I did tell my dd that an assist was equal to a goal. I swear. I played PG in hoops and I beleive in the assist. In fact, if the GK plays it right, they deserve credit to. My favorite goal for my dd was when she was playing the Quakes I think. GK passed to our back line. They passed from one side to the other and then up to our CM who passed to our other CM who then put a perfectly time ball passed the two defenders and my dd finished. Now that is beautiful soccer. No big defender or speed could have stopped that TEAM GOAL. How many TGs did the team get? I know one player back in the day that got paid for goals and it showed.Joking aside, you guys are right. I always tell all my kids that an assist is as important as a goal. Suceeding on a 1 v 1 is very cool to see. Succesful slide tackles are awesome. This is a beautiful game but often times coaches and parents focus on scores or winning records. I tell my kids, I dont care if we win or lose. All I care is that they gave it 100% effort and are willing to apply their skills in the field. It's easier said than done at a young age. Joystick coaching in youth soccer is the biggest detriment to the growth of our talent compared to the rest of the world.