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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Just wondering people's thoughts on blowouts in travel soccer.  Is it appropriate for the other team to run up the score.

In Rec, the coaches get a lot of grief from the league for blowouts where the score is more than 6 goals apart.  But in travel, since it is travel (and top teams) do different rules apply?   [/quote]

They shouldn't, but we have seen many, many complete blowouts in regular season play with not too much attempt to damper them.

When my husband coached, he would have the kids complete a long set of passes before anyone was allowed to shoot---or only use non-dominant foot. Kids were played out of position---goalie at striker, etc.

I've seen it backfire and become more humiliating---like when every kid on the winning side is saying really loudly 'guys we can't score, etc'.  OR--kids going right up to opposing goal and then turning around and dribbling back.

At the littlest ages---there should be some type of mercy rule.

IN TOURNAMENT PLAY---completely different standard since goal differential is important.  But---tournaments are, for the most part, better matched up teams.[/quote]

A few things to do:

[b]1. Quit pressing on goal kicks. At U9 and U10, you can't do this any more, anyway, which is good. I saw games get completely out of hand because one team simply didn't have a goalkeeper or defender who could get the ball past the other team's attackers. In my travel soccer experience, the parents understood this problem -- the COACHES did not.[/b]

2. Put players in different positions. No need for your star striker to be playing striker when it's 9-1 and he already has his hat trick.

But the PP is right -- don't make it painfully obvious. I once coached a rec game against a coach who was yelling constantly at his team to use their left feet and pass several times. And it wasn't even a blowout. It was just 1-2 goals. Chill, dude.
[/quote]

This is coddling, it is entirely acceptable that if a team recognizes a weak team, or more so weak defender, that they will press on goal kicks and when GK has the ball to force a defender to lose the ball.  What you should do is at practice work passing, moving, support and getting out of the back line.  Other than dribbling, all of the drills/games should be focused on possession.  This forces the players to always look for options, how to make firm passes, and where to move to support your teammates.  I often see when the GK plays out to a RB, CB, LB, the midfielders and a forwards spring up the field as if there was someone chasing them.  It leaves the defenders having to make an(impossible at U9-U10) overhead pass or dribble along the touchline or towards the middle to catch up to their teammates.  This is how the idea that pressing was not a good idea to allow the kiddos to do.  They way you learn to play from the back is by having pressure put on you as a defender, having to release the ball quickly and overlap or 1-2.  Allowing players to receive the pass, and then have time to look up and scan and maybe take a few more touches will not build good players.  They will in turn lose possession where it counts in the middle of the pitch.[/quote]

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