Club soccer stuff that drive you nuts...

[Soccermom18]

When a club sends the same age group teams to a small tournament and everyone ends up being the same bracket and they make up majority of the bracket and the lower level team gets slaughtered and the higher up team gets praised over social media for being the Champions.

 

[outside!]

It's a small thing compared to issues affecting the physical/mental health of the kids....but.....

a peev is when the ordering of games in group play at tourneys ends up being such that in the final game two teams can play a phone it in draw so they both advance. Strategic perhaps, but not sporting.

I personally witnessed a case where the young women on the field decided the last game of group play was not worth getting injured for (there was an injury in the first few minutes of the game). After the restart they just passed the ball around and ended in a draw. It made national news thanks to some dimwad sports writer blowing it up. No mention of the close to 100 degree temps/100 perscent humidity. No mention of the artificially compressed tournament schedule that these players had endured for years. No mention of the fact these young women would be reporting to college in a few weeks. There are times when strategic and player welfare is much more important than sporting.

 

[GLangevinito]

I personally witnessed a case where the young women on the field decided the last game of group play was not worth getting injured for (there was an injury in the first few minutes of the game). After the restart they just passed the ball around and ended in a draw. It made national news thanks to some dimwad sports writer blowing it up. No mention of the close to 100 degree temps/100 perscent humidity. No mention of the artificially compressed tournament schedule that these players had endured for years. No mention of the fact these young women would be reporting to college in a few weeks. There are times when strategic and player welfare is much more important than sporting.

This has happened at every level. I remember the Lightning/LAGSD/CitySC match that made it to ESPN because the teams spent 90 minutes passing it around to ensure a tie and ensure that both teams moved on. Same thing happened this last Surf Cup with 11 year old boys between TFA and Dallas Texans.

You can always come up with a justification for cheating. Always. The other team is cheating. The games were scheduled too close together. It's hot.

The problem is, every team when they register for the tournament is committing to play by the rules of the tournament, and to give their best to compete. To take advantage of a schedule that allows you to profit from prior match results from your group to give two teams a day off is wrong. It's cheating. The other teams didn't get a rest day on their last match.

The simple fact is that the teams that cheated wanted to win, and didn't think that the rules should apply to them. If there are times when strategic and player welfare is more important than upholding the concepts of sportsmanship and competition, then that team shouldn't have entered that tournament.

 

[espola]

I personally witnessed a case where the young women on the field decided the last game of group play was not worth getting injured for (there was an injury in the first few minutes of the game). After the restart they just passed the ball around and ended in a draw. It made national news thanks to some dimwad sports writer blowing it up. No mention of the close to 100 degree temps/100 perscent humidity. No mention of the artificially compressed tournament schedule that these players had endured for years. No mention of the fact these young women would be reporting to college in a few weeks. There are times when strategic and player welfare is much more important than sporting.

This has happened at every level. I remember the Lightning/LAGSD/CitySC match that made it to ESPN because the teams spent 90 minutes passing it around to ensure a tie and ensure that both teams moved on. Same thing happened this last Surf Cup with 11 year old boys between TFA and Dallas Texans.

You can always come up with a justification for cheating. Always. The other team is cheating. The games were scheduled too close together. It's hot.

The problem is, every team when they register for the tournament is committing to play by the rules of the tournament, and to give their best to compete. To take advantage of a schedule that allows you to profit from prior match results from your group to give two teams a day off is wrong. It's cheating. The other teams didn't get a rest day on their last match.

The simple fact is that the teams that cheated wanted to win, and didn't think that the rules should apply to them. If there are times when strategic and player welfare is more important than upholding the concepts of sportsmanship and competition, then that team shouldn't have entered that tournament.

Those two situations are not the same.

 

[GLangevinito]

Those two situations are not the same.

We're talking about the same incident.

 

[outside!]

This has happened at every level. I remember the Lightning/LAGSD/CitySC match that made it to ESPN because the teams spent 90 minutes passing it around to ensure a tie and ensure that both teams moved on. Same thing happened this last Surf Cup with 11 year old boys between TFA and Dallas Texans.

You can always come up with a justification for cheating. Always. The other team is cheating. The games were scheduled too close together. It's hot.

The problem is, every team when they register for the tournament is committing to play by the rules of the tournament, and to give their best to compete. To take advantage of a schedule that allows you to profit from prior match results from your group to give two teams a day off is wrong. It's cheating. The other teams didn't get a rest day on their last match.

The simple fact is that the teams that cheated wanted to win, and didn't think that the rules should apply to them. If there are times when strategic and player welfare is more important than upholding the concepts of sportsmanship and competition, then that team shouldn't have entered that tournament.

I was at the LAGSD game since I was at that tournament with a different team. LAGSD would have moved on even if they lost that game. The other team would have moved on unless they lost by more than 6 or 7 goals (I can't remember). They did not spend 90 minutes passing it around, they spent roughly 80 minutes. After one of the players went off with a knee injury, both teams realized that the game just did not matter. They were in that position becuase they had domitated their previous two games. This was a decision made on the field by the players. Most of the players were weeks away from reporting to college. These players had jumped through all of the hoops set up by this crazy system. The adults blew this way out of proportion and you are perpetuating it. ESPN should not have publicized this. The only reason they even had footage is because parent's of the team that had lost a previous game 6 or 7 to 0 were hoping LAGSD would stomp the other team worse so thier DD's could move on sent it to them. Those same parent raised quite a stink on the sideline and threatened the players. You weren't there and you definitely were not one of the ones hauling their butts up and down the field and enduring the threats from very poorly behaved adults. Keep you pontificating to yourself.

 

[GLangevinito]

I was at the LAGSD game since I was at that tournament with a different team. LAGSD would have moved on even if they lost that game. The other team would have moved on unless they lost by more than 6 or 7 goals (I can't remember). They did not spend 90 minutes passing it around, they spent roughly 80 minutes. After one of the players went off with a knee injury, both teams realized that the game just did not matter. They were in that position becuase they had domitated their previous two games. This was a decision made on the field by the players. Most of the players were weeks away from reporting to college. These players had jumped through all of the hoops set up by this crazy system. The adults blew this way out of proportion and you are perpetuating it. ESPN should not have publicized this. The only reason they even had footage is because parent's of the team that had lost a previous game 6 or 7 to 0 were hoping LAGSD would stomp the other team worse so thier DD's could move on sent it to them. Those same parent raised quite a stink on the sideline and threatened the players. You weren't there and you definitely were not one of the ones hauling their butts up and down the field and enduring the threats from very poorly behaved adults. Keep you pontificating to yourself.

This past Thursday during, the final game of the group stages of the Girls U18 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Frisco, Texas, it appears that two teams, Carlsbad Elite (CA-S) and Ambassadors FC (OH-N), may have colluded to finish the match in the draw so that both teams can advance. Top Drawer Soccer’s Will Parchman reported on the game and supplied video showing both teams making zero effort to score, or even play the game. The video shows defenders simply passing the ball back and forth for several minutes with no opponents within 20 yards. The defenders then played the ball to the other end of the field where their teammates openly move out of the ball’s path until the opposing defenders collect it and begin their passing game between them with no pressure from their opponent. It was clear that neither team made an effort to attempt to win game, being as they needed only a draw to advance to Saturday’s semi-finals.

Ambassadors’ coach Caleb Fortune, in a statement, says the lack luster performance was due to the extreme heat in the Texas sun, which exceeded 100 degrees most of the week. However, from the video it can be clearly be seen that, regardless of the heat, there was a concerted effort by both teams to not attempt to actually play the game in a competitive manner. US Youth Soccer seems to have immediately picked up on the severity of the issue and actually made the game footage of the match unavailable online, the only match not available. The National Championship Series Committee found the teams were “disrespectful to the game, the competition and US Youth Soccer,” and unspecified disciplinary action and monetary fines were issued to the teams. However, both teams were allowed to advance to the semi-finals, with Carlsbad advancing to the National Final on Sunday.

This behavior is representative of the problems plaguing youth sports today, and not just soccer. The ‘win at all costs’ culture has lost the value that sports used to play in the development of children. Competition and the drive to win are key components to sports and the life lessons taught to players. However, the competitive drive needs to be one of fair play and respect for the game. Playing the game with no intention of winning is an insult to the sport as well as the other teams in the competition.

 

[GLangevinito]

This past Thursday during, the final game of the group stages of the Girls U18 US Youth Soccer National Championships in Frisco, Texas, it appears that two teams, Carlsbad Elite (CA-S) and Ambassadors FC (OH-N), may have colluded to finish the match in the draw so that both teams can advance. Top Drawer Soccer’s Will Parchman reported on the game and supplied video showing both teams making zero effort to score, or even play the game. The video shows defenders simply passing the ball back and forth for several minutes with no opponents within 20 yards. The defenders then played the ball to the other end of the field where their teammates openly move out of the ball’s path until the opposing defenders collect it and begin their passing game between them with no pressure from their opponent. It was clear that neither team made an effort to attempt to win game, being as they needed only a draw to advance to Saturday’s semi-finals.

Ambassadors’ coach Caleb Fortune, in a statement, says the lack luster performance was due to the extreme heat in the Texas sun, which exceeded 100 degrees most of the week. However, from the video it can be clearly be seen that, regardless of the heat, there was a concerted effort by both teams to not attempt to actually play the game in a competitive manner. US Youth Soccer seems to have immediately picked up on the severity of the issue and actually made the game footage of the match unavailable online, the only match not available. The National Championship Series Committee found the teams were “disrespectful to the game, the competition and US Youth Soccer,” and unspecified disciplinary action and monetary fines were issued to the teams. However, both teams were allowed to advance to the semi-finals, with Carlsbad advancing to the National Final on Sunday.

This behavior is representative of the problems plaguing youth sports today, and not just soccer. The ‘win at all costs’ culture has lost the value that sports used to play in the development of children. Competition and the drive to win are key components to sports and the life lessons taught to players. However, the competitive drive needs to be one of fair play and respect for the game. Playing the game with no intention of winning is an insult to the sport as well as the other teams in the competition.

Lots of excuses from the Carlsbad parents. It's VERY unlikely that the "players decided on their own" to pass the ball around and not play defense for 80 minutes. Players are there to play, no matter if they are hot, or tired, or a bench player. The video showed 64 consecutive passes completed by one side with no pressure before kicking it to the other team.

No matter what the competitive situation was, both coaches made the decision to not play and rob another team of an opportunity to advance, no matter how slim the chances were. It's shameful, and I would bet you that 100% of the girls who were on the field that day regret it. I blame the coaches.

 

[EvilGoalie 21]

There are times when strategic and player welfare is much more important than sporting.

Simple. Then don't do the tourney.

 

[mlx]

Parents not knowing the "shoulder to shoulder"rule. It's really annoying.

Yesterday:
Our defender goes shoulder to shoulder against their forward, and steals the ball.
Ignorant parent: "COME ON, REF!!!!!! THAT'S A CARD!!!!! ARRRRHHHH!!!!! BLAHBLAH BLAHBLAH...."

Next play:
Our center mid is carrying the ball. Their center mid comes and kicks him on the ankles. The ref calls a fault right away.
Ignorant parent: "ARE YOU SERIOUS?????? YOU DID SEE THAT ONE?????? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!!!!!"

 

[mlx]

Parents raising loser brats.

Yesterday:
Same game, our team is winning 8-0 and one bratty player tries to make fun of one of our players doing EXACTLY this
Our players around them look at each other like thinking "seriously? you are this loser?", and then they just erupt in laughter at their player and they just remind him there are 8 goals in difference.

 

[Footy30]

Parents raising loser brats.

Yesterday:
Same game, our team is winning 8-0 and one bratty player tries to make fun of one of our players doing EXACTLY this
Our players around them look at each other like thinking "seriously? you are this loser?", and then they just erupt in laughter at their player and they just remind him there are 8 goals in difference.

Parents raising loser brats. I think you nailed it right here.... not only when they're losing either, parents raising kids to be brats in general....

 

[Chalklines]

Parents raising loser brats. I think you nailed it right here.... not only when they're losing either, parents raising kids to be brats in general....

My experience in California so far is Club soccer is a privileged sport. The parents with money feel entitled on and off the field to have things go a certain way their child. Spoiled Brats come with the territory more often then not.

 

[crush]

My experience in California so far is Club soccer is a privileged sport. The parents with money feel entitled on and off the field to have things go a certain way their child. Spoiled Brats come with the territory more often then not.

I got my old original avatar name suspended by Dom three years ago all because I coined a new league called, "Elite Parents Soccer League." EPSL is all about pay for access and then pay some more to play. I made a fake ad three years ago for the heck of it and I got whacked and attacked. You saw it bro. I'm coming up on my three year welcome back date. The hate I got for telling the truth has been insane. Anyway, I will soon leave for good and have two big reasons why I want and need to leave ASAP!!!. The heat is getting so hot I'm starting to feel the burn on my face. I already have knives in my back from dadhats. This three year clean up job has taken it's toll on my soul.

 

[outside!]

Lots of excuses from the Carlsbad parents. It's VERY unlikely that the "players decided on their own" to pass the ball around and not play defense for 80 minutes. Players are there to play, no matter if they are hot, or tired, or a bench player. The video showed 64 consecutive passes completed by one side with no pressure before kicking it to the other team.

No matter what the competitive situation was, both coaches made the decision to not play and rob another team of an opportunity to advance, no matter how slim the chances were. It's shameful, and I would bet you that 100% of the girls who were on the field that day regret it. I blame the coaches.

Were either of you there? I reported what I saw with my own eyes, not what I read on the internet. Yes they did deny the NY team that lost a previous game 7-0. It was a NY parent that provided the video to TDS. You talk so much about "respect for the game", but no mention of how the current system has so little respect for the players with the fragmentation of leagues and the unneccasary travel caused by that fragmentation. Was what the players did the best response, probably not. It was however the response of a bunch of players that were tired of being used as pawns. You weren't there. Don't make assumptions about how those WOMEN (not girls, show some respect) feel about that game. You weren't on that field and you didn't go through the meet grinder of youth soccer like they did. They had just seen one of their peers taken off the field in tears for a game that did not matter.

 

[GLangevinito]

Were either of you there? I reported what I saw with my own eyes, not what I read on the internet. Yes they did deny the NY team that lost a previous game 7-0. It was a NY parent that provided the video to TDS. You talk so much about "respect for the game", but no mention of how the current system has so little respect for the players with the fragmentation of leagues and the unneccasary travel caused by that fragmentation. Was what the players did the best response, probably not. It was however the response of a bunch of players that were tired of being used as pawns. You weren't there. Don't make assumptions about how those WOMEN (not girls, show some respect) feel about that game. You weren't on that field and you didn't go through the meet grinder of youth soccer like they did. They had just seen one of their peers taken off the field in tears for a game that did not matter.

I watched the whole video, as did tens of thousands of people. It was embarrassing. The only people who saw nothing wrong live in 92008.

If the tournament was unfair, and a meat grinder, the team could have chosen to skip it and head off to college refreshed. And you act like the Carlsbad team was the only one subject to the heat, and the grind, and the travel. EVERY TEAM had to deal with the same thing. It's no excuse for what both teams did - at least the other coach had the decency to act sheepish about it.

I think Courtney agreed to the match fix when the other coach used all the same excuses you trotted out, and probably regretted it midway through when the optics looked terrible. But I lay the blame squarely at her feet, and anyone else who was involved in the decision. I don't blame the players at all. You know they didn't want to do that. You know they felt dumb not-playing for 80 minutes.

I've had kids with plenty of group stage matches that didn't matter to the team. They could lose and still advance. But guess what? They still chose to play the game, risking injury, risking fatigue. Because that's what they signed up for - to play the game to the best of their ability.

 

[mlx]

I watched the whole video, as did tens of thousands of people. It was embarrassing. The only people who saw nothing wrong live in 92008.

If the tournament was unfair, and a meat grinder, the team could have chosen to skip it and head off to college refreshed. And you act like the Carlsbad team was the only one subject to the heat, and the grind, and the travel. EVERY TEAM had to deal with the same thing. It's no excuse for what both teams did - at least the other coach had the decency to act sheepish about it.

I think Courtney agreed to the match fix when the other coach used all the same excuses you trotted out, and probably regretted it midway through when the optics looked terrible. But I lay the blame squarely at her feet, and anyone else who was involved in the decision. I don't blame the players at all. You know they didn't want to do that. You know they felt dumb not-playing for 80 minutes.

I've had kids with plenty of group stage matches that didn't matter to the team. They could lose and still advance. But guess what? They still chose to play the game, risking injury, risking fatigue. Because that's what they signed up for - to play the game to the best of their ability.

Feel free to discuss further in here:

Thread

 

[Emma]

I watched the whole video, as did tens of thousands of people. It was embarrassing. The only people who saw nothing wrong live in 92008.

If the tournament was unfair, and a meat grinder, the team could have chosen to skip it and head off to college refreshed. And you act like the Carlsbad team was the only one subject to the heat, and the grind, and the travel. EVERY TEAM had to deal with the same thing. It's no excuse for what both teams did - at least the other coach had the decency to act sheepish about it.

I think Courtney agreed to the match fix when the other coach used all the same excuses you trotted out, and probably regretted it midway through when the optics looked terrible. But I lay the blame squarely at her feet, and anyone else who was involved in the decision. I don't blame the players at all. You know they didn't want to do that. You know they felt dumb not-playing for 80 minutes.

I've had kids with plenty of group stage matches that didn't matter to the team. They could lose and still advance. But guess what? They still chose to play the game, risking injury, risking fatigue. Because that's what they signed up for - to play the game to the best of their ability.

Carlsbad didn't need to win. They opted for a safe strategy to prevent injuries during a heatwave. I'd take that type of a coach anytime - Thinking about my kid's safety over blowing up the scoreboard.

Are you saying as a coach you would tell your players to go give it their all even though the game is meaningless to them and there is a high risk of injury? Wouldn't you strategize to keep your players in good shape for the next game - I would. A bunch of young woman are very capable of reading game results in tournaments and knowing whether the game is meaningless or not and protect themselves for the important game.

It's people who are so obsessed over things like this that is ruining the fun in youth soccer/sports. It's just a kid's game and when it's too hot and you don't need to score to move on, you don't make an effort. It makes perfect sense. If they decided to play hard, which is not smart of them, I'd support them too.

The other parent that submitted the video is a sore loser - entitled as heck. Thinking they have a right to force a bunch of girls to play the way they want them to because their poor daughters didn't do enough to control their own destiny in the tourney.

 

[GLangevinito]

Carlsbad didn't need to win. They opted for a safe strategy to prevent injuries during a heatwave. I'd take that type of a coach anytime - Thinking about my kid's safety over blowing up the scoreboard.

Carlsbad didn't need to win. So why did they collude to throw the match? It wasn't about preventing injuries. Courtney could have played subs. She could have told them to lay back defensively. She could have told them to take their time and slow the pace of the game down. All acceptable. They did none of those things. They chose not to compete at all. Did you watch the video?

The only reason USYS did not disqualify both teams (as they should have), is that both coaches stuck to their lie that they did not collude, despite the video proving their statements false.

Are you saying as a coach you would tell your players to go give it their all even though the game is meaningless to them and there is a high risk of injury? Wouldn't you strategize to keep your players in good shape for the next game - I would. A bunch of young woman are very capable of reading game results in tournaments and knowing whether the game is meaningless or not and protect themselves for the important game.

How is there a "high" risk of injury? More than any other match? And yes, if I were in Courtney's place on that day, I would have played all my subs, told them to save their strength and not kill themselves, but I would have TOLD THEM TO PLAY. Not sit back for an entire game without a defensive challenge.

It's people who are so obsessed over things like this that is ruining the fun in youth soccer/sports. It's just a kid's game and when it's too hot and you don't need to score to move on, you don't make an effort. It makes perfect sense. If they decided to play hard, which is not smart of them, I'd support them too.

They didn't make a subpar effort, THEY MADE NO EFFORT. And by doing so they robbed that other team of the bargain they made when they entered the competition - that every team will compete. They did not compete that day.

The other parent that submitted the video is a sore loser - entitled as heck. Thinking they have a right to force a bunch of girls to play the way they want them to because their poor daughters didn't do enough to control their own destiny in the tourney.

You are confusing a team failing to play in a style that they would have preferred to NOT PLAYING AT ALL.

Frankly, you are what is wrong with youth sports today. Win at all costs. Who cares about ethics? Do what you need to advance, screw everyone else.

 

[mlx]

Frankly, you are what is wrong with youth sports today. Win at all costs. Who cares about ethics? Do what you need to advance, screw everyone else.

Geez! I guess you are a parent of one of the teams that didn't qualify?

Emma made a very good point: Did the coaches or players talk to each other to fix the game? If so, it's cheating. If they didn't and just decided to kick the ball around, that's just tactics for the game/tournament.