What are your unpopular opinions about youth soccer?

Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Futsal sucks


YESSSSS
Anonymous
U9-u13 should be only futsal after that start playing soccer.
Anonymous
Clubs should only have 1 travel team per age group (and if you are paying $$$ for your child to play on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th team, you are a sucker)

Referees should give more cards to PARENTS (the ones screaming at the players and questioning the referees)

We need more quality referees, which won't happen (see previous comment)
Anonymous
My unpopular opinions:
1. On a free kick, players who purposefully stand within 10 yards to stall the game until the ref moves them back should be cautioned. It is poor sportsmanship and players who do it know better.
2. Throw ins should be kick ins and treated like an indirect kick, but with no offside.
3. PKs should never determine a tourney winner. Play until one team wins with a golden goal.
4. Offside should not wait to be called. I've seen too many near collisions between an offside forward and a keeper coming together. Even hockey did away with a race to reach an iced puck, knowing too much potential for injury was there.
5. Long distance running/conditioning should not be part of a practice. Just play or scrimmage longer or with more intensity and the fitness will come. Or, have kids run at home on their own time. Lazy coaches use conditioning because they are lazy and don't want to teach technical fundamentals. Sprinting, quickness, and ball skills trump a timed 2-mile run. In a game, you get tired, you get subbed out. All club staff should be able to meet the fitness requirements of the ages coached through U16.
6. Yellow cards should come with 5 minutes in the penalty box. A red card should come with an ejection and a PK, no matter where the foul occurred.
7. If in a wall, a player, especially a young one, should be able to protect his/her face and head without risking a handball offense.
8. Heading results in too many injuries in youth ages. Coaches should discourage high balls into the 6 because balls on the ground to the 12 or 18 are better scoring opportunities anyways.
9. If men's D1 football can put 100% of players on scholarship, then 100% of women's soccer players should be full-ride eligible. 14 scholarships per team with a roster of 30-35 isn't enough money. Even if it isn't a "revenue" sport, it doesn't seem fair.
10. The USWNT is good, and I like watching them play.
11. The politics surrounding the USWNT is not good.
12. National team players should stand respectfully for the anthem or be removed from the team. One nation, one team, not One nation, 18 political statements.
13. Taking a knee in solidarity with BLM is woke virtue signaling and should not be a thing on a soccer field.
14. The parent that yells the most probably knows the least.
15. All players over 15 should ref at least 3-5 games per year for the younger players.
16. School-year made more sense than birth year for recruiting.
17. I like ECNL for girls.
Anonymous
It's boring as hell and should be done away with as a sport.
Anonymous
Rec soccer is great. Our team is good, the coaches are great, the kids are having fun.
Anonymous
Get ride of offside in the rulebook.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Get ride of offside in the rulebook.


rid of, not ride of...doh
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Don't go to 11v11 until U15.


This one should win the unpopular opinion competition. 7v7 was ok, but I hated 9v9 on the same field. Not enough space. U-13 or U-14 are way too big for that size space. I was so happy when DS transitioned to the big field.


Sure, if you like kick and chase. Field is too small because kids touches are terrible.
Anonymous
Parents should be prohibited from yelling actual words during the game, and if they do so they should be required to leave the viewing area or the game will be forfeit. Cheering and clapping are good. Otherwise zip it and just let the kids play, the coaches coach and the referees ref.
Anonymous
People who correct people who say offsides instead of offside should shut up. It's the least of our worries. Find something else to care about.

Nothing is a cash grab. Everything costs money and, if something is willing to pay extra for it, so be it. People should shut up with their cash grab comments unless they live in a cave, walk barefoot everywhere, eat dirt and rocks, and drink out of streams.
Anonymous
No travel soccer before age 10. Or 12. But starting at age 7 is riduculous.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Don't go to 11v11 until U15.


This one should win the unpopular opinion competition. 7v7 was ok, but I hated 9v9 on the same field. Not enough space. U-13 or U-14 are way too big for that size space. I was so happy when DS transitioned to the big field.


Sure, if you like kick and chase. Field is too small because kids touches are terrible.


Field is too small because a sweeper should not be able to directly play a ball to a striker run scoring position. At U12, their legs are too strong for that small a field
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Futsal sucks


YESSSSS


Your kids’ foot skills suck.
Anonymous
Ban parents from all games and practices. Drop off and pick up at designated times only. Let kids play without psycho parents ranting on sidelines. Yes, ban includes EVERYONE

Limit travel to MD/DC/VA within 45 min for all local area teams. Zero reason to go any farther than that.
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