Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 16:03     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Ours play on the blacktop for the first week or two of school, and then soccer gets banned because of injuries and fights. 3rd and 5th.
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2025 07:42     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Maybe recess soccer is more about socializing and blowing off steam, than player development? Both my kids played in elementary school, now in middle. It’s coed, they have a para oversee it and they had the 2 grades sharing recess time alternate days to make it fair.

Girl plays club now. Boy plays football and basketball and sometimes rec soccer. Both kids had fun with their friends - you know because it’s recess.
Anonymous
Post 08/04/2025 22:25     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Most county fields, including the school fields are in bad shape due to overuse. From overcrowded schools to not enough fields (for all the sports clubs that use them for practices), the answer is turf but there are too many loud voices that are anti-turf (read the OLO report and you'll see). So, instead of playing on a turf field, our kids are playing on compacted dirt, in mud puddles, and with rocky surfaces.

Our neighbors, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Howard County, etc. are all turning fields and Montgomery County is falling behind. FYI, there are newer turf projects with natural fill (no more rubber tires).


OP. Our field is in very bad shape from just a year and a half of play. I was wondering if any schools restrict play to prevent the field from completely deteriorating.



Too many restrictions as-is. That is the problem. Put the kids on blacktop. Put them on turf. Let them play in a deteriorating field and sign a waiver that you won’t sue. They are kids. They don’t really care until we lay our protective layer over them.

We already have too many restrictions on fields. Volunteer to help maintain it if it is an issue for you.
Anonymous
Post 08/04/2025 21:37     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:Most county fields, including the school fields are in bad shape due to overuse. From overcrowded schools to not enough fields (for all the sports clubs that use them for practices), the answer is turf but there are too many loud voices that are anti-turf (read the OLO report and you'll see). So, instead of playing on a turf field, our kids are playing on compacted dirt, in mud puddles, and with rocky surfaces.

Our neighbors, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Howard County, etc. are all turning fields and Montgomery County is falling behind. FYI, there are newer turf projects with natural fill (no more rubber tires).


OP. Our field is in very bad shape from just a year and a half of play. I was wondering if any schools restrict play to prevent the field from completely deteriorating.

Anonymous
Post 08/04/2025 14:00     Subject: Soccer during recess?
At our MCPS elementary there is soccer at recess on a random patch of grass. They have a staff member overseeing it because I guess it got too crazy. They ask for parent volunteers too, which is how I have seen this. It’s great in theory but because there is not enough space/resources for two games, they combine grade levels so most of the younger kids are too afraid to play with kids seriously two feet taller than them. My son did it a few times but it was just too crazy. I appreciate the school trying to make it work though.
Anonymous
Post 08/04/2025 08:35     Subject: Soccer during recess?
yes. turf. it's fun and fine.
Anonymous
Post 08/03/2025 21:18     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:Public school parents,
do your kids play soccer frequently during recess? If so, are they playing on a court, on a field? If a field, has the it deteriorated over time from heavy use?

Thank you!


Mine play during recess. I have zero idea of where they play. I think grass. No idea the condition.
Anonymous
Post 08/03/2025 21:03     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'd love to know the reason for this weird question.


Because kids playing futebol without adults joysticking every second get to experience failure without stress and figure things out organically. Bonus is that they get to develop technical skills and become superior to your “club academy” player


What a ridiculous answer. I tell my kid to stay away from recess soccer . Prime time for injuries
Anonymous
Post 08/03/2025 10:09     Subject: Soccer during recess?
5th grade boy and they play every day, crappy patch of grass or sometimes the basketball black top, 30 boys, no rules, lots of crazy. My son loved it in 3rd grade but says he only plays sometimes now because the kids get too aggressive and fight.
Anonymous
Post 08/03/2025 10:09     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:Most county fields, including the school fields are in bad shape due to overuse. From overcrowded schools to not enough fields (for all the sports clubs that use them for practices), the answer is turf but there are too many loud voices that are anti-turf (read the OLO report and you'll see). So, instead of playing on a turf field, our kids are playing on compacted dirt, in mud puddles, and with rocky surfaces.

Our neighbors, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Howard County, etc. are all turning fields and Montgomery County is falling behind. FYI, there are newer turf projects with natural fill (no more rubber tires).


Most of these fields have been in “bad shape” for 30+ years. Believe it or not, they’re in better shape today than they were 15 years ago, and much better shape than 30 years ago when most of us were playing on them.
Anonymous
Post 08/03/2025 10:00     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The kids have one ball, some crappy nets, and no rules. There are usually 40 boys running after one ball. The guy on where who thinks kids are being developed by playing recess soccer is a turkey.


I think the turkey may have said this on a thread before. Like the quote below below where the turkey says Lamine Yamal trained with professional coaches for an insane amount of a time, but "the most important piece of the puzzle . . . [was recess]." still cracks me up.

"By the way, Lamine’s training from U10 until he hit the first team comprised of 5-6 days/weekly.

And no, it wasn’t just 90 mins each time. Of those 5-6 days 3 or 4 of them were double sessions. 2 hrs in the day and another 2 hrs after school.

After his club training guess what… probably the most important piece of the puzzle… take a deep breath for this one ok? he played in the streets, the town plaza, and in school yard during recess with his buddies and ZERO adult joysticking."


Lots of fiction in this Lamine Yamal story


Lamine Yamal didn't play recess style (he did online school).... he was highly programed, he had more programed training than the above poster mentioned.



Spoiler alert: So did Messi. So did Mbappe. So did…etc…Even Carli Lloyd was extremely programmed (mentally apparently too).

The only coaches on your kids climb that will tell you “it’s all about rec and street soccer” are the futsal (US based) dork coaches, and the u-little coaches.

When you come upon a coach that DID play on dirt fields growing up (NoVa had a bunch, including one that is still lively over near Eden Center), they just smile and nod as you tell them how your kid is training in environments that “foster creativity” and “love for the game.”

High level soccer is all about thinking algorithmically.

When your little doesn’t have what it takes to compete high level, by all means, dive hard into rec.
Anonymous
Post 08/02/2025 17:50     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The kids have one ball, some crappy nets, and no rules. There are usually 40 boys running after one ball. The guy on where who thinks kids are being developed by playing recess soccer is a turkey.


I think the turkey may have said this on a thread before. Like the quote below below where the turkey says Lamine Yamal trained with professional coaches for an insane amount of a time, but "the most important piece of the puzzle . . . [was recess]." still cracks me up.

"By the way, Lamine’s training from U10 until he hit the first team comprised of 5-6 days/weekly.

And no, it wasn’t just 90 mins each time. Of those 5-6 days 3 or 4 of them were double sessions. 2 hrs in the day and another 2 hrs after school.

After his club training guess what… probably the most important piece of the puzzle… take a deep breath for this one ok? he played in the streets, the town plaza, and in school yard during recess with his buddies and ZERO adult joysticking."


Lots of fiction in this Lamine Yamal story


Lamine Yamal didn't play recess style (he did online school).... he was highly programed, he had more programed training than the above poster mentioned.

Anonymous
Post 08/02/2025 17:43     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My rising 8th grader is at a private but it’s small and they don’t really have a field. She plays on the blacktop. She did in 7th anyway. Hoping it’s not weird in 8th and they still do.


Why do you have to say “rising”

You are probably 46 years old. What made you change ? You lean left?

Umm because other people say it? To clarify her age/grade for OP?
You are not a nice person.
Anonymous
Post 08/02/2025 17:05     Subject: Soccer during recess?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:The kids have one ball, some crappy nets, and no rules. There are usually 40 boys running after one ball. The guy on where who thinks kids are being developed by playing recess soccer is a turkey.


I think the turkey may have said this on a thread before. Like the quote below below where the turkey says Lamine Yamal trained with professional coaches for an insane amount of a time, but "the most important piece of the puzzle . . . [was recess]." still cracks me up.

"By the way, Lamine’s training from U10 until he hit the first team comprised of 5-6 days/weekly.

And no, it wasn’t just 90 mins each time. Of those 5-6 days 3 or 4 of them were double sessions. 2 hrs in the day and another 2 hrs after school.

After his club training guess what… probably the most important piece of the puzzle… take a deep breath for this one ok? he played in the streets, the town plaza, and in school yard during recess with his buddies and ZERO adult joysticking."


Hey man. Why post this. Let the koolaiders drink their koolaide. The next thread will be how their kid keeps getting shafted at open tryouts.

Let them be sheep.
Anonymous
Post 08/02/2025 10:25     Subject: Soccer during recess?
What school? What grade? LAt Deal a few years back, no playing because even if one or two kids brought a ball all the kids jumped on it. Why the school couldn’t organize for more equipment was never answered. So the kids go from fun elementary recess to nothing. It’s a hard transition.