Getting your foot stepped on happens (albeit less) even at the highest levels.

Kicks to the ankle and above tend to occur with more careless challenges, especially on the less skilled and younger teams. My daughter used to hate playing in mixed groups with lower skilled players who would lunge/kick at the ball instead of tackling or winning the ball properly. Eventually she learned to be more patient against those players when going after 50/50 balls (as they tended to just kick it away from themselves anyways), as well as beating the players quicker when dribbling to avoid all the kicks.

I would say encourage her to use her skill, analyze her opponents and learn how to create space.

May DD played on competitive teams in club soccer for years and this is so common. They can learn to play more physically which will help a bit, but it always happens.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t use the slide in shin guards. Get ones that pull up and have the ankle protectors

FYI...No one wears these after 10-11 years old so I wouldn't bother getting these. As a matter of fact, kids don't even wear shin guards to practice after 11-12 years old I'd say. And yes, kids get their foot stepped on ALL the time. Sometimes it's bad. Sometimes it ends up as a bruised foot, a sprained foot, a broken foot. Sometime it's nothing. Kids will get hurt and there's not much you can do about it.

I disagree. My son used these at 9/10 years old but this is an issue that younger kids have. If she is having this issue, there is nothing wrong with protecting herself even if temporarily. It's better than a sprained or injured ankle that will keep her out of soccer. Just because they don't want to wear them doesn't mean some shouldn't - to each their own.

Op we used these and I loved them. They last forever. I was very sad when ds decided he didn't want that style anymore.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B078HSK536?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Mine hates the pull up shin guards w ankle protectors, so we got a separate ankle protector only to go with slide in shin guards.

Doesn't help that we're in a soccer environment that pushes physicality over skills and soccer intelligence.
Kids keep hearing they need to be more aggressive and more physical from parents and coaches, out of proper soccer skills context.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try to get her on a higher level team. This happens more with less athletic and skilled players compensating by playing too physically

I agree with this.

I’ve seen boys and girls become desperate because they are not doing well in ball skills. They push more, etc.

Her teammate is probably getting desperate for the ball.

I agree. Most of my daughter's team won't attend joint practices with the B team because too many of them are trying to prove something

Anonymous wrote:Try to get her on a higher level team. This happens more with less athletic and skilled players compensating by playing too physically

I agree with this.

I’ve seen boys and girls become desperate because they are not doing well in ball skills. They push more, etc.

Her teammate is probably getting desperate for the ball.

Try to get her on a higher level team. This happens more with less athletic and skilled players compensating by playing too physically

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teach her to body check people to give them space.

This.

She’s not using her body. She’s reaching for the ball with her foot.

She needs to learn to put a body on them.

+1. My daughter lost her toenail last spring because of a hard step. It’s part of the game.

Anonymous wrote:Teach her to body check people to give them space.

This.

She’s not using her body. She’s reaching for the ball with her foot.

She needs to learn to put a body on them.

Anonymous wrote:Don’t use the slide in shin guards. Get ones that pull up and have the ankle protectors

FYI...No one wears these after 10-11 years old so I wouldn't bother getting these. As a matter of fact, kids don't even wear shin guards to practice after 11-12 years old I'd say. And yes, kids get their foot stepped on ALL the time. Sometimes it's bad. Sometimes it ends up as a bruised foot, a sprained foot, a broken foot. Sometime it's nothing. Kids will get hurt and there's not much you can do about it.

Don’t use the slide in shin guards. Get ones that pull up and have the ankle protectors

Part of soccer, unfortunately. Does she play at a high level? PP is right about clearing space, but that only takes you so far.

Teach her to body check people to give them space.

This is a dumb question but here goes: my 11yo sometimes gets stepped on by another player- usually when they combine her practice with older girls. Today my DD came home bleeding around her ankle and she’s now swollen and in pain, but it doesn’t look sprained and she says she didn’t turn it, she just got stepped on by an older kid. Is there anything we can do to protect her in the future? Does this happen to other kids? Mine is not especially small.