Coaching Youth Sports: How It Should Be Done.

This yankee deserves a statue.

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I expect that the ladies be put on a diet of fish, undercooked red meat and lots of veggies. No junk food. Protein shakes are encouraged, and while blood doping and HGH use is frowned upon, there is no testing policy. And at the risk of stating the obvious, blue slushies are for winners.

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Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Congratulations on being selected for Team 7 (forest green shirts) of the Scituate Soccer Club! My name is Michael and I have been fortunate enough to be selected to coach what I know will be a wonderful group of young ladies. Chris Mac will also be coaching and I expect the ever popular Terry to return to the sidelines. Our first game will be Saturday April 4 at 10:00AM. There will be a half hour of skills followed by a 1 hour game, so total time will be 1.5 hours. All games will be played on the fields in the front of the High School. Each player will be required to wear shin guards and cleats are recommended but not required. A ball will be provided to each player at the first meeting, and each player should bring the withoutball to games and practices. There is no set practice time allotted for the U8 teams, but I will convene with the coaches to determine the best time and place. If there are cancellations due to rain, all notices will be posted via the Scituate Soccer Club website, no calls will be made (though I will try to send an email). Attached is the Schedule and Code of Conduct. After listening to the head of the referees drone on for about 30 minutes on the dangers of jewelry (time which I will never get back), no player will be allowed to play with pierced ears, hairclips, etc. We used to tape the earings, but that practice is no longer acceptable. Please let me know if your child has any health issues that I need to be aware of. My home phone is 781 XXX XXXX, my cell number is 781 XXX XXXX, and I check my email frequently. According to my wife, my emails get too wordy, so for those of you read too slowly, are easily offended, or are too busy, you can stop here. For the others……

OK, here’s the real deal: Team 7 will be called Green Death. We will only acknowledge “Team 7” for scheduling and disciplinary purposes. Green Death has had a long and colorful history, and I fully expect every player and parent to be on board with the team. This is not a team, but a family (some say cult), that you belong to forever. We play fair at all times, but we play tough and physical soccer. We have some returning players who know the deal; for the others, I only expect 110% at every game and practice. We do not cater to superstars, but prefer the gritty determination of journeymen who bring their lunch pail to work every week, chase every ball and dig in corners like a Michael Vick pit bull. Unless there is an issue concerning the health of my players or inside info on the opposition, you probably don’t need to talk to me. Coach MacDonald has been designated “good guy” this year.

Some say soccer at this age is about fun and I completely agree. However, I believe winning is fun and losing is for losers. Ergo, we will strive for the “W” in each game. While we may not win every game (excuse me, I just got a little nauseated) I expect us to fight for every loose ball and play every shift as if it were the finals of the World Cup. While I spent a good Saturday morning listening to the legal liability BS, which included a 30 minute dissertation on how we need to baby the kids and especially the refs, I was disgusted. The kids will run, they will fall, get bumps, bruises and even bleed a little. Big deal, it’s good for them (but I do hope the other team is the one bleeding). If the refs can’t handle a little criticism, then they should turn in their whistle. The sooner they figure out how to make a decision and live with the consequences the better. My heckling of the refs is actually helping them develop as people. The political correctness police are not welcome on my sidelines. America’s youth is becoming fat, lazy and non-competitive because competition is viewed as “bad”. I argue that competition is good and is important to the evolution of our species and our survival in what has become an increasingly competitive global economy and dangerous world. Second place trophies are nothing to be proud of as they serve only as a reminder that you missed your goal; their only useful purpose is as an inspiration to do that next set of reps. Do you go to a job interview and not care about winning? Don’t animals eat what they kill (and yes, someone actually kills the meat we eat too – it isn’t grown in plastic wrap)? And speaking of meat, I expect that the ladies be put on a diet of fish, undercooked red meat and lots of veggies. No junk food. Protein shakes are encouraged, and while blood doping and HGH use is frowned upon, there is no testing policy. And at the risk of stating the obvious, blue slushies are for winners.

These are my views and not necessarily the views of the league (but they should be). I recognize that my school of thought may be an ideological shift from conventional norms. But it is imperative that we all fight the good fight, get involved now and resist the urge to become sweat-xedo-wearing yuppies who sit on the sidelines in their LL Bean chairs sipping mocha-latte-half-caf-chinos while discussing reality TV and home decorating with other feeble-minded folks. I want to hear cheering, I want to hear encouragement, I want to get the team pumped up at each and every game and know they are playing for something.

Lastly, we are all cognizant of the soft bigotry that expects women and especially little girls, to be dainty and submissive; I wholeheartedly reject such drivel. My overarching goal is develop ladies who are confident and fearless, who will stand up for their beliefs and challenge the status quo. Girls who will kick ass and take names on the field, off the field and throughout their lives. I want these girls to be winners in the game of life. Who’s with me?

Go Green Death!

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I agree to an extent, but I think heckling refs shouldn't be done too much and kids shouldn't be run so hard that they get discouraged. They should still definitely be run hard though.

bravo! tough coaching FTW!
that guy sounds like my wrestling coach!

Awesome! My brother, who regularly characterises anyone without an aggressively victory focused mindset as 'weak' would be quite impressed.

Sidenote: Heckling refs depends on the situation. Ideally it shouldn't be done at all, but when you're playing indoor and the guy is clearly blind.....

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Yeah my brother and I had a nice verbal rant at the ref we had for our indoor soccer game on monday. My brother because he disallowed a goal he scored from 3m outside the circle you can't score from inside of....
Me because I was pinged for nudging a guy three times my size (being serious I'm pretty small) into said box to get to the ball...
First time I've ever seen a ref stand there and accept being called an ':daisy: :daisy:' five times in a row without any consequences. :laugh4:

And FTR that was my brother.

Of course he quit. Either that or get fired. Someone always gets offended.

These girls are 6 and 7. No one finds this hilarious?

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

These girls are 6 and 7. No one finds this hilarious?

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The British youth system is currently criticised for its overemphasis on winning, as this encourages the production of athletes who stand out at youth level, but whose technical inadequacy is exposed at adult level once they're playing with grown ups. The continental system of small sided games on mini pitches and smaller footballs is supposed to be a better method of producing footballers, as each individual gets more playing and practice time, so that technique becomes second nature to them. The problem with producing athletes is that a big, strong and fast kid can overpower other kids through physique alone, and thus produce trophies at youth level, but once they play at adult level, where everyone's grown up, their physique no longer stands out, while their poor technique is ruthlessly exposed.

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Originally Posted by Pannonian

The British youth system is currently criticised for its overemphasis on winning, as this encourages the production of athletes who stand out at youth level, but whose technical inadequacy is exposed at adult level once they're playing with grown ups. The continental system of small sided games on mini pitches and smaller footballs is supposed to be a better method of producing footballers, as each individual gets more playing and practice time, so that technique becomes second nature to them. The problem with producing athletes is that a big, strong and fast kid can overpower other kids through physique alone, and thus produce trophies at youth level, but once they play at adult level, where everyone's grown up, their physique no longer stands out, while their poor technique is ruthlessly exposed.

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These girls are 6 and 7 playing in the YMCA. It's a good laugh.

The american education system is slowly eliminating the concept of losers in "progressive" communities. At the local public school channel, where I worked while in college, the sports show we produced had to stop showing scores between city schools because it implied someone lost. If the loser was from another town, then okay. The station still has that policy.

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Originally Posted by Major Robert Dump

The american education system is slowly eliminating the concept of losers in "progressive" communities. At the local public school channel, where I worked while in college, the sports show we produced had to stop showing scores between city schools because it implied someone lost. If the loser was from another town, then okay. The station still has that policy.

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thats really :daisy: up!
my lord! forget girls gone wild- PC gone WILD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Doesn't matter. USA still suck at football. Wouldn't be surprised if they lost to Lietchenstein.

Green Death could beat Lietchenstein

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Originally Posted by Jolt

Doesn't matter. USA still suck at football. Wouldn't be surprised if they lost to Lietchenstein.

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So, how good are the professional and near professional atheletes in your country's 7th most popular sport?

Talent follows the money, and in the USA that means that soccer (football) comes in behind US Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Golf, and Tennis to name a few.

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Originally Posted by Jolt

Doesn't matter. USA still suck at football. Wouldn't be surprised if they lost to Lietchenstein.

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We've won two world cups in soccer :bounce:

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Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh

So, how good are the professional and near professional atheletes in your country's 7th most popular sport?

Talent follows the money, and in the USA that means that soccer (football) comes in behind US Football, Baseball, Basketball, Hockey, Golf, and Tennis to name a few.

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Plus we're not terrible. I mean we're no Germany, Argentina, Brazil or England, but we're a ton better than most nations.

Sounds like this jag-off needs other hobbies. I'm all for the expectancy to win and healthy competitions but jumping Jesus on a pogo stick, sonds like this d-bag probably was a total dork back in his youth and now he is living vicariously through these unfortunate young ladies that the gods have for some sick perversion placed a portion of thier lives into the hands of a Bobby Knight wannabe. Kids play to have fun and if you want them to love thier respective game, simply do everything that old Blood and Guts is doing here.

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Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh

So, how good are the professional and near professional atheletes in your country's 7th most popular sport?

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Actually, that was a pretty bad example to apply at least to my country. According to a census I've seen some years ago (Like 2004), our 6th or 7th most popular sports was hockey (Not ice hockey. Standard Hockey). Our National Team did win the World Cup in Hockey some years ago. In any case, football is where all the european sport's money is applied. Meaning, even if football became the most popular sport in USA, and attracted large sponsors, etc. It would meet limited success internationally, since while in other Sports, European National Teams are rather "Not Top Quality", due to its popularity, in football, the USA would be bashing against exactly what most people want to be in the European Sports. As a consequence, it couldn't overpower the Europeans as they do in a lot of other sports.

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Originally Posted by Devastatin Dave

Sounds like this jag-off needs other hobbies. I'm all for the expectancy to win and healthy competitions but jumping Jesus on a pogo stick, sonds like this d-bag probably was a total dork back in his youth and now he is living vicariously through these unfortunate young ladies that the gods have for some sick perversion placed a portion of thier lives into the hands of a Bobby Knight wannabe. Kids play to have fun and if you want them to love thier respective game, simply do everything that old Blood and Guts is doing here.

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So you want the muslims to win?

This is good ol'faishon 'Merican competition. Win at all costs and rub the losers nose in your victory feces.

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Originally Posted by Jolt

Actually, that was a pretty bad example to apply at least to my country. According to a census I've seen some years ago (Like 2004), our 6th or 7th most popular sports was hockey (Not ice hockey. Standard Hockey). Our National Team did win the World Cup in Hockey some years ago. In any case, football is where all the european sport's money is applied. Meaning, even if football became the most popular sport in USA, and attracted large sponsors, etc. It would meet limited success internationally, since while in other Sports, European National Teams are rather "Not Top Quality", due to its popularity, in football, the USA would be bashing against exactly what most people want to be in the European Sports. As a consequence, it couldn't overpower the Europeans as they do in a lot of other sports.

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Eh, I don't know if I buy that. As it stands we have enjoyed some international success, and if football became our number one sport, say just barely squeaking by American Football or whatever our top sport is, you'd have a nation of 300 million people who love football gearing their athletic endeavors towards success in football. With a couple of decades we could probably become a very powerful nation and contend international trophies at at least the same level as Europe and South America.

If USA made football thier number 1 sport i think they would be one of the major footballing powers in no time at all... in '02 they got to the quarters with a fairly poor side....

Infact with thier huge population and huge wealth in a couple of decades they could be the best at football!

and this is why i constantly mock american sports, this way they cling to them and never get around too converting to football...

Sasaki... you have won two world cups in soccer...?

Ohh wait a second... this is womans football right ?

I have heard it quite popular among the woman in USA, is it top womans sport ?

About this coach - I agree with Dave. Youth Sports Coaches are even worse than youth sport parents. :wall:



The football debate:
I would have a laugh over the US losing to tiny sized opponents, if only the Americans would take football completely seriously. As it is, there is no more point in laughing over it than laughing at Italy for losing rugby matches against tiny New Zealand or Ireland. One simply can't compare a national pasttime with a minority sport. I shall laugh when Italy loses or draws a football match against these countries. (Well done Ireland this week! :beam: :2thumbsup:)

When you look at it, for the amount of players and fans they have, Italian rugby is doing just fine. Similarly, association football in America is actually doing just fine. Their professional leagues and the national team are no worse than that of an average size European or South American country. The US team usually holds its own at a World Cup. They won't win it, but they play fine, decent football. They lack tactical maturity, but excell in a sporting mentality. The end result is a decent team.

The internet, television, modern communication means that every US player and fan is aware of international standards. Every US football lover knows who's Messi, or Kaka. They follow the Premiership on tv just as much as we do. The days of old when a US soccer audience could be seen applauding equally as enthusiastically as cluelessly for an irrelevant throw-in are, unfortunately, behind us. ~;)

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Originally Posted by Uesugi Kenshin

Eh, I don't know if I buy that. As it stands we have enjoyed some international success, and if football became our number one sport, say just barely squeaking by American Football or whatever our top sport is, you'd have a nation of 300 million people who love football gearing their athletic endeavors towards success in football. With a couple of decades we could probably become a very powerful nation and contend international trophies at at least the same level as Europe and South America.

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Exactly. It wouldn't overpower the other teams as they do in Basketball (I think?), for instance.

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Originally Posted by LittleGrizzly

If USA made football thier number 1 sport i think they would be one of the major footballing powers in no time at all... in '02 they got to the quarters with a fairly poor side....

Infact with thier huge population and huge wealth in a couple of decades they could be the best at football!

and this is why i constantly mock american sports, this way they cling to them and never get around too converting to football...

Sasaki... you have won two world cups in soccer...?

Ohh wait a second... this is womans football right ?

I have heard it quite popular among the woman in USA, is it top womans sport ?

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USA reached the quarters because our Keeper didn't manage to close his legs in the final minutes of our match against Korea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szfP...eature=related

If you're a kid and thinks that organized training is what will make you a prop footballer, here's a newsflash: you'll stink.

The only way to get really good, is to eat, sleep and breathe football. And the only way to do that, is if you actually enjoy it. Being pressured by some coach? Hah! If that's necessary, you've already failed.

When I was younger(until my legs got crippled from too much running, skiing and skating), I played football for some 3-5 hours per day on a weekday, and usually half the weekend. Usually with a mate or two, but often alone, practicing either shooting, long passes(I'm a pupil of the Drillo style of football) or technique.

This guy has lost his mind, he won't be able to coach a team to anything but failure. He's not just insane, he's also an extremely bad coach, on any level.

EDIT: for proof of this, take a look at the best footballers today. Take a look at their background, and take a look at how they became great. I can assure you that none of them were exposed to failures like this guy. Take Ronaldo, for example, a poor kid from a poor neighborhood, who spent all his spare time as a kid playing(with emphasis on play) football. Or Arjen Robben, who still plays football the same way he played as a kid in the playground. Or the dozens of Brazilians who grew up playing football in the streets. That's the way you get good. In football, pressure makes coal, not diamonds.

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

The only way to get really good, is to eat, sleep and breathe football. And the only way to do that, is if you actually enjoy it. Being pressured by some coach? Hah! If that's necessary, you've already failed.

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Ya now I have a natural dislike of people telling me what to do, but this coaching thing takes it a little further.

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

If you're a kid and thinks that organized training is what will make you a prop footballer, here's a newsflash: you'll stink.

The only way to get really good, is to eat, sleep and breathe football. And the only way to do that, is if you actually enjoy it. Being pressured by some coach? Hah! If that's necessary, you've already failed.

When I was younger(until my legs got crippled from too much running, skiing and skating), I played football for some 3-5 hours per day on a weekday, and usually half the weekend. Usually with a mate or two, but often alone, practicing either shooting, long passes(I'm a pupil of the Drillo style of football) or technique.

This guy has lost his mind, he won't be able to coach a team to anything but failure. He's not just insane, he's also an extremely bad coach, on any level.

EDIT: for proof of this, take a look at the best footballers today. Take a look at their background, and take a look at how they became great. I can assure you that none of them were exposed to failures like this guy. Take Ronaldo, for example, a poor kid from a poor neighborhood, who spent all his spare time as a kid playing(with emphasis on play) football. Or Arjen Robben, who still plays football the same way he played as a kid in the playground. Or the dozens of Brazilians who grew up playing football in the streets. That's the way you get good. In football, pressure makes coal, not diamonds.

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My God, I agree with Horetore...:wall:

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Originally Posted by Louis

I agree with Dave.

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Originally Posted by Devastatin Dave

My God, I agree with Horetore...:wall:

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https://jimcee.homestead.com/hellFrover.jpg

And me too: let little kids play. Twelve & up can compete.

And we wonder why the Chinese are winning. Disgusting.

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

And we wonder why the Chinese are winning. Disgusting.

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Some are, most aren't. If you want to dress up for a parade your call.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Some are, most aren't. If you want to dress up for a parade your call.

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I love parades.

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Originally Posted by KukriKhan

https://jimcee.homestead.com/hellFrover.jpg

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The weather forecast for Hell shows 4+ Celsius for the next 10 days, sorry... There's probably some snow left though.

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Originally Posted by KukriKhan

And me too: let little kids play. Twelve & up can compete.

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It's not just about "letting kids play". It's also about how you train people to become good athletes. This is definitely not how you train people. The biggest problem, from a football point of view, is that his style will fail to produce any good athletes at all. He's a bad coach not because he's hard, but because he won't be able to produce any good players.

Also, his playing style is retarded and hopelessly outdated. "Physical football" won't get you anywhere. And this comes from a hardcore believer in the norwegian(Drillo's) way...

During the early years, emphasis should be on the technical aspects, ie. learning how to interact with the ball, which is why we play 7-a-side up till 11 years. As the body gets closer to maturity, you can add in more strength training. But the fact remains, football isn't american football, technical skill is what wins the day.

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

The weather forecast for Hell shows 4+ Celsius for the next 10 days, sorry... There's probably some snow left though.



It's not just about "letting kids play". It's also about how you train people to become good athletes. This is definitely not how you train people. The biggest problem, from a football point of view, is that his style will fail to produce any good athletes at all. He's a bad coach not because he's hard, but because he won't be able to produce any good players.

Also, his playing style is retarded and hopelessly outdated. "Physical football" won't get you anywhere. And this comes from a hardcore believer in the norwegian(Drillo's) way...

During the early years, emphasis should be on the technical aspects, ie. learning how to interact with the ball, which is why we play 7-a-side up till 11 years. As the body gets closer to maturity, you can add in more strength training. But the fact remains, football isn't american football, technical skill is what wins the day.

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Its time for me to leave the Backroom. 2 posts in 1 thread and not a damn thing i can argue with Horetore. I agree AGAIN with your post. :2thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by Strike For The South

And we wonder why the Chinese are winning. Disgusting.

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Not in football they're not.