Is BC Youth Soccer Okay? Apparently so...this year

[cainy]

Ballbaby... The kid should sit, however keep an open mind, if he re commits, and learns a lesson, let it die.
Captain had a very good point yesterday, when he mentioned the 5 sub rule. This rule is ridiculous. How can you develop a club, get cat players to buy in, keep veterans happy, and allow young players to get their feet wet with these limitations. The F.V.S.L has unlimited subs. I sometime make up to 10 subs a game, guys go in and out, I can get some cat players a taste without risking the ruining there confidence. I don't think I would coach with a five sub limit.

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Sid,

I'm pretty sure Kevin Hearne is not left-footed. As for the others, yes, but we need TTPers who are lefties, or else we can get no sponsorship.....

 

[5bigtoes]

The Big Lad

Ballsie,

You have coached youngsters for several years. You have a great amount of experience having played the game at a high level for lots of years.

I am asuming the team is a U-12 Gold Team and therefore the players should be committed to practises and games or at least that is the expectations coaches put on these highly skilled stars of the future.

It is simply amazing how many different activities children of today are involved with. Soccer (TTP's favorite), hockey, lacrosse, football, track, swimming well the list is endless. What more amasing some of these youngtser are gifted at everything they play or try. This is where the problem starts. Yes, espeacially for the parents who think little Johnny or Susie should play at the highest level on every team they play for. You have an excellent solution in your home. Play rep soccer and house hockey. This allows the child to play both and enjoy a well balanced childhood with out making the ultra hard decision of giving something they like to do up! I know as a parent I do not want to limit my children to just one thing. There are reasonable amounts of sports they can play at anyone time. Taking on too much causes stress and problems for everyone in young sports lifes. Which you made clear in your comments above.

Here is something I tried that worked well from my U-13 Gold team last year. Give each child on the team 3 green card passes. The child can use a pass to miss three practises or games during the year without an excuse or reason. Believe me they will not want to use them because like you did early on during the selection process you made it clear a full committment is expected. If they do miss after the green cards are used up, then you put hard love into play. Miss a practise and/or game means not starting or sitting most of the next game they attend.

I think you are within your right after sitting down with the boy and his parents, explain what your expectations are and what is and is not acceptable for the players on your team. Open communication will go a long way to solving problems before they occur.

I Think sitting the boy for a good amount of the next game is a good deterent and sends a message to him as well as long as an explaination is part of the process.

I'm no expert but remember when we where young and played all those other sports both at school and recreationally?

Cheers 5BT

 

[Fat Bastard]

great debate

It's funny how soccerp politicos in this town slam TTP and dismiss it disdain. Particularly, when you figure that this thread has turned into a debate on soccer development that is far more enlightening than anything being discussed in any office on Douglas Road.

Wanted to touch on a couple of points...

First Ballbaby, frankly, I think you drove your point home in the tournament, but then again I don't know the kid or your team. You have to figure that his mates will know who let the team down, and sometimes peer pressure can be a positive tool. But like anything with kids, give 'em an inch and they take the whole friggin' pitch. As a new dad myself, and a coach, I will be counting one my kids' coaches to help my kids mature and teach them life lessons through team sports. For Joe Montana-David Beckham, this is one of those lessons. Bottom line, stick to your guns. It's better for the team, and for the kid in the long run - although I am sure his old man won't agree. Hope he's not a psycho.

I was in a similar situation with my senior women's team a few years back. My keeper decided to go away for the week before our cup game. I told her if she didn't train, she didn't play. She didn't train. She showed up at the match, and sat on the bench as my second stringer went out and did her impression of HOS. Thankfully, we won 1-0 - thanks to the odd post or two, three, four. Regardless, the rest of the team knew the rules, and had we lost, they all knew who to point the finger at. Did wonders for my credibility with the team, as I was relatively new to the team.

As for checking egos at the door, which seems to be a common point throughout. I have a refreshing story to tell...

A few years back (U15 I think) Metro Ford ran a tryout for their select team. The Port Moody silver coach in that age group tells his players about it. (That's almost unheard of unto itself.) One of his kids goes, and actually makes it - a two-tier jump up the ladder! Well, most coaches would start screaming bloody murder about poaching, raiding, etc. Anyhow, this coach organizes his team and they have a party for the kid to congratulate him. Wow. The soccer world would be a better place if we had more people like him.

I would venture to guess that the lads takin' the piss in this thread would fall into that category. Keep up the good work boys.

 

[J_B]

but we need TTPers who are lefties, or else we can get no sponsorship

I am a lefty

Cheers
JB

 

[Captain Shamrock]

Perfect. We now have a back three consisting of Klaus, No Right Peg, and J_B. I like it already. That is as good as any back three around, especially since they strikers would be mesmerized(sp?) looking at three left-footers marking them all day. . We also have a sweeper in a 4 back line in the Captain. Otherwise, I'm sitting right in front of the back 3 and just inside the center circle. Jonesy will be the work horse in the middle. Parkhead will have to be a striker to start. Gaffa is in net to start.....I just thought of another back....Isn't Luch a lefty?......

To stay on topic, the B.C. School of Excellence is a money-taking machine, and it dangles carrots(there's that vegetable again) in front of young players.


Is Johnny Holiday a member of TTP yet? There's our second striker if he is in fact a member.....Jimmy, what is the deal?

 

[Ballbaby]

Fat Bastard,

That certainly is a refreshing story about the Port Moody Silver coach. There are some good people out there.

Also, this discussion is most appreciated.

 

[Ballbaby]

5BT's,

Here is something I tried that worked well from my U-13 Gold team last year. Give each child on the team 3 green card passes. The child can use a pass to miss three practises or games during the year without an excuse or reason. Believe me they will not want to use them because like you did early on during the selection process you made it clear a full committment is expected. If they do miss after the green cards are used up, then you put hard love into play. Miss a practise and/or game means not starting or sitting most of the next game they attend.

That's a great idea.

I'm no expert but remember when we where young and played all those other sports both at school and recreationally?

Yes I do. More demanding today in my opinion.


Danny Jones,

Our game is at Maple Creek Middle School a 11:30 on Saturday, Oct. 18. The address is 3700 Hastings in Poco. East on Lougheed and then North at Hastings. I have a uniform for you if you wish to play.

 

[Dude]

Either or it's a very tough spot for you and I would hate to be you for more than just this reason.

You lie KNVB. I myself would pay to be Ballbaby for a day, even if it means having to deal with this problem.

Solution: sit him for a day, and then tell him he has a clean slate. The agreement starts anew, but in your game the hitter only gets two strikes before being called out. He's used up one already. I think it's important to give kids a second chance, so they can realize their mistakes. That said, they need to be cut loose if they don't have enough respect for everyone involved, and offend again.

One question I was thinking of: at what point is it the coach's responsibility to encourage the "superstar" athlete to pursue the other sport? Balls mentions the big kid is a star football player. Another mentions a budding Major Junior player. Sure these kids are great soccer players, and surely the coaches from the other sports have the same issues they're trying to instill with the kid: their sport is the #1 priority. Considering the kid is a great soccer AND football, hockey, or even baseball star, shouldn't the soccer coach be looking at the situation objectively, and recognize that the other two sports have more to offer the youth? Taking the professional potential of the four out of the equation, baseball, hockey, and football all offer more to great student athletes. Hockey especially offers a multitude of opportunities: aiming for a US Scholarship via Tier II, playing Major Junior and earning a year of paid tuition for every year paid. Football has over 2,500 US schools that can potentially offer full scholarships. Baseball: same. On top of that, baseball offers a professional development program as soon as the kid graduates high school. Yes, there are some NCAA soccer programs out there, but not nearly as many as the others.

Let's be honest: there isn't enough growth potential with the beautiful game to entice kids to stick with it. It isn't their fault...there are some great youth players here...as good as many in the world. BUT...unless you have ties to Europe, you're SOL. Besides, how many guys do we need to see come back and play in the VMSL to realize this?

If the kid is a star in those other sports, I really think the coaches should take that into consideration, sit down with him, and put everything on the table: current coaching and development, opportunities for post secondary, professional potential, and finally, the fun factor. At some point the coach needs to help the kid look at the big picture, and help steer him in the right direction. The right direction may be for the kid to focus on the other sport, mind you, but you'd be doing your job as the kid's mentor.

 

[djones]

Maple Creek? Got It!

Ballbaby,

I try and make the first half before I take my youngest to his first game of the day.

Cheers

DJ

You played Inlet Selects two weekends ago? Is that Joe Matoe's team? How were they?

What tournament were you in last week?

 

[termatofylakas]

Ballbaby be prepared for a very ugly field........I used to go to school there and when it rained it was crap..........kali tuxh anyways

 

[trece verde]

kids.....AAAAARRRRHHHHGG!!!

Danny:

I was talking to your Missus at work this morning about coaxing you out of retirement - we offer a great benefits package....

This thread is a great one - I've got 2 kids' teams that I'm coaching now for Da Pantuzz, and even though I haven't seen most of the problems that you guys are encountering yet (teams are only U10 and in-house), I can still relate to them. As a U12 through U16 coach for Cliff Avenue in the early 80s (yes, I really AM that old), I got to experience politics, nepotism, empire-building, favouritism, the multisport issue, and all kinds of dirty tricks. The absolute clincher was a 13 year-old kid who said "coach, if you buy us a case of beer, I'll get you a date with my sister."

There were some good people in Burnaby soccer then, who really cared about kids and actually tried to do something for the game, but there were also a lot who shouldn't have been let anywhere near kids or the game. Keep in mind that this was at the zenith of the original Whitecaps, when a career in the game actually WAS a viable option for some of the kids I had (or knew or met) as players. Some of the neatest moments were getting to ref U18 Provincial Cup games in Swangard, and then getting to see the names of those players again playing at higher levels.

The problem then, as now, is that the petty-mindedness still seems to get in the way of the best advancement of players. Yes, it's impossible to be a coach without having at least a hint of an ego, but it still needs to be subordinated to do what's best for players' careers. Not to the extent that you need to become a doormat for players to walk on (no, I didn't buy him a case of beer), but if it's time to let a player move on to a higher level of the game, let them go.

Best advice I can give to people coaching kids:
1) get as much training as you can afford. You can never know enough about the game, even if you did play as a pro. One of the biggest laffs I ever got was when I found out that I had a higher level of coaching certification than Lenard Bobbaduzzi, but was only being paid in oranges.
2) spend some time reffing. See what it's like on the other side of the fence. You might actually get to appreciate that yoyo with the whistle a bit more and stop yelling at him.
3) always keep the kids' perspective in mind. Remember what it was like when you had to do endless windsprints as discipline. It made you shut up and listen, and it definitely got you into better shape, but did it really teach you more about the game? Keep your practices relevant for the 4 second attention span of the Nintendo generation (like KNVB or Dude). Question what you have set up for a practice, and try to ensure that what you are doing (especially for older kids) is as game-like as possible.
4) don't be afraid to let the kids ask you questions. One of the best practices I've every had was actually half-spent sitting around in a circle with the kids asking me questions about when and why certain calls are made in a game, and why players did what they did in the World Cup. You'd be surprised what kind of questions kids will ask you about the game; not so much about what they don't know and want to find out, but what they do know, and the relevance and poignancy of those questions.
5) make sure you're still enjoying yourself. This should never get to be a chore (says the masochist running 3 teams and sitting on a league executive).

Pax and beers,

Stew

 

[Captain Shamrock]

One of the biggest laffs I ever got was when I found out that I had a higher level of coaching certification than Lenard Bobbaduzzi, but was only being paid in oranges.

That can't be possible, Stew. He had someone write his 'A' license for him and I think that person passed.

 

[trece verde]

say whut?

Keptin:

I believe one of us to be mistaken....

I remember being at Drugless College in either 83 or 84 and remember many giggles, chortles and guffaws when it was discovered that Lenard, who was to become a coaching genius, was without any accreditation, and had to attend coaching classes there to get his CSA basic levels (referred to then as Levels I, II, or III) before he could be let loose on the world. I had acquired mine 3 years before that.

The A level came later.....

Unless of course, I've just hallucinated the whole thing (which I doubt, because Mrs. Stew was also there at the same time).

More beers,

Stew

 

[cerebral smallsy]

...coaxing you out of retirement - we offer a great benefits package....

not the first club that has tried.

 

[Dude]

Can someone summarize Stew's big post for me? My attention wavered after the first paragraph...

 

[Regs]

He coaches better than Lennard Bobbaduzzi.

Then again, who doesn't?

Cheers,

~Regs.

 

[Hands of Stone]

Re: kids.....AAAAARRRRHHHHGG!!!

Originally posted by stew
As a U12 through U16 coach for Cliff Avenue in the early 80s (yes, I really AM that old), I got to experience politics, nepotism, empire-building, favouritism, the multisport issue, and all kinds of dirty tricks.

I played with the Mighty Orange and Black back in the 80's, and yes there were many problems, but I remember they tried to stop many problems by not allowing parents to coach their own kids, but then you had to try to find guys to coach these kids that gave a damn.

A major problem was that the Select Program in the lower mainland was starting, every municipality would have one Select team. So all the teams in Burnaby; Cliff Ave, Edmonds, Wesburn, Norburn, and Burnaby Heights were to send their best to create a Select Burnaby team. This is where the problems started, for the young players at least, a lot of politics with this process. I guess it has all worked out now, but I think this is what Stew is talking about.

Remember many a battle vs. Zenga's older brother for the starting spot with Burnaby Selects.

Originally posted by stew
The absolute clincher was a 13 year-old kid who said "coach, if you buy us a case of beer, I'll get you a date with my sister

All ya haters out der, now this is the way we were Pimp'n it in the Old School, should take a few lessions from the old dawgs about what it takes to be a P.I.M.P.

HOS

 

[trece verde]

HOS.....

Dude - glad to see that you were with me for even that long. There's hope for you yet...

Regs - you misquote me. I didn't say I was better than Lennard; just more qualified at the time.

I think this is what Stew is talking about

Ahh! Not quite.... this was actually before the Metro Select concept happened - I resigned in disgust as a coach for them in 85, right after the annual banquet. I had heard one platitude too many that night, and too many pats on the back for too many people who didn't deserve them (and that's about as polite as I can put it).

Not sure when you played there, but if it was after that, you would have run into me as a referee only. Glad to see that things seem to be straightened out now....

Point of historical info for you - Burnaby Heights was not separate from Norburn. The club was actually formed by an amalgamation of the Norburn and Willingdon Park clubs. Not the first time this happened in Burnaby - anybody else besides Scotty and me remember the Lake City soccer club?

All ya haters out der, now this is the way we were Pimp'n it in the Old School, should take a few lessions from the old dawgs about what it takes to be a P.I.M.P.

Uhh - what he just said. Yeah.

Wait a minute - what the fukc exactly DID he just say?
HOS, you're the whitest black kid I've ever heard.....

Peas,

Stew

 

[Jock]

This doesn’t have much to do with anything you are discussing I just have a quick inquiry & this seems to be the only youth thread! I have a customer who is looking to join a soccer academy one similar to the likes of Roman Tulis. If anyone out there has any information please PM me ASAP.
Thanks,