports they will still see these people eventually - probably when they're doing their kids science fair project. It is good to let your kids see them early on. Teach them the difference between good competitive urges and misdirected aggression. Sports is a nice low threat way to teach your kids how to navigate the minefields of idiocy they will encounter throughout their lives.

IMO

You heard it here first: sports are composed of highly concentrated asshattery. I always suspected as much!

But seriously:

Hmmm.. Maybe. I'm not so sure. (But I can't explain why.)

Thanks for pointing out my misteak, HLJ.

:bitching: Tonight was the first practice for the new(ish) team. The roster is still in limbo. At last update on monday I was to have my 6 returning players and 5 brand new players I knew nothing about. I showed up tonight to find out that two of the five players were rumored to be really really strong players so they were removed from my team. Then I was notified that a brother sister pair I'd never heard of were registered over the phone and had requested my team. Then they were promptly removed when someone else said they were solid players from another club.

As I stood there rolling my eyes with clear and outspoken distaste for this bullshit the story just kept going. I'd gone from 12/13 players last wednesday to 11 on Monday, to apparently 8 tonight. They'd added a boy whose father requested my team for carpooling purposes and a girl no one has heard of. Whatever. Give me the fucking roster and let me play with the kids.

The new girl didn't show up. The new boy has good potential but it is obvious that his previous coach's idea of strategy was to give the boy the ball and have him bulldoze through the opposition over and over. The new kid will come along nicely throughout the session as the other kids do most of the work of molding him to the way we play. I ran my kids through their drills in our quiet little corner of the field. First dummyball in a box for warm ups, then 1 on 6 keepaway, then a dribble/pass drill, followed by red light green light for close control, as always a small side scrimmage to wrap up the evening. My kids know what we're doing and get down to business. No cartwheels, no tag, no pattycakes. Soccer. Foot on the ball, ball on the ground soccer. Pass and move, pass and move.

I was happy with what I saw right up until the point that I saw the new coach backslapping the director and watching my kids. I smelled bullshit coming my way. Sure enough they think they're going to have to pull the new kid from my team because my team is just too strong with a strong player like him.

WTF? The kids isn't even that good. He's quick. He's aggressive, but he's got no skill. The stupid fuckers mistake my relaxed but orderly practice routine for having a team of stars. A team full of stars that no one wanted for their own team a week ago if you remember.:banghead: Give me a break. I tell the kids what I want. I show them what I want. I handicap/challenge each player differently as needed for drills and scrimmages. I keep things fun and competitive but don't allow horseplay and silliness during practice. Kids stay involved and interested - duh!?!

Meanwhile, it has come to light, the new coach who was trying to raid my team of my two good players and did get one of them... yeah, five of his players came as a unit from another club but conveniently didn't make it to evals. :eyebrow: But it seems like my new kid is needed to round out his team. WTF? Take the kid, I don't care honestly, but what are you going to replace him with? A garden slug? And if the slug manages to score will he also be taken away or should we just pour salt on him until he stops? :mad2:

I'm this -------><-------- damn close to being done with the developmental/rec program and just going over to the competitive/club side where the fucking GOAL is to take a stable group of kids and make them a winning unit for a year at a time. I'm tempted. There are 5 kids that I personally feel could/should have been invited into the program after tryouts but were deemed to be surplus. I can take them, Lil Lookout, K, B, and C and make a pretty damn good club team if I can track down two players versatile enough to play goal at the club level. Not as good as Lil Lookout's current team but good enough to give them a run. I think by winter tournament time the teams would be equal because there are a couple of kids still included on the other team due to loyalty rather than skill. (Which is good - the loyalty is to be commended) The club manager would be upset at losing K and Lil Lookout, but he would get over it when he realized I just increased his income by the amount of training fees X 8 while I do all the work. :yelgreedy

Eh, whatever. We'll see what Saturday brings.:rant:

Turnabout is fair play. Especially when it is to expose a technical breach of the rules. Those five kids that somehow didn't get put into the pool with the others? Lobby to have them pulled from that team. All of them. And distribute them among the other teams.

It seems that you are being made to follow the rules to the letter, but others are not. Do not tolerate it. Either make them abide by the rules as well, or use the lax rules to make sure you can field a full side. Soccer is played by teams of 11, and typically has a few reserves as well. If the other teams have players to spare, and your team is short on players, surely there's no harm in doing a bit of "recruiting" to ensure you can field a side on match day.

The management of this league also leaves a lot to be desired. Rules should apply to everyone, and not those who have not had the opportunity to mutter in the director's ear recently.

Tell 'em to go take a flying leap and leave. They'll continue to move the bar until you start losing. Once that happens, they'll say that you only ever won because your team was stacked, and congratulate themselves for uncovering your duplicity.

They'll say the same if you leave, so fuck 'em... do what's right for you and the kids.

Not at this age. Small side games mean more touches, greater development. We play 6 + keeper so I have a full team. I'm not worried about fielding a team, I'm just tired of hearing BS about team parity. Parity is one thing, purposeful handicapping is another.

I won't pull the BS with his 5 kids either. I'd much rather get my kids in a position to just beat his. Back to the drawing board I go.

And I have no doubt that you will! The next argument will be that they are handicapped by playing more kids and each child having less time with the ball. Hence, you kids will gain more experience faster by getting more playing time. (been here done this) You will be better than they are no matter what happens because you care more about your kids and they more about winning.
Just do your thing dude! In 3,5 or 10 years all your kids will remember "cool coach lookout" The best one they ever had! All the other coaches will still be bitchin and tryin to get their kids onto a stacked team to fulfill their own obvious inadequacies.

I found myself grumbling and moaning about this bullshit last night about 11 as I was finishing up a project for work and it finally hit me like a brick. I've been bitching and blaming the other coaches, director, and parents for taking the joy out of this hobby of mine. How stupid is that? They don't have the ability to irritate me or steal my joy - I have the ability to become irritated and not enjoy something. It is up to me to live my life, make my choices, and maintain my attitudes. The responsibility is all mine, kudos and blame belong to me equally. It is my choice/fault if I become involved in petty pissing matches. This is a premise that I strive to live by all the time but I've been ignoring it in this area. Not anymore.

Well, as of right now I have removed my head from my ass (at least on this issue) and am moving forward. I coach because I love the game. I coach because I love kids. I coach because I want these kids to love the game as much as I do. I firmly believe that kids who are passionate about a hobby or skill are happier, healthier, and less likely to get into serious trouble in their teen years. My goal is to spark and nurture a passion for the game in as many kids as I can while I can.

We will not win all of our games this session but we will approach each game with enthusiasm. We will play hard. We will treat our opponents with respect. We will have fun.

Game on.

Atta boy! Hey "other teams" . . . LOOK-thefuck-OUT!

Wow things have really changed since my son played soccer. Once the kids were placed on a team they stayed on that team unless they chose to leave.

I coached his team one season when there was no one else to do so, it was quite the learning experience. We actually did fairly well as we had most of the team returning. I was given decent training to top off the fact I had been working for several years with the other coach.

It was at this point that the teams were going to "premier teams" and I saw some of the bullshit your experiencing. My son takes after me therefore is very small . He is only 5'6" as an adult. Back then he was much smaller than the other boys even though he was a year older than a lot of them in his grade. He was passed over by the premier teams just on that factor even though he could outrun most of the boys 2 or 3 years older than him. All people see is the need to win, doesn't matter what they are saying to the kids.

I am sure you will succeed with what ever team you work with, because you care about each individual:thumb: . Whether you win or lose, your still winners. :thumb:

Also, you coach because you are good at coaching.

You don't really need to take my advice. Just do as you see fit and all will turn out well. Best of luck with the team this weekend.

Lookout, Sark needs you. :D

Lookout, you might have moaned in this one thread, but to me what has always come across is your intention to make the experience as possible as possible for the children you are coaching.

If you've recognised that other people's opinions were affecting your enjoyment and have decided not to let them then you have my complete respect. But never doubt that you have set many young people a great example regardless of how you felt inside.

The other night in the pub there were only three customers by 22.00. I was hoping they would bugger off as I might get to go home early. Then they started talking about the teachers, youth group workers, coaches and priests who they respected and who had helped them 30-50 years ago. I was almost disappointed when John said I could go as soon as I'd washed the drip trays! I think every adult can remember an adult they looked up to and respected when they were a child. The world needs people like you.

Glad you've decided to enjoy it again.

HA! We won't win all our games this session but the kids will pull together when it counts. Always good to win the session opener. Full match report to follow.

The only reason you might not win all your games, is your hangup about good sportsmanship and the good of the kids. ;)

Hey Lookout,
 

Good on ya mate! If I were near you I'd be dragging my kids to train with you, even if They couldn't get on the field. YOU DA MAN!

This morning was the first game of this session. The roster had changed yet again since the final roster had been posted on Wednesday, and Monday, and the previous Wednesday. This time they removed a new girl who hadn't come to practice and added a new boy who didn't come to the game.:rolleyes: That meant that we had 7 players, my 6 returning kids plus the new boy who had come to practice. That's ok, it takes 7 to field a team and we had 7 there. Who needs a sub, right?:neutral:

The team we were playing was none other than the one coached by my new BFF, Mr KnuckleCrunching BallJuggler. This is the team that managed to steal C, one of my best players from last session. Of course, it is also the team that somehow managed to end up with 5 kids he used to coach at another club. Weird how that works, huh?

I was there early to get my kids' uniforms ready and was watching the game before ours. It sucked. Jumble ball to the max. I have not seen that poor of a showing in this age group at the club before. The director walked up to me and made a comment about how good it was to see that all the teams seemed to be evenly matched. The first game had been decided by one point, the second by 2, and the current one was tied at 2 apiece. I tried vainly to hold my retort in but, "Do you really think it is a good thing that we have at least six teams who are complete shit?" escaped my mouth. He wasn't amused. Fine, I didn't mean it to be amusing. Our club is generally known for decent quality without the jumble ball that is the stereotypical kids' soccer. I'm pretty concerned about what I saw today and how it will reflect on the club if it wasn't a one off fluke day.

Anyway, it was time for our game. The other team had bigger kids and more of them without a single girl on the team. I know a couple of the kids to be real players as they've been around awhile. I lined my kids up in a pretty neutral manner with my weakest goalie in the box, two decent defenders, the new boy and my wallflower girl as forwards, and Lil Lookout and B in the midfield so they could go forward if they could, but could also drop back and pick up the defensive pieces if we were being pushed around. The whistle blew and then so did the game. Jumble Ball. A complete and utter cluster fuck. My kids all looked confused when a tripping pushing yelling mass of orange shirts started moving all over the field as if they were all tied together at the waste. No structure, no positioning, no direction from the sideline. My kids were so flustered by what they saw that we gave up a point in the third minute. That snapped them back to life and they started to play.

The problem is that it is hard to play well when the opposition plays jumble ball. My kids had possession and LL and B took shot after shot only to watch it bounce off one of the 7 orange jerseys running around the goalbox. LL got frustrated and then bored before retreating back to the center circle where he just stood and watched the strange situation. Soon B did the same thing. So now I have a bored goalie, two bored defenders, two extremely bored and annoyed midfielders, and two forwards bouncing around like pinballs in a sea of orange. At one point the ball rolled out of the mess straight to LL. No one came out to pressure him. He was so bored with the whole thing he stood in the center circle and started juggling the ball in his awkward, just learning how way. When he popped it up and kicked the ball towards the goal he just shook his head in disbelief that he had held the ball for nearly 30 seconds without a single player coming near him. From that point on any time the ball came out, LL, B and the defenders would just pass it around for awhile before taking an outside shot just to put the ball back near their goal. B finally moved up and started shooting again and managed to put a couple points in.

At the half the other coach brought his best player out of the goal. He never should have been in there considering the kid was his best ball handler. Of course he put a kid in who had never played goal before but that only lasted about three seconds because he threw the ball at the new keeper to give him the ball... and it smacked the unprepared kid in the face. That keeper came out crying with a bloody nose and another went in. After that the game opened up a bit. It was still dodgy at best, but at least they spread out a bit more. LL was in the goal with a decent defense. B and the new kid, C, were up front. The new kid can't really shoot, pass, or dribble but he runs a lot. K was in the right place to score off a deflection. Then C did the same. The scoreline was 4-1 in our favor. LL came out of the goal but he and B just weren't shooting. I pulled B off the field and asked him what was going on (I know I'll get a straight answer from him rather than LL's hemming and hawing). It turns out that LL and B had overheard someone talking and were afraid that if they scored they'd break our team up and they wouldn't play together anymore. :mad2: Who did they hear talking? The other coach, of course. Bullshit. I pulled both of the boys off the field and played short for a couple minutes while I talked to them. The other team scored two points but nobody seemed to mind much. I told both boys that I expect them to go out and play as hard as they could because this is a game. You come to play and you hope to win. I assured them that no matter what the scoreboard said they would still be playing together next week. I put them both back in and told them that as long as they each scored once with their left foot they could do anything they wanted. They were both all smiles when they went back out and for the first time, my kids started playing like the team I know they are. Not great individual players, but a good team. In the next ten minutes LL scored six points and B scored four. The other coach walked over and demanded to know what the hell I was doing. He is probably still trying to figure out how "blow me" answered that question. With 30 seconds left B played the most delightful 3/4 of the field, sliderule pass to LL and after LL tapped it in around the keeper the two of them ran back to the center circle and did a passable impression of the Samba. Cocky? Sure. Funny? Oh, yeah.

I gathered the kids and we did the usual cheer for the other team before shaking hands. The two teams shook hands and joked around with each other. The coach didn't say a word to any of my players before giving me a knuckle grinder handshake and staring me down while I smiled and told him, "don't worry man, it's hard when you have a bunch of kids you've never coached before". I'm still not sure if he realizes I know he brought some of these kids from another club and he had taken one of my best players.

C - my old player- was pretty upset after the game because he doesn't like being on the other team and he wants to come back.:sniff: He cheered up a bit when I reminded him he was still going to play in a tournament I registered some of them for next weekend.

My dad had been sitting in the stands listening to other parents complain about stacked teams and making crappy comments about LL and B not belonging there. Whatever. They're still the two youngest on the team and would be playing kids 3-4 years older than them if I moved them up so the haters can bite it.

The sad thing is that no one seems to realize that the other team had more individual skill, they were bigger, and they had subs. Not a single one asked "what should our coach be doing differently?" because they were too busy believing the deck was stacked against them. Ah, the cult of victimhood and the joy it sucks from their lives.

The kids played well and had fun. What more can you ask for?

Until next time, keep the Samba going.

1-0-0

The US Olympic team needs you. :D

Is cloning possible yet? We need about a dozen of you out east.

Here's what I think. You should start the game with your team, and then when you are up by at least 5 and the other side is bitching about it being stacked, trade teams. Just trade, mid-game. Tell LL to play as well as he can, but obey the other coach's instructions, whatever they might be. When your "new" team is well ahead, switch back and bring your team from behind. Do this as many times as is necessary to prove that the jumbleball coach sucks.

That would be hilarious and an awesome challenge but I'm afraid that if I ever suggested something like that my family would have to identify my remains.

Ohh but L123 - you should still submit the idea to your "fearless leader" He might actually think about its feasibility for awhile. Then again, he may bring up the idea at the next bored meeting. This could be fun. Think of how the other coaches will be squirming too - lol.

I really don't know what they're complaining about. It's not as if my kids can do this:

Those guys rock. First the chicks are checking them out, and then the cops show up. Two things that always go together.

Except in this case it wasn't preceded by "here, hold my beer".

Ha! Waiting for me in my email this morning was a forward. This email has bounced back and forth among several coaches and parents at the club with everyone getting their $.02 in. It started with one coach questioning how my team ends up near the top of the standings every session if teams are picked fairly. Several people piled on with the "yeah!" type of huffing and puffing. Then one glorious example of intellect and integrity stepped up and informed everyone that my team has/had 8 different club players on the roster over the last year. One person did step up and point out that some of those kids just went to tryouts for the first time this month and weren't officially on the team yet.

I got to thinking about that and composed a simple reply acknowledging that I have, in fact, had 8 different club players in my squad over the last 12 months. Then I pointed out that not a single one of those players was a club player when they came to my team. In fact six of them just went to there first club tryout this month. I picked kids I liked, often who had parents that I had witnessed being good sports around the complex. I coached them, encouraged them, and where I saw something extra I encouraged the parents to consider club tryouts. I begged, borrowed, stole, and in one case paid to get them all a tryout with the club team when they were completely under the radar. Then I ran through the individuals.

Lil Lookout: Then:When he first stepped on the field nobody wanted him because he was too small. One of the reasons I stepped in as coach - no one wanted to be responsible for him getting hurt. Even now people who don't know him say he's too small because he easily gives up 15 lbs to his peers. Now: People complain he should move up an age group even though he still has a year and a half eligibility in this league.

B: Then: No one wanted him because he is hyperactive and ADD. Now: they comment about how he is a tireless fighter with a lust for goals.

They are both on my team now.

C1: Then: He was never picked by the same coach twice in a row because they didn't know what to do with him. Now: He is a 1st choice defender or midfielder and a 2nd choice keeper.

C2: Then: No one wanted him because he's just happy go lucky and not competitive. Now: he's an excellent midfielder who is willing to play any position you ask him to.

K: Then: No one wanted him because he is even smaller (a year younger) than Lil Lookout and doesn't have the nose for goal that he does. Now: He's an awesome natural left footer who leads the league in assists.

L: Then: Too slow. Too quiet. Not a fighter. Now: Knows he isn't fast but has developed awesome positional awareness and is an excellent defensive midfielder and a decent keeper.

M: Then: Good player but uninterested. Now: The total package. Big, can shoot, pass, dribble, and is unbeatable as a defesnsive midfielder. Just don't yell or he shuts off and is done. Don't make him tie his shoes either, he is uncomfortable with anything tight on his feet. weird, but true.

G: Then: Big and good positional sense but doesn't shoot well. Now: The single most powerful striker in the league. I don't like blocking his shots because they HURT. The key is he may be left handed and do everything else as a dominant left... but not shoot a soccer ball. His right foot is deadly anywhere from center field in.

All of these boys has been moved from my team for one reason or another. Two of them moved when their dad/dad's friend started coaching, two moved to the next age group, one only plays club now, one was taken to another team this session.

I suggested that instead of assuming I had stacked teams, consider that I saw kids whose talent wasn't being tapped and then gave them some encouragement as they became confident in their skills. I suggested that in the developmental league MAYBE we shouldn't be so concerned with the final score as we are with giving kids confidence to step out of their comfort zone by giving them permission to make mistakes without worrying about the consequences. I pointed out that my current team has less skill per child than the other teams in the league but can still hold it's own in games. Why? Because they are having fun they play hard and work as a team, this leads to them winning. It works in that order. They don't work hard, play as a team, and have fun because they win. Get the priorities straight.

It didn't take long for the replies to come flying back in that it is easy to have an attitude like that when my team is unbeatable. :right: OK, seriously? Did you not even read what I wrote? I invited them to come to the tournament on saturday and watch what happens. It is a club tournament that Lil Lookout would have played in anyway, but some kids were getting left out because the rosters are locked at 7 players. So I took (with the director's blessing) Lil Lookout and formed a second team to put in the tournament.

Lil Lookout and D (the keeper) are the only two regular club players. K, J, C1, C2, and B all just tried out for the team but haven't played for a club yet. So I am effectively taking a team of rec kids to a club tournament. The tournament is for all players 8 years and under. I'm taking one 8 year old, two 7 year olds, three 6 year olds, and a 5 year old(almost 6). They've never played or practiced as a unit, but each one has played at least a couple games with at least one other person on the team. We won't win the tournament but we should win at least two games out of the five we are guaranteed. I think we will at least be competitive in the others. I guarantee they'll walk away smiling regardless of the point total.

Anyway, I threw down the challenge that if I can take this group into this tournament and win at least two games the haters have to drop the issue until the end of the session. Then we will discuss what changes we can make to our coaching program instead of trying to fix the problem by moving kids all over the place and separating them from their friends. We will work on coaching personalities and kids instead of jamming skills and drills down their throats like they're all little clones.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Ha! All that planning and nothing to show for it. The tournament was cancelled. A few weeks ago I spoke with the people in charge of the tournament and was told that they already had six teams for that bracket, but they would make room for my teams. I put together two complete, equally balanced teams for the 8 and under age bracket, and one team for the 10 and under bracket. Trust me when I say it wasn't easy to get parent buy in for the middle of a holiday weekend. Two days before the tournament I heard a rumor which I explored and found to be fact. The only three teams in those two age groups were the ones that I assembled and registered. The other teams fell away for one reason or another. Anyway, no tournament.

It was really weird and awkward not having any soccer games for the weekend. Lil Lookout, 2.0, and I just sat around staring at each other Saturday morning for awhile before we realized we had better go find something to do. Talk about creatures of routine.

There will be no updates for this thread for the next couple weeks because we leave for Hawaii early Saturday morning. That means I had to find someone willing to step in and coach in my absence. No problem. I also had to find someone to coach them the way I like. Not a huge problem. I got B's dad to cover for the next couple weeks and possibly longer.

Coaching is going to be a bit difficult for me for awhile. I've had a string of injuries for going on 9 months now. Last fall I picked up playing in an outdoor league in addition to my normal indoor leagues. It was a blast and I had a load of fun, but I should have dropped another league rather than playing more. The body just isn't as young as it used to be. It all started out with a back injury from a slide tackle I suffered. I kept playing and was ok, but then the last game of that season I suffered a horrible groin pull. I've never had that before and should have taken some time off to heal, but I'm not that smart so I kept playing. The cycle really started there. Because the pain was pretty intense I fell out of my normal exercise routine and just played my games with plenty of advil. I would be pain free just in time for the first game of the week and in real pain by the last game of the week. But I kept going. I knew I was getting slower and not playing as well but I kept going. Pulled hamstring. Kept going. Back again. Kept playing. Twisted ankle. Kept playing. About a month or so ago I pulled the groin muscle again, but it felt worse. It went up higher. Then to my horror I realized in the shower that my six pack had become a seven pack. I tore the muscle and have a hernia. I knew I was going to have to have surgery for that, but wanted to wait until June when I got back from Hawaii. So I kept playing.

Murphy and his Law have passed judgement on my stubborn stupidity. I know full well that if you don't take the time to heal from injury that you will pick up other injuries as the body compensates. I knew that is what I was doing all year. But I kept going right up until Mr Murphy said "OK dumbass, it's time for you to take a break."

It was the Championship game for my Friday night team and my knee felt a little wonky during warm ups. I was going to take it fairly easy and planned to sub out a lot. Then fate intervened and put us in a situation with no substitutes. OK, whatever I warned everyone that I wouldn't be running as much as usual because my knee was sore. 45 seconds into the game I cleared the ball from the top of the goalbox when I felt my left knee give out. And then start burning. A lot. Like someone was holding a lighter to my skin. I knew that wasn't good so I hung back on defense for the next five minutes waiting for it to subside. We had no subs so I couldn't go out. Over the course of the game I discovered that kicking forward or in towards my body caused no discomfort. Lifting my foot up towards my butt or moving my foot out to the side gave me a pain that I can only equate to someone ripping my testicles out through the back of my knee.

Normally my greatest contribution on the field is my speed. I nearly always win the 50/50 ball. That night running was pretty much out ofthe question. I could do it and felt no pain during the effort, but after I stopped my leg was on fire. Strangely, I played one of the best games I have in quite some time. I scored a hattrick ( including a goal from center circle) - which is a once a year event for me. :D Yes, I know that common sense should have told me to sit out and ice the knee but I figured the damage was already done and if I was going to miss some time from the game I was going to enjoy this one night. We won the game 9-7.

Now I can't even play with the kids like normal. My knee is shot. So I am now relegated to coaching from a distance in a more hands off fashion. That's where B's dad comes in. He is going to fill in for me until I can fully recover.

When I get back from Hawaii I have an appointment with the doc for the hernia and the knee. I'm probably looking at two surgeries (depending on cost) and at least a couple months with no soccer. :(

Ooh, that sucks, Lookout! I hope you relax and get a little healing on some of these injuries over your holiday. In fact, you are probably already there. Anyway, I am sorry to hear you are in so much pain!

Really sorry to hear it Lookout.
Impressed with your sang froid and acceptance of your part in the injuries - I never hear you moan, "Why me?"

Have a wonderful time in Hawaii (is it National Hawaii Vaction Year in 2008 or something?) and keep us well up to date when you come back. even the icky bits.

You'll be back.

It's funny, Pete was pushing for Hawaii this year as well. For no good reason, it's never been on my list, but I guess I'd go.

You guess you'd go?
You'll do what you're told... and like it! :haha:

The only time in my life I liked a sports column page :P

No really! It was great getting to know you and the team.:)

AHA! The dad I asked to fill in for me did exactly what I wanted. He sent the kids out and let them play without the intent of destroying the other team to prove he's a stud. The team won both games by one point each.

I'm contemplating roping the dad in as a "permanent assistant coach", with my true intent being that he'll step up and take the team in a session or two if I decide to move LL up to the next age group. I wouldn't want to leave the kids behind with a coach who uses a philosophy counter to what I've been teaching them. This might be the perfect time to give us all a new challenge.

On a side note, while the knee is still painful the doc has decided surgery is unnecessary at this point if I rehab it properly. I've been running with only minor pain and will start some balance and light weight training this week. My hope is to start making short appearances in games that are slower paced in two weeks. We'll see.

Even better news is that the hernia, while there is much more minor than previously thought. Surgery, while still ideal, is not mandatory. Apparently the real problem was a nasty groin pull that this break has done well for. I'll be rehabbing that at the same time. My goal is to be back on the field and playing at full speed in 5 weeks.

This is a great thread lookout. First, I hope your knee recovers soon. You don't miss the water until the well run dry.

Next I'm just floored by the victims of your apparent talent at finding the strong points in kids, then nurturing that w/o crushing them. I bet that m.o. is so foreign to them it can only be seen as some sort of underhanded ploy to them.

Anyhow, I once heard a man say if you want to judge the quality of a teacher, look at the students he produces, they are a reflection of him.

The reason the other teams suck probably has everything to do with the other coaches being sucky coaches, not your stacking the players.

sheesh.

This thread quit being a straightforward description of the team's season and has become a hodgepodge of bitches, moans, bits, and pieces, with some soccer thrown in. Unfortunately, but appropriately it pretty well matches the general state of the soccer club and the people involved with it. :(

Brief history. The President/ partial owner of the sports complex was also the president/director of the competitive soccer club. (A large and silent investor was the backer for the complex) These were two separate entities but in the mind of the public they were inseparable. The President is a friend. He is a very flawed individual who is generally incompetent in the role of president for a large business. Some of us tried to help him along, but it just didn't stick. What resulted is those of us that stayed acknowledged that there would always be some annoying quirks to the companies but we were all family, so to speak. We always welcomed new people in and tried to help things grow.

A year ago it was decided that a Soccer Director was needed specifically to run the soccer program. S moved in from out of state to take the job. He quickly became a friend and joined one of the teams I play on. I, and others, have given him a variety of help during that year. We were excited that he had a passion for the program. As he became one of us he seemed to understand that yes the business had issues but it was profitable and some of the issues had actually reached the point of being a positive. Because of the laid back attitude and our desire to keep things friendly and open people treated the flaws as just part of the whole and looked past them. When a business is run like a business and the customer is just treated like a customer that product had better be flawless if you want people to be happy. When people feel like they are a part of something they will be more lenient. Anyway...

Three weeks ago, the President was fired from the complex. It was quiet and they presented it as a mutual parting of the ways so he could focus on the soccer club alone. But the word was leaked pretty quickly by S, the director. Now I knew that S never liked working for the President, but I didn't know that apart from the friendship he had with all of us, he'd been building a strong relationship with the silent investor. It turns out that he really threw the President under the bus and he is now the new General Manager for the complex. Uh, ok, I can deal with that. They're both friends, but it is business and can be cutthroat. I don't like it, but it doesn't really affect me so, ok.

Except now the changes are rolling in. Apparently the new coaches that came in for this new session are part of the change. A bunch of new referees have popped up to replace guys that have left too. That is a good thing, but overall the new guys are pretty substandard. The biggest difference is the attitude. Because I've been out with my knee injury and on vacation I was out of the loop for two weeks. I came back to find I wasn't in Kansas anymore.

I knew it was going to be a weird day right from the start. We were driving to the complex for Lil Lookout's first game. He was unusually quiet until he asked how many games we had left. I told him I thought 4. He asked if he had to play in them. *gulp* He followed quickly with, "I want to move up to the next age group". He is still a year too young for that group but could probably hold his own, but I just asked him why. His answer was since the new kids moved up the games were boring. He can dribble and score on all of them and everytime we get players on our team that pass well together they make his friends go to another team because they score too much. He was very mature in the way he finished by saying, "I shouldn't have to worry about someone getting mad if I score a goal".

Holy crap. my just turned 7 year old is stressed out because he can't play soccer with his friends without some adult getting jealous and handicapping him or taking his teammates away.

I told him that we had to finish this session but we can be done after this.:sniff: My hope is/was that the feeling would pass and he'd relax.

The game was horrible. 3 of my 9 kids weren't there, so I borrowed a kid to stand in the goal. Lil Lookout scored a couple of nice goals right in the beginning but I could tell the joy wasn't there. He tried to pass to the new kid who upon looking at the ball, fell over. It just wasn't a fun game.

The turf needs to be stretched so kids were falling. One of the new refs started warning the kids about "sliding". I pointed out that they were just falling - they are 6 and 7 year olds playing on crummy turf, after all. His answer was that he thought they were doing it on purpose. I asked if he'd ever met a 6 year old before. He just glared at me. Ten minutes later one of my kids gave up a penalty. The ref warned us that it was number 3. (4 results in a PK shoot out). I reminded him that it was actually 2. He told me to be quiet that it was 3. I asked what the fouls were. He was correct about two of them, but the third was on the other team. No big deal he just counted it wrong, but he wanted to be a jerk about it. He came over and told me that it was three, I was wrong, and he knows how to count. I suggested that if that is the best he can count then he should get off the field. He started to get really pissed then, but the other coach stopped laughing long enough to explain that I was right. One of the fouls was against his team, "That's why you let his team take the kick remember?" Now he's steamed but has the count right.

Back to the game. A few minutes later their team is pushing up against our goal. Their kid shoots and hits my brand new, no nothing kid in the stomach. He instinctively catches the ball, then drops it. Hand ball, no question. My kids start to line up a wall but the ref announces it is a shootout, just the keeper and the shooter. I remind him that it is only the 3rd foul. He says it doesn't matter that it's a handball in the box, so it's a PK. I explain that he is using outdoor rules, while indoor club rules call for a different ruling. He ignores me. I tell him again. He turns around and tells me to shut up or he'll have me evicted from the building. I told him that was fine, as I was just trying to help him realize that EVERYONE watching the game was wondering WTF he was doing and that he just MIGHT be wrong. I told him to check with the other refs after the game since it is a pretty frequent occurrence with kids. He got pissed and shouted that he was going to evict me. I laughed and sent a parent to get S, the director/GM, my friend, his boss, over here to decide if I would be tossed or not. S came over, listened and reassured me and the ref that I would be there coaching as always, he informed the ref the call was wrong, but the point will stand because you don't overturn calls. Cool, I'm satisfied if annoyed.

The game ends and we lost by a point. That's ok, it's good to lose a game here and there. I was satisfied because I was hoping people would quit talking about my supposedly "stacked" team.

The other coach came over and asked me what all had happened. I told him. Another coach, who is a friend, listened in and laughed. I walked away thinking it was all over. S stormed over and pulled me into a locker room. He asked what I had been telling the two coaches. I explained once again that the coach had been giving attitude I didn't need when I pointed out the differences between indoor and outdoor play. He got in my face about "not needing his employees making a scene", "poisoning other employees", then he pointed out that my team was "like 38-1 don't make a scene because you lost". WTF? He knows me well enough that the record doesn't matter, it's about the fun. I reminded him of that, but he was still a little over the top. He walked away to leave me wondering what all the business about employees was about. Employees? Since when are we employees? I don't get paid. I'm a coach. I don't feel like dealing with the paperwork required to pay me, so I do it for free, just like the other two guys I was talking with. It was just kind of a shock that all of a sudden we're expected to act like cowering little employees. Whatever.

I was frustrated as I sat down on the bleachers but not overly worried. Then people started asking if I was going to keep coaching. Apparently, they'd heard S telling someone he didnt' need coaches who make waves. I assured them I'd still be there. Then B's dad asked if I was taking LL to tryout at a nearby club this week because of all the drama. "No, I have no plans to do that. Wait, what are you talking about?" Apparently the complex decided there was no room in the schedule for our club kids to play the next session. Oh boy.

I went to S and asked what was going on and he just said "i've been answering that all morning". I agreed he probably had, but people were coming to me, wanting advice on something I know nothing about. I don't like rumors and gossip, so I wanted the facts. Apparently the rec program has grown so much that there just isn't room for all the games we normally scheduled. (No additional teams have formed so I don't understand that reasoning) I looked at the timeblocks and noticed the only two age groups that didn't get time on Saturdays were U8 and U10, coincidentally the only two age groups the former President personally coaches. Although denials were adament, it is pretty clear they are just flipping off the former President. Fine, except that means 120 kids don't get to play soccer now. He insisted that wasn't true - he'd blocked out two hours on two nights during the week where those age groups could play. So that means that we could fit 4 teams per age group, while we currently have 6-8. EXCEPT that those times are directly across from the established and well known times that those same kids have club practices each week on outdoor fields.

He went on to point out he is the GM and he is going to make this business soar. The numbers are going to be awesome. Unlike anything we've imagine. OK, Captain Optimist - but remember that rule about "treat people like customers and they'll expect to be SERVED like customers"? He said a few other things that made it perfectly clear that anyone who didn't like it could leave because the business would be booming with new customers now that it is professionally run. He used subtle but clear language that the people that could leave were those of us who'd been there since the doors opened. Those of us who helped him move from out of state. Those that helped him through his divorce. Those that played on teams with him. Those that had welcomed him as one of us.

That was Saturday. I haven't answered my phone since then because I didn't want to deal with it. As of an hour ago I had received 74 voicemails and countless text messages asking what I was doing, where I was going, etc.

The soccer club is now exclusively an outdoor club. They just announced the teams for the 08/09 season two weeks ago. I am on the coaching staff. Lil Lookout is the centerpiece on the A team. The players I busted my butt to get in are all on the team with him. Some of the parents are nervous about all the drama. I coached their kids rec and am doing it in Club as well. A nearby club offered me the chance to form a team under their umbrella and run it as I see fit. The parents seem to think that is a great idea for stability issues. My own sense of loyalty tells me to stay right where I am while my weariness is pulling me towards quiet stability.

I will most likely be coaching for the club side as planned, right where I expected to be, with the kids I know.

The rec program though? I've got a feeling I'm going to be pushed out. That sucks. Another layer of suckiness is that is where I play as well. If they're trying to sweep out any memories of the people who started the place up, does that mean I'm not welcome to play there anymore as an adult, either? What sucks is that the complex isn't just a building or business, it is a community. We started up there with twenty 4,5, and 6 year olds, about the same 7 and 8's, and so on. Kids played on multiple teams to fill out the schedules. We adults did the same thing. I've personally started 5 different adult teams up there, moving on when each was strong enough to stand on it's own. Our core group all have 6-8 year olds who have been in that building 4-6 days each week for 4 years. We raised our kids in there.
I could not have predicted all this drama before this session began. And all this for a hobby. So much time, energy, and effort spent to build something that was more than just a game.:(

When hobby meets business, children, and those that care about them, lose.:(

Lookout that sounds crummy.
I will admit to not understanding a lot of it, but I get enough to know they're messing with something that should have been left well alone.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

yeah, I just went back and reread that. I didn't do very well telling the tale. Long story short is that new guy pushes old guy out. New guy goes off deep end. Decides most prudent thing would be to push everyone who was involved in the old way of doing things right out the door even though they weren't especially upset about the change of management.

lookout is old school and bummed at the changes so he came here to whine and cry. lookout also thinks lookout will just start speaking in third person. get it?;)

The thing that confuses me most is the rec vs. club distinctions. So these are entirely different leagues, but they are in the same facilities and have a ton of the same players and coaches? I get that "club" is supposed to be more elite, I think... but why would one play in more than one league? Just more fun game time to be had?

Rec program is open to all, from the kid who has never seen a ball, to the stepover king who can hit the corner of the net from midfield. If you walk in the door we'll find a team for you. We'll the basics and as advanced as we can get depending on the kids. One practice, one game each and ever week. Kids come and go through this system. It is basically what we all grew up with. (Very inexpensive and low commitment)

Club is on a tryout basis. While we have multiple teams for each age group that play in different divisions based on team skill level. All kids in the program are more advanced than the average rec player. Not much time spent on the basics as they already know that. More advanced skills are taught, more strategy, etc. 2-3 practices per week, 1 game per week, and tournaments throughout the year. All the pros and college players went through this system. (Depending on the club and age, can cost $1500-7,000 per year, and requires a lot of commitment)

Most of the club players play in the rec leagues throughout the year just for fun and more games. That stops as they get older but when they are younger they'll play any game they can get into. They are, of course, split up in the rec leagues so as not to completely dominate. Most club coaches also coach rec teams as well. For some of these guys it is a significant part of their income. It is more than a hobby and passion for them, it is the way they pay their bills. Many club coaches also coach at schools as well.

The complex (buildings, fields, rec program) were all opened by the same guy who started the club program (a program that is not directly tied to a field or building). The complex required financial backing from an investor who was formerly silent. The club required a small financial commitment and a lot of effort which we have provided. Up until the club operated out of the complex and was effectively an arm of the complex program. The former President was relieved of his duties for the complex by the investor. Now he only has the club program and all ties have been cut.

So... the old guy still "owns" the club league, and will have to move it to another set of fields/buildings?

Is it even possible for the complex to make money just with the rec league? Or is that the deal, that the new guy is kicking out the old club so that he can try to start up a new club in those buildings?