Soccer Coaching / Youth Sports Discussion

[hbombgraphics]

Been coaching club soccer at the youth level for about 2-3 years now and coached locally before that. Currently coach U14B and we are practicing for spring outdoor leagues.

Was approached by a parent last night who was concerned that his son might quit because he doesn't like being made to run. Specifically he doesn't like when the entire group is made to run because one kid is misbehaving.

How this unfolded last night was as follows. We had 15 min for a scrimmage at the end of practice, teams were divided quickly as we had already sorted players to work on set pieces. I placed the ball in the center and was about to start the scrimmage when I noticed 1 player was riding around on his teammates back. Immediately I had everyone run sprints, nothing major just one set and then back to the game. Was then approached by this dad after practice because I shouldn't punish the whole team when some kids are goofing off. I did apologize but pointed out that we didn't do end of practice sprints, which we would have. I think I said "running was inevitable but I could see how this would be viewed as poorly timed" I know that's a shit apology. Should be noted his son is about a year behind the other kids his age and always dead last by a large margin in running drills.

Question as follows:

Should you punish the entire team when a few kids misbehave?

My logic is as follows.
1. This encourages kids to discipline themselves a bit, maybe next time one kid is on someone's back I won't have to do anything because the other players will tell them to cut it out.
2. This is how life works, if you do dumb stuff it impacts the people around you. At some point you have to learn this.
3. Club soccer isn't free, parents pay club fees, practice fees, league fees and purchase uniforms and equipment. If anyone should be pissed that practice is being disrupted it should be the people who invest so much in a sport for their kids.


Appreciate anyone's thoughts on any of the above.

[BetterOffShred]

Yeah I agree with all 3 points at the bottom. I vehemently disagree with the "everyone gets a trophy" model of youth sports.. it's unrealistic and doesn't prepare kids for the inevitable losing and disappointment that follows. It diminishes the need to really try your hardest as well.

Let's be real, you didn't force them to slog up a muddy hill in the rain with 50lb packs or something.. and I believe that group "penalties" can actually promote a team spirit or camaraderie or whatever you'd like to call it.

The kid who doesn't like to run shouldn't join a team where 90% of the sport is in fact running. And his dad should come to terms with that.

Back to your original question though, I'd have no problem if my kid was on the team. Sports are hard. You have to condition your body and your mind. And I really agree with the point about learning that your actions are going to affect others around you sometimes.

[Lurker13]

Pretty much everything BOS said. In a nutshell, peer pressure works, and it's illogical to think that conditioning isn't important for sports.

Also, I think you should encourage the kid who doesn't like to run. Maybe suggesting some exercises he can do on his own to improve his fitness would help, e.g. swimming, tennis, martial arts, and bicycling.

[BetterOffShred]

I just went full ass.. "tell doughnut to join the chess team!" Nah I agree about coaching him.

[Lurker13]

I just went full ass.. "tell doughnut to join the chess team!" Nah I agree about coaching him.

Oh, I thought that was your point of argument for the dad's complaint.

I'll also add that bicycling and swimming are low impact sports for the legs, so he could build strength with a lower risk of training injuries like shin splints.

[BetterOffShred]

It's sort of telling nobody else came and bitched. Chances are if coaching the kid to better fitness were an option the dad would have done that already. Instead he comes and says his kid doesn't like to run, so I just tend to think the dad isn't being real with himself about his sons interest or prowess in sports. You never know though. Maybe the kid would respond really well to some coaching

[hbombgraphics]

It's sort of telling nobody else came and bitched. Chances are if coaching the kid to better fitness were an option the dad would have done that already. Instead he comes and says his kid doesn't like to run, so I just tend to think the dad isn't being real with himself about his sons interest or prowess in sports. You never know though. Maybe the kid would respond really well to some coaching

Game tomorrow, going to try coaching him up a bit!

I am not sure how much he even wants to play, older brother is very good plays on the U16b team that recently won their conference.


With limited practice times available (especially in CNY in winter) you can only do so much, the rest is on the kids.


My own son is on this team and has come to me before and asked me to make everyone run because he gets frustrated when kids goof off. (he's weird)

[D.o.S.]

Yeah I agree with all 3 points at the bottom. I vehemently disagree with the "everyone gets a trophy" model of youth sports.. it's unrealistic and doesn't prepare kids for the inevitable losing and disappointment that follows. It diminishes the need to really try your hardest as well.

I think you vastly underestimate how children actually view participation trophies.

I have yet to meet anyone who grew up with participation trophies or was around kids that received them that actually believed them to be equivalent to "real" trophies.

[rustywire]

Unable to tell if ILF or TGP

[hbombgraphics]

Determined the kid just doesn't want to play...........wouldn't play most of the second half yesterday because he got bumped in the first half and said he was hurt. Game was super physical, but that's not new.

Donald Orlofsky Savage (DOS) you are 100% right about participation trophies. My daughter snagged one a few years ago in parks and rec league and threw it in a drawer because she says "everyone got one"

Also not sure how to make this more ILF. Any pointers appreciated

[Chankgeez]

Also not sure how to make this more ILF. Any pointers appreciated

Make all the kids sell all their pedals and "go modular"?

No, but, seriously, good luck.

[hbombgraphics]

Also not sure how to make this more ILF. Any pointers appreciated

Make all the kids sell all their pedals and "go modular"?

No, but, seriously, good luck.

I can't wrap my brain around modular, it all looks like test equipment from work.

We lost 3-0 saturday, but lost to that same team 9-0 in our 2nd winter session. Getting better, defense was great, but we couldn't switch the field at all.

[Chankgeez]

Coaching can be difficult. Especially when you have kids of various ability levels and degrees of commitment to the game.

I guess the best thing to do would be to make sure most of 'em are having fun.

[hbombgraphics]

Coaching can be difficult. Especially when you have kids of various ability levels and degrees of commitment to the game.

I guess the best thing to do would be to make sure most of 'em are having fun.

or yell alot!

I think it's funny the things coaches got away with in the 90s that I would probably get arrested for.


blah blah modular blah blah more drones blah (ILF approved)

[Chankgeez]

I like the direction this's heading.

You can teach them (as you learn yourself) about music synthesis.