If you think about it, the long ball tactic is used when you already have the win and are trying to waste time to hold on, or if you don't have the win but you can't concede a goal, you have the ST press the back line and hope for a break away goal. Both of these scenarios shouldn't apply in youth soccer since most of the time the ulittle games don't count. Frankly, you can't blame the players. Let's take it to a basketball game and say that you havent trained the kids to shoot, dribble, pass correctly. Now lets say you put them in a competitive league. The players will naturally not know how to play offense, and will play defense the entire time since they dont know what to do with the ball when they get it. One fast kid who knows how to do a layup or dribble, or both, will stand at the halfway line and will expect the pass from one of the four players trying to get a rebound. In the basketball game, I would say it is the parents and coaches fault for enrolling and their players in leagues that are too advanced for their skill. These players would be fine at their local rec league. Also, the coach needs to take the time to figure out what skills the players need work on, not just follow a training regiment passed down by the Technical Director. Finally, the players could benefit from watching an NBA game every now and then so they can get some ideas about players move, and how fun it can be to k ow how to play and do the dribbles and shots that look really good on tv. |
Maybe you don't know the coach trains or talks to his players during the matches. |
You're right, my fault! |
I don't know what to tell you. He was ranting during the game. At one point the ref stopped the game and went over to warn him. I wouldn't want my kid coached by him. |
Ah -- OK. I thought someone said "preteen" earlier, so I was thinking U12 and below, in which I would've been totally shocked. I don't know the U13s as well. Was it a tall coach or a medium-height coach? |
They list two coaches. I know one and would be surprised if he acted this way unless he was really provoked. (If they were playing Calverton -- that might be a provocation. That club, like NVSC, seems to have a club-wide problem.) I don't know the other one. |
Arlington just listed its drop in soccer schedule for the upcoming weeks: http://www.arlingtonsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DropInFall17edit.pdf |
Just wanted to say thanks, PP. I have a kid there in a different age group so I don't know this coach, but it's good to be aware of what other folks are seeing. |
This is incorrect. If a shoulder charge is carried out with excessive force, the ref can and should blow the whistle. I saw an amusing scene in a pro game once in which a player -- a guy with a pretty big rep as an indoor/outdoor "enforcer" -- came sprinting over and leveled someone from the other team. He managed to make it shoulder-to-shoulder, but this was by no means a legal play. The ref blew his whistle. The player half-heartedly pointed to his shoulder but then walked away. He knew what he did. There are a lot of parents who don't understand that shielding and shoulder-to-shoulder contact are legal in most cases. At the same time, there are a lot of parents (and coaches and players and refs) who think anything goes as long as a player makes shoulder contact first or happens to be near the ball. I've never seen a ref in Northern Virginia who calls too MUCH. Only refs who call it right or do little but pace around and occasionally blow the halftime whistle on time. |
And you do?? I said that I don't have a child on this team but he has coached many other teams in the past and is currently coaching other teams. I know very well how he trains and how he talks to his players in matches. He has coached more than one of my kids and is an excellent coach, firm but quite positive. Maybe he had a bad day last week, maybe he was provoked--what I can tell you is that this coach is absolutely not abusive and I have never heard one person in the club who feels that way. |
I just checked out the flyer, and I can't help but laugh. First of all, who gets up early in the morning and is ready for pick-up anything. And having the ASA staff choose teams is the worst you can do, wear shin guards??, please don't come on this forum and say the kids didn't enjoy the spontaneously-scheduled organized-fun they were supposed to be having. |
It's a good program, no others in the area like it, so no reason to knock it. |
Actually ASA summer program is run a whole lot better, this program seems to want manufacture fun. As for other clubs, I know NVSC has a 'street soccer' program but sometimes the coaches try to get too involved it feels like another practice session. FPYC has a similar program, though not sure if it's still going. This program sounds to me like a fun activity for the adults as they get together on days they're off and have the kids play something while the parents catch-up. The informal soccer that was being talked about earlier was for players to actually play soccer and pick-up a few things they wouldn't otherwise see at their practices. It depends on what you're rating the program on to say it's "a good program, no others in the area like it". |
Was he saying that because it's open to non-ASA members? Vienna has restarted its Friday night free play, but it's only for players already registered in House or travel. |
+1 We are no longer with the Club, but my kids always enjoyed it. We still try to make it occasionally when our schedule permits. |