Nobody wins a 9-0 game (or 18-1)...
If there is one issue that crops up in youth soccer more than any other, it is when games are not competitive. As a young coach, I experienced it first-hand with my U12 boys team when we played the team where the coach was the president of the league. Even though it was AYSO and the teams were supposed to be balanced so that there shouldn't have been any major mismatches, this team dominated every other team including mine. That wasn't such a big problem for me except that every time this team scored, the team mom would hit the play button on the boom box and Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" would blast out of the speakers. It really symbolized to me that this coach didn't have any idea how it looked when you played a celebration song for the last goal in a 9-0 win.
I have also been on the other side of that scoreline a few times at the HS level. The last time, my team was up 8-0 and I was encouraging my team to pass the ball around and possess it, but we ended up with a corner kick. A defender who had never scored scored the most beautiful goal, a full volley into the top corner of the goal and then was so excited she ran to midfield and slid on her knees with her arms in the air. It was a great moment for her, but a lousy one for the other team. While I apologized to the coach after the game, they never agreed to play us again even when our teams were more evenly matched.
Should you try to play your best and not worry about the score even if it ends up being lopsided? Well, the answer to the second question in our program is that you do want to pay attention to the score. Human nature, being what it is, players who are losing big are not going to put in the same effort as if the game is close. They may get upset and behave in ways that they wouldn't if they feel they can be competitive at some level. There may be issues with player, parent and coach attitude towards the other team, coaches or even referees. The biggest concern is injuries. Players who are upset may take out their frustrations by fouling the other team. As a coach, regardless of whether you are winning or losing big, you need to pay attention to that possibility.
Some coaches may argue that if they change the way the team plays that they may lose their character. If that is your concern, let me give you something else to think about. If your team is so much better than the other team that a team practice is more challenging than the game, then why play the game at all? Every game should be viewed as an opportunity to improve. If the other team cannot challenge your team enough to force them to improve, then you have to find a way to do it.
So what do you do if your team is clearly better than the other team? There are a lot of options for you in soccer, so you need to plan for things you can do and train your kids during practices. Here are some scenarios and possible adjustments:
Their GK is very weak- drop your team off to midfield every time the GK gets the ball; have your kids focus on placement when shooting instead of power.
Their defenders always kick the ball away- have your defenders play deeper so that they can be farther from the goal and get a chance to work on controlling bouncing or high balls; require that your players play your keeper before going forward.
Your team is clearly more skilled-
I have also been on the other side of that scoreline a few times at the HS level. The last time, my team was up 8-0 and I was encouraging my team to pass the ball around and possess it, but we ended up with a corner kick. A defender who had never scored scored the most beautiful goal, a full volley into the top corner of the goal and then was so excited she ran to midfield and slid on her knees with her arms in the air. It was a great moment for her, but a lousy one for the other team. While I apologized to the coach after the game, they never agreed to play us again even when our teams were more evenly matched.
Should you try to play your best and not worry about the score even if it ends up being lopsided? Well, the answer to the second question in our program is that you do want to pay attention to the score. Human nature, being what it is, players who are losing big are not going to put in the same effort as if the game is close. They may get upset and behave in ways that they wouldn't if they feel they can be competitive at some level. There may be issues with player, parent and coach attitude towards the other team, coaches or even referees. The biggest concern is injuries. Players who are upset may take out their frustrations by fouling the other team. As a coach, regardless of whether you are winning or losing big, you need to pay attention to that possibility.
Some coaches may argue that if they change the way the team plays that they may lose their character. If that is your concern, let me give you something else to think about. If your team is so much better than the other team that a team practice is more challenging than the game, then why play the game at all? Every game should be viewed as an opportunity to improve. If the other team cannot challenge your team enough to force them to improve, then you have to find a way to do it.
So what do you do if your team is clearly better than the other team? There are a lot of options for you in soccer, so you need to plan for things you can do and train your kids during practices. Here are some scenarios and possible adjustments:
Their GK is very weak- drop your team off to midfield every time the GK gets the ball; have your kids focus on placement when shooting instead of power.
Their defenders always kick the ball away- have your defenders play deeper so that they can be farther from the goal and get a chance to work on controlling bouncing or high balls; require that your players play your keeper before going forward.
Your team is clearly more skilled-
- Play a man down.
- Don't allow a player to score twice before everyone else on the team has scored once. This forces your best attacking players to feed other players instead of scoring on their own.
- Put a pass requirement before they can shoot (at least 3 passes before a shot); increase the pass requirement with every goal scored (3 for the first goal, 4 for the next...)
- Play players out of position. Force your best attacking players to play more defensive roles.
- Have a left foot requirement. Demand that players shoot, dribble and or pass with their non-dominant foot.
- Pass back to the GK to start every attack. After every ball that is won, players have to play back to their own GK before they can mount an attack.
- If a player has used the same move to beat a defender multiple times, ask the player to use a move he or she is less comfortable with to improve confidence.
- Require that they shoot from outside the penalty box. As players are less accurate from distance, this should lower the team's shot efficiency.
Each one of these scenarios makes the game more difficult for your team and challenges them, sometimes more than playing against the opponent. Progressive restrictions like the pass requirement force your team to play better as the game goes on. Others, like the left foot only challenge them to show skills that they aren't comfortable with in a game situation.
Regardless of the choice you make, remember that this is one aspect of the game you have a lot of control over. Not only does it help your players and your team, but it also allows the other team to compete harder against you.
The next time this situation arises, please work with the other coach to make adjustments to the game so that we can have our kids in the best development environment possible. Also, please show some awareness of the situation and don't celebrate the 9th goal with the same zeal as you celebrated the first one.
Two last things:
Please don't ever play "Eye of the Tiger" to celebrate a goal.
The next season, my team did beat that team and the victory was made even sweeter by the fact that we didn't have to hear that song....
FYI - good blog posts. I think you do a very good job arcitulating what it means to teach player skills effectively while maintaining a balance between how much attention is paid to the score/winning. I think sometimes the mantra can become either "they are just here to have fun who cares about the score" or the polar opposite "the point is to win period" I think you have offered alot of well thought out fodder for those of us who are somewhere in between.
ReplyDelete-Thx- Brianna
Overall these tips are great, with a few small caveats. I often see such lopsided games (from either side) during the first 2 matches of a season, as teams are still working out the kinks and learning new things. This is especially true in rec soccer at younger ages, where the likelihood of having first-time players on a team is high. Take a bunch of newbies and mix in 2-3 longtime players with above-average skills and, well, things get out of hand. When 1 kid bombs in a hattrick from near the halfway line 15 minutes into the match, other problems present themselves. You can try to move him out of position, but he'll just dribble through the pack and score anyway, or shoot over the top of them. You can direct him to pass or use non-dominant foot, and that may help, but when that kid sees an open goal instinct takes over and he's drilling a shot no matter what coach says. You can put him in goal to hold him back from the attack....that works if he doesn't have another dominant strike partner on the field who's also in need of a tether. You can bench him....that sucks for everyone.
ReplyDeleteOther sports have a mercy rule. Frankly, I find that to be MORE embarrassing to players than a lopsided loss. Playing down a man (and announcing it prominently) is, to many, perceived as being akin to the mercy rule.
Being early in the season, coaches are usually trying to instill in new players a few modes of thought. You're trying to teach them to want the ball, to pass, to try new positions, to be aggressive instead of passive, to pay attention to space/position and, for some, just how to kick a ball. Adding the confusion of additional "rules" like 2-touch or extra passes when they're bombarded by their first game experience can be, well...overwhelming. And no coach ever wants to be in the position of discouraging goal celebration, especially for first-time scorers.
So, a few other additions:
Run the clock.....urge the ref to shave that 30 minute half into 28-ish minutes, and don't stop it for any reason.
Take water breaks to break up the action and momentum.
Make a substitution "mistake" in order to play down a man. Send off 3 and bring on 2. Ignore the inevitable parents yelling "hey, count the players". Repeat if necessary.
If the kids are really young, lose the goalie gloves...slippery hands make things tougher. Heck, tell the goalie to be a field player and do a "no hands" rule.