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?
