⚽️⚽️⚽️…Delusional Youth Soccer Parent Thread

[TU_BLA]

My son’s team drilled Harvard A 4-0 tonight at the Yahd. Son said the weather was brutal…rainy, 50 degrees and windy as a Nor’easter rolls into the east coast tonight/tomorrow.
They’re on to regionals at UMASS -Amherst in 2 weeks and then hopefully onto the national finals (which will be at Scheel’s in Overland Park).
College Club Soccer released their mid season rankings this past week and Tufts Blue is #2 behind Michigan State. By my count Tufts has only given up 3 goals in their games so far this season (it’s either 9 or 10 games).

 

[Honkv]

Awfully quiet around here these days

 

[lawpoke87]

Awfully quiet around here these days

Colorado went as expected. We lost to Real Colorado and beat The Rapids. It’s a tough task to beat the #2 team in the country at altitude with zero acclimation time. We get to face them again in two weeks in Austin in the Texas Cup finals. Hopefully we get a difference result. They are a high quality side though.

We face Sting Royal this Sunday in a huge game which will go a long way in deciding who makes Champions league at nationals. Should be fun.

 

[Honkv]

Colorado went as expected. We lost to Real Colorado and beat The Rapids. It’s a tough task to beat the #2 team in the country at altitude with zero acclimation time. We get to face them again in two weeks in Austin in the Texas Cup finals. Hopefully we get a difference result. They are a high quality side though.

We face Sting Royal this Sunday in a huge game which will go a long way in deciding who makes Champions league at nationals. Should be fun.

We have Challenge and Albion this weekend. We should handily beat Albion. We'll see about Challenge.

 

[lawpoke87]

We have Challenge and Albion this weekend. We should handily beat Albion. We'll see about Challenge.

I expect WSA 2010 NL to have another tough weekend. Both Albion and Challenge are very good in that age group.

 

[TU_BLA]

We have Challenge and Albion this weekend. We should handily beat Albion. We'll see about Challenge.

I might be centering that game vs Challenge. What day do you play them? I have a WSA U13 vs Challenge on Sunday at 11am. I also have 3 RL games at West Bank on Saturday. Should be loads of fun. I will be in both referee and dad mode for the games on Saturday. My daughter is an AR for those games...these are her first 11v11 games...the assignors at WSA are so desperate right now because of Fall break, a boat load of games for WSA and they also do the scheduling/assigning for Soktober Fest which is an adult league tournament run in conjunction with OctoberFest. Bunch of drunk guys trying to relive their former soccer glory. It's worse than beer league softball. They tried to get me to do it and I was like "HELL NO". You must be 18 to do adult games so they scramble and stick kids into their WSA games who may or may not be ready. My daughter is comfortable enough with the laws of the game and understands the black and white part but there's a lot of nuance in the laws regarding offside and whether or not a player is involved with or interfering with the active play. She does fine with U12 and below on the lines. At the same time, I am not going to let a coach or parents abuse her the way they like to over every little thing. I'll have my cards handy along with the ref abuse report if they go too far. I have a feeling a lot of games will be like this at WSA this weekend (most of the rec leagues don't have games scheduled because of Fall break).

 

[Soccerguy7583]

We have Challenge and Albion this weekend. We should handily beat Albion. We'll see about Challenge.

We have the same group this weekend, and we should handle both teams by several goals if we play up to our ability. But we are still dealing with 14 yr old girls who haven't played in 3 weeks so who knows.

 

[lawpoke87]

We have the same group this weekend, and we should handle both teams by several goals if we play up to our ability. But we are still dealing with 14 yr old girls who haven't played in 3 weeks so who knows.

Hoping your 2010s can right the ship this weekend. Won’t be easy though. Tough season for those girls thus far.

 

[Soccerguy7583]

Hoping your 2010s can right the ship this weekend. Won’t be easy though. Tough season for those girls thus far.

Yeah definitely not the season they hoped for.

 

[Honkv]

I might be centering that game vs Challenge. What day do you play them? I have a WSA U13 vs Challenge on Sunday at 11am. I also have 3 RL games at West Bank on Saturday. Should be loads of fun. I will be in both referee and dad mode for the games on Saturday. My daughter is an AR for those games...these are her first 11v11 games...the assignors at WSA are so desperate right now because of Fall break, a boat load of games for WSA and they also do the scheduling/assigning for Soktober Fest which is an adult league tournament run in conjunction with OctoberFest. Bunch of drunk guys trying to relive their former soccer glory. It's worse than beer league softball. They tried to get me to do it and I was like "HELL NO". You must be 18 to do adult games so they scramble and stick kids into their WSA games who may or may not be ready. My daughter is comfortable enough with the laws of the game and understands the black and white part but there's a lot of nuance in the laws regarding offside and whether or not a player is involved with or interfering with the active play. She does fine with U12 and below on the lines. At the same time, I am not going to let a coach or parents abuse her the way they like to over every little thing. I'll have my cards handy along with the ref abuse report if they go too far. I have a feeling a lot of games will be like this at WSA this weekend (most of the rec leagues don't have games scheduled because of Fall break).

we play Sunday at 11, so looks like we got you.

 

[Honkv]

Prepare to be heckled

 

[Soccerguy7583]

Hoping your 2010s can right the ship this weekend. Won’t be easy though. Tough season for those girls thus far.

We actually scrimmage this evening.

 

[Honkv]

I meant that as a joke @TU_BLA

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

Prepare to be heckled

Ride his backside about being an anti-paragraphite. That'll show him!

 

[Bordare51]

we play Sunday at 11, so looks like we got you.

you're not u13 tho rt? Could be us -- we play as U13 in the RL league and have a game against Challenge on Sunday at 11am.

If you get heckled it was Honkv's team, if not then our team. My wife is Deaf so all of our heckling is in sign language and we keep the obvious universal heckler signs under control. bahaha

On Saturday we play against Albion RL at 11am.

 

[lawpoke87]

I meant that as a joke @TU_BLA

Don’t back down now. I’m coming in full referee heckle gear

 

[TU_BLA]

Funny thing is I tend to ignore parents for the most part, and most of the coaches comments as well. If I am AR I will engage with the coach if I'm on that side or maybe joke with a parent or two. I tend to use my voice even as an AR to help players or even explain something to coaches, even if it's BS. Last week had a U19 competitive match and the GK starts yelling at my center wanting a foul/PK in the opposite box and I turned and simply told him it was a clean tackle, ball first, on time and his teammate stumbled over the defender after the fact. Coach later asked about a PK given against his team and said from my perspective the tackle was really late and reckless. The confusion for everyone on that play was the attacker actually got a shot off that the keeper grabbed. As I said, the foul was really really late and it was a good catch by the center because he didn't immediately turn and follow the ball and stayed with that play for an extra 2-3 seconds because he could see what was coming (and the center was a 17 year old kid).

So things all parents need to know about the laws:
1. Not every time the ball touches a hand is it a handball offense (they'd be surprised at how little rises to a handball offense per the laws and the IFAB guidance and interpretations)
2. A player can be offside even though they received the ball in their own half of the field
3. Getting the ball during a tackle doesn't mean a foul can't occur

These are the 3 things that drive me crazy about parents who have watched a lot of soccer but have never gone through the referee course and certifications. There's so much subjectivity involved as well as nuance on things that seem black and white.

 

[Honkv]

you're not u13 tho rt? Could be us -- we play as U13 in the RL league and have a game against Challenge on Sunday at 11am.

If you get heckled it was Honkv's team, if not then our team. My wife is Deaf so all of our heckling is in sign language and we keep the obvious universal heckler signs under control. bahaha

On Saturday we play against Albion RL at 11am.

Once again, I am embarrassed by forgetting that my daughter is actually u14.



Still gonna find a reason to yell at @TU_BLA tho

 

[Bordare51]

Once again, I am embarrassed by forgetting that my daughter is actually u14.

Bro, I can't even remember my own age.

 

[Li'l Eric Coley]

Bro, I can't even remember my own age.

Yeah, I have to do the math based on 1971 most days.

 

[TU_BLA]

Yeah, I have to do the math based on 1971 most days.

Go donate blood with OBI. They'll give you a sheet that says both your DOB but also calculates your age and puts it right there on top. I am always amazed when I see the number and I'm like "When the hell did that happen" . It's good to know LEC is older than I am...by a year

BTW, I know this from donating blood yesterday at OBI, and PSA....if donating blood is part of your routine, now would be a good time to do so as they're experiencing a huge need for blood donors right now.

 

[ScheelSC]

Funny thing is I tend to ignore parents for the most part, and most of the coaches comments as well. If I am AR I will engage with the coach if I'm on that side or maybe joke with a parent or two. I tend to use my voice even as an AR to help players or even explain something to coaches, even if it's BS. Last week had a U19 competitive match and the GK starts yelling at my center wanting a foul/PK in the opposite box and I turned and simply told him it was a clean tackle, ball first, on time and his teammate stumbled over the defender after the fact. Coach later asked about a PK given against his team and said from my perspective the tackle was really late and reckless. The confusion for everyone on that play was the attacker actually got a shot off that the keeper grabbed. As I said, the foul was really really late and it was a good catch by the center because he didn't immediately turn and follow the ball and stayed with that play for an extra 2-3 seconds because he could see what was coming (and the center was a 17 year old kid).

So things all parents need to know about the laws:
1. Not every time the ball touches a hand is it a handball offense (they'd be surprised at how little rises to a handball offense per the laws and the IFAB guidance and interpretations)
2. A player can be offside even though they received the ball in their own half of the field
3. Getting the ball during a tackle doesn't mean a foul can't occur

These are the 3 things that drive me crazy about parents who have watched a lot of soccer but have never gone through the referee course and certifications. There's so much subjectivity involved as well as nuance on things that seem black and white.

So I'm not a soccer guy. A player can be offside on their own end but it's not a penalty correct? Play still continues and it is ok?

 

[Gmoney4WW]

So I'm not a soccer guy. A player can be offside on their own end but it's not a penalty correct? Play still continues and it is ok?

He/she can be in an offsides position, but is not considered offsides until he is passed to. The pass is the key.

 

[TU_BLA]

So I'm not a soccer guy. A player can be offside on their own end but it's not a penalty correct? Play still continues and it is ok?

No. If they get involved in the play, the flag goes up and offside is called. This happens when the player begins in an offside position on their attacking side of the field (at the time the ball is played to them), but they come back to receive the ball in their own half. It’s always their position at the time the ball is played. If they start on their own half of the field when the ball is played to them they are onside. It’s a very nuanced call that gets missed by new referees (young and old).

 

[ScheelSC]

We have Challenge and Albion this weekend. We should handily beat Albion. We'll see about Challenge.

I assume ECNL has the 4-1 score reversed again and you didn't lose to Albion?

 

[Honkv]

I assume ECNL has the 4-1 score reversed again and you didn't lose to Albion?

nope, we did.
We shouldn’t have, but we did.

 

[lawpoke87]

nope, we did.
We shouldn’t have, but we did.

That hurts. You’re looking at a 1-4-1 start if you don’t beat a decent Challenge side tomorrow. Big game tomorrow

 

[ScheelSC]

nope, we did.
We shouldn’t have, but we did.

 

[Honkv]

That hurts. You’re looking at a 1-4-1 start if you don’t beat a decent Challenge side tomorrow. Big game tomorrow

Yep.

The ~ 3 weeks off hurt us.

It seemed as if we were better individually, and maybe even as a roster, but we just didn't have it today and they did.

 

[Honkv]

Lost 1-0 to Challenge today. Tough, close game.

 

[lawpoke87]

Lost 1-0 to Challenge today. Tough, close game.

Bad weekends happen. We had one out of the gate last season. Hopefully the girls can bounce back.

We won a huge game today against Royal 2-0. Fantastic high level soccer game where we were fortunate to find the net a couple of times. SMU and TCU were both there scouting.

 

[TU_BLA]

The challenge sides were not as good as I was expecting, especially on the RL side.

 

[Honkv]

The challenge sides were not as good as I was expecting, especially on the RL side.

I keep asking whether we are actually as good as I think we are, or is the level in Tx just leveling out with a couple elite teams.

 

[Soccerguy7583]

Bad weekends happen. We had one out of the gate last season. Hopefully the girls can bounce back.

We won a huge game today against Royal 2-0. Fantastic high level soccer game where we were fortunate to find the net a couple of times. SMU and TCU were both there scouting.

We finished the weekend with two dominant wins and moved into first place in the conference. Next weekend we play the last place and 3rd place team so should be an eventful weekend.

 

[TU_BLA]

I keep asking whether we are actually as good as I think we are, or is the level in Tx just leveling out with a couple elite teams.

That's a good question. I will qualify my answer to as the Challenge teams not being as good as I expected. They were very good building out of the back from the GK to the MFs, just well coached and a good understanding what the coaches were asking them to do positionally and where to move the ball to break the pressure. The U13 RL GK for Challenge was exceptional at being an outlet and with her feet and her distribution. Maybe the best I've seen at this age. Things broke down for Challenge in the final 1/3, like they couldn't really generate anything. I think the 2 goals they scored against the 13s came directly off of really poor distributions from GK and at least 1 off of a bad sequence trying to play out of the back off a GK.

I will say the WSA 13s RL (playing up a year) have improved a lot. They have a 2015 playing up with them and she's my favorite player to watch. She doesn't back down, goes 110% every moment and she's an extremely smart player. She took a ball to the face yesterday that knocked her down and I was about to stop play when she pops up and tells me she's fine.

The U17s won 3-0. Challenge was in the game for the first 15 minutes and actually really did a good job of holding the ball and building attack but got nothing from it. After WSA scored they sort of seemed deflated.

I think my last game was U15s. This game was actually a fun game to watch. Ended in a 3-2 win for WSA. One of the WSA girls scored on a 35 yard free kick and the moment she hit it I was like "she beat her". They also got on the board with a fluky goal where the Challenge GK just spilled the ball right to a WSA player. Challenge coach asked me what happened and I simply told him "I think she spilled it"...he later asked one of the MFs and she told him the GK mishandled it. Hopefully the GK blows it off because those are the types that can eat at GKs. She otherwise played pretty well. Last WSA goal with about 5 minutes left was a nice header at the top of the 6 off a corner.

I will say while I was AR1 I enjoyed listening to the Challenge coaches. Both had been teaching the game for a long time and they knew how to get the players to understand what they were looking for.

 

[Bordare51]

I will say the WSA 13s RL (playing up a year) have improved a lot. They have a 2015 playing up with them and she's my favorite player to watch. She doesn't back down, goes 110% every moment and she's an extremely smart player. She took a ball to the face yesterday that knocked her down and I was about to stop play when she pops up and tells me she's fine.

Appreciate that! The team’s learning a ton this year as they grow into 11v11, and that kid’s got some serious grit.

 

[TU_BLA]

@Bordare51 Were you all out there yesterday? I thought your group played well.

 

[Honkv]

The WSA 14s (playing 13 RL) are really great to watch. I didn't realize you had one over there @Bordare51

 

[lawpoke87]

We finished the weekend with two dominant wins and moved into first place in the conference. Next weekend we play the last place and 3rd place team so should be an eventful weekend.

I’ve always thought that a combined Oklahoma team (best from Tulsa and OKC) could compete with just about anyone. You guys basically have that dynamic

 

[lawpoke87]

I keep asking whether we are actually as good as I think we are, or is the level in Tx just leveling out with a couple elite teams.

Big weekend for you guys. Two winnable games.