Battlestar and Soccer

As luck had it after looking forward to seeing the new series I found myself where Battlestar was on until 11 PM last night and my daughters soccer game was this morning at 7:30 AM meaning we had to be up before 6 AM. I coach my daughter's under 8 indoor team.

I decided to watch 33 and go to bed and watch Water on the rebroadcast Sunday. Unfortunately it didn't work out that way. I watched 33 and then I found myself not able to go to sleep until after Water. The excitement of opening night and my cold got the best of me. By the time I got to sleep it was past midnight.

I woke up at 5:50, took my daughter to the game. I came home after the game and am now working from 9-12.

The good news: My daughters team won the game 13-0 and my daughter scored 5 goals! I may be a little tired now but it's been a good 24 hours!

[BST]

Cool!

Hey Antelope, is your daughter's team playing futsal or open-field?

BST



PS Actually, I remember our U-8 days.....it was more like "hover-ball".

[Alaric]

Ah, life without sleep. Welcome to my world.

All I can remember is finals week...I'd wake up at 9 AM, study until 2 AM, sleep, and start all over again...I was running on coffee and chips...

Even worse once testing started...wake up at 9 AM, cram, test for 3 hours, then cram for the test the next day...

Originally Posted by BST

Cool!

Hey Antelope, is your daughter's team playing futsal or open-field?

BST



PS Actually, I remember our U-8 days.....it was more like "hover-ball".

We play a modified version where the kids get to play off the walls. We substitute just like in hockey. All penalty kicks are indirect. Even though they are U8s we play a fairly complex system. I like your "hover -ball" term. We call it "bunch-ball". Many teams in the league still play that way. The better teams in our league play positions. I have found that the concept of left and right side is still a bit beyond them but we do play with forwards, half-backs (we call them Rovers), fullbacks (we call them defenders), and a goalie.

My girls were undefeated during the outdoor season and have won two games in a row now on the indoor season. Next weekend however looks to be a big change in terms of quality of the opponent. We are playing a team from another town that is a handpicked team with a coach that plays to win. I have 4 girls, including my daughter that are real good, 4 girls that are average for their age, and one who this is her first year playing. In AYSO all kids play and I try to balance the playing time regardless of ability per the AYSO philosophy, which I support. Our team is an AYSO sponsored team but we are now playing in a non-AYSO competitive league. At this age I feel sad for the kids that get benched on these "All-Star" teams because the coaches (or parents) are so concerned about winning. There is plenty of time to worry about winning later but you would think it wouldn't be an issue with 8 year old girls sports.

I enjoy being the coach and think it gives me a lot in terms of spending time with my daughter. I do admit my daughter is a bit whiney compared to my other players. It makes me crazy but I think sometimes she forgets where my being her Dad ends and her coach begins. I wouldn't want it any other way!

[Spike The Cylon]

What's AYSO? I haven't played soccor in 20 years, but, I've never heard this term.

Originally Posted by Spike The Cylon

What's AYSO? I haven't played soccor in 20 years, but, I've never heard this term.

AYSO is the American Youth Soccer Organization. They organize the majority of recreational youth soccer leagues in the United States today. It is a volunteer organization that's goal is to promote soccer among America's youth. Their motto is "everyone plays". In AYSO organized leagues they track how many quarters the kids play and ensure the quarters played are balanced as best as possible.

In general it has been found that with the vast majority of kids that playing time as a youth is more important than natural ability in deciding a kids future participation in the sport. Often kids who are "clumsy" or whatever you want to call it when young get benched by overzealous coaches and then never develop the skills one can only gain with playing time. In time kids often grow out of being clumsy and it is impossible at the very young age to know which kids will be physically and mentally gifted for a sport when they are teenagers or young adults.

AYSO wants everyone to enjoy soccer and hopes that a future Pele or Mia Hamm doesn't quit soccer at age ten because their leggs grew too fast, they were uncoordinated, and some overzealous parent didn't play them because they "weren't good".

The vast majority of AYSO volunteers (coaches/referees/team Moms/admin people) are the parents of the kids playing.

[Spike The Cylon]

I wish they had something like that when I was a kid. I was in a local youth league, and the coach, and quite a few of the parents, were the "win or else" kind. I got turned off of sports for a very long time cause of that.

[BST]

Thanks for the response, Antelope.

"Play it off the wall" - sounds like our term, "dasherboards".


I like your philosophy. At your daughter's age group, the focus should be on development. They need to learn the game and, once again, you're correct, they can only do that by playing. Seeing "X's" and "O's" on a white board will do absolutely no good. Placing foot to ball will.

I, too, hate the "win at all cost" philosophy, expecially at such a tender age. Of course, it's ok to have a little incentive to win (like a pizza party or ice cream) but, the main priority should be to see them have fun. Showing progress is an added benefit, for both the coach and the player. It helps build confidence that can carry over to other aspects in life -- school, community, etc. Teamwork is also a very important concept to teach early on. From what I've read, it sounds like you're doing all the right things.


My daughter has been playing since the 2nd year of U-8 and is now playing for a U-15 Cup team in the Spring (and possibly Summer) as well as her High School team in the fall. This past fall was her first year on the HS team and she wound up winning a starting position (Defender) on the Varsity squad and was one of 4 freshmen to earn a letter. Considering that our Cup team is also playing futsal this winter, when someone asks me, "when's the season over?", my response is "Never!"



We honestly love the game and the folks that we have met in our many travels. They're wonderful people and my family feels so much richer for the experience.


Keep us posted on your teams' progress.

Best wishes for much success!!


BST

Originally Posted by BST

My daughter has been playing since the 2nd year of U-8 and is now playing for a U-15 Cup team in the Spring (and possibly Summer) as well as her High School team in the fall. This past fall was her first year on the HS team and she wound up winning a starting position (Defender) on the Varsity squad and was one of 4 freshmen to earn a letter. Considering that our Cup team is also playing futsal this winter, when someone asks me, "when's the season over?", my response is "Never!"



We honestly love the game and the folks that we have met in our many travels. They're wonderful people and my family feels so much richer for the experience.


Keep us posted on your teams' progress.

Best wishes for much success!!


BST

Sounds like your daughter is doing awesome! These days if they don't start young they will have a hard time making a team in high school or college. My daughter turns 8 in April and has three fall soccer seasons under her belt. This is the first year I stepped her up to the indoor season after the fall season. I started playing soccer in 7th grade and was actually pretty good by 10th grade. Nowadays someone starting that late wouldn't stand a chance! The kids today play from such a young age.

I think soccer is great especially since with the way things are today noone let's their kids roam around the neighborhood playing outdoors anymore. If you don't put your kids in some kind of organized sports they'll end up out of shape since they'll sit around at home watching television or playing video games all day. I think the whole childhood obesity issue today is because most kids don't play outdoors anymore.

I have a little brother and sister who I was instrumental in getting involved in soccer (my parents are divorced and my Dad has two kids now from his second marriage). My Dad originally wasn't too thrilled about them playing, thinking they could get hurt. Now he is the proud Dad that spends his weekends traveling to games.

My little sister started about 5 years ago and was able to make the JV team at her high school this year. She is a sophmore and will be going out for the varsity team next year.

My little brother started playing at the age of 8 and is now a freshman in high school. He is really good and is the leading scorer on a club team that plays all over Northern California. He played JV soccer at his high school this fall and the coach said if he knew how good he was at the start of the season he would have him playing on the varisity team from Day 1. His club team even has a Brazilian pro player that is going to UC-Davis now helping to train them. I don't know how far soccer will take him but I do think he should be able to land a scholarship somewhere.

For him and my Dad soccer is definitely a year round activity now!

[BST]

Start young? Oh, most definitely.

Funny thing is that we (who apparently live under a mushroom, or in a cave somewhere) had NO CLUE, 7 years ago, about soccer in our area until a friend mentioned that our community had an "in-house" league that played every Saturday. Well, we checked it out and one thing led to another and 25,000 miles later....



Best of luck to your little sister, in her effort to make the Varsity squad. Making the squad will be another one of those little confidence boosters. To her, it may not seem like a big deal but, it adds a little more to the self-esteem which will serve her well throughout soccer and her life's work.

Regarding your brother's club team, it's wonderful to have a professional player assist in their development. Our girls team has scheduled speed and agility training, starting this week, that's being given by a coach for our local pro team (below MLS but, not sure which division - 1? A?). It's so nice to be able, in your brother's case and ours, for them to have experts helping them "go to the next level".

You also mentioned about scholarships. The director of coaching for my daughter's club team has placed over 100 kids, from our organization into college, with scholarships. Talk about going the extra yard! We would have just been satisfied with someone organizing games, leagues, etc, for an affordable price. But, to do that too, WOW!!


The nice thing about soccer is that anyone, willing to play, can play. I agree, too, with Spike's remark - "I wish they had something like that when I was a kid." All that we had was baseball, basketball, and football. Hockey hadn't really caught on in our area at that time (late 60s, early 70s). Soccer, to us, was just that "funky game that they played in Europe". But then, that was in the days right after they invented dirt!

We played those previously undefeated Polar Bears today, the hand picked play to win all-star team.

The Lord's of Kobol smiled on my little Thunderbolts, they won the game 7 to 5 with my daughter scoring 5 goals. It was a great game. Most of the game we were ahead by one point but we could never pull away. I substituted more this game then any past game as the girls gave it there all. The experienced girls played great and the less experienced played their best. It was a nail biter for the girls, the coach (me) and the parents. There were a lot of smiles when the game ended.

I think the Polar Bears were surprised! If things continue the way they are going we will probably play them again at the end of the season in the championship game.

It's good to be a Dad!

[Spike The Cylon]

Originally Posted by antelope526

We played those previously undefeated Polar Bears today, the hand picked play to win all-star team.

The Lord's of Kobol smiled on my little Thunderbolts, they won the game 7 to 5 with my daughter scoring 5 goals. It was a great game. Most of the game we were ahead by one point but we could never pull away. I substituted more this game then any past game as the girls gave it there all. The experienced girls played great and the less experienced played their best. It was a nail biter for the girls, the coach (me) and the parents. There were a lot of smiles when the game ended.

I think the Polar Bears were surprised! If things continue the way they are going we will probably play them again at the end of the season in the championship game.

It's good to be a Dad!

Congrats on the win!

[BST]

Originally Posted by antelope526

We played those previously undefeated Polar Bears today, the hand picked play to win all-star team.

The Lord's of Kobol smiled on my little Thunderbolts, they won the game 7 to 5 with my daughter scoring 5 goals. It was a great game. Most of the game we were ahead by one point but we could never pull away. I substituted more this game then any past game as the girls gave it there all. The experienced girls played great and the less experienced played their best. It was a nail biter for the girls, the coach (me) and the parents. There were a lot of smiles when the game ended.

I think the Polar Bears were surprised! If things continue the way they are going we will probably play them again at the end of the season in the championship game.

It's good to be a Dad!

We made it to the Championship! Tomorrow my daughter's team plays the Cheetahs for the gold medal. They just played the Cheetahs last week in their last regular season game. We beat them fairly easily which surprised me since prior to that game they were undefeated with one tie including a victory over the previously mentioned Polar Bears by the same margin as our victory and averaged seven goals a game. This last game saw the first unsportsmenlike conduct by a player and parent so I hope it doesn't happen again this Saturday. One of the girls on the other team would grab my daughters jersey when she got near their goal trying to stop my daughter from scoring. My daughter scored 5 goals that day and the holding stopped when my daughter forcefully told her to stop.

A Mom on the other team was upset because our girls were saying "something" to their girls (I think it was my daughter telling the girl to quit holding her jersey), complaining that our girls "looked big" (questioned whether they were really lying about their age--we have to provide birth certificates), and then claimed we were running up the score. We won 7-0 but in indoor soccer games tend to be high scoring and in general I don't slow down our offensive until we are up by 4 points just in case the other team rallies. During most of the second half we only played with our inexperienced kids on offensive, one of which scored. My daughter, our leading scorer only played for half the game. We even let the other team play an extra player for the final 10 minutes. Sometimes I thing parents take it way to personal if their kids don't win. Everytime I have had issues with the other teams coaches or parents it always seems to be when we play a team that was previously undefeated.

When I went to coaching school they said the worst age group for parents is when you are playing 8-10 year olds. I am beginning to think its true. When the kids were 5-6 parents were just happy the kids ran the right way or didn't sit down and pick grass. At 8-10 years old they say you get an influx of new players and parents some of which that have unrealistic expectations about their kids and think its all about winning.

After the game tomorrow win or lose our team is having a little lunch and party. All the kids are getting certificates for something they did well this season. I think the parents are pretty happy as all nine are coming back for the next session.

[BST]

Antelope,

Best wishes to you, your daughter, and the team for the Championship Game, tomorrow!!

My little Thunderbolts won the championship last Saturday 10-2 with my daughter scoring 6 goals. It was pretty much over at half time with us playing the inexperienced girls on offense from that point on. It's funny however that one of the girls on the other team still tried the jersey pulling routine. I tipped off the referee on that before the game and we got a free kick when the girl got called for it.

The indoor place we play has 3 Under 8 divisions. They are rebracketing the teams for the next session and we will be in the most competitive division. It should make for a fun, exciting, and competitive session.

[BST]

Originally Posted by antelope526

My little Thunderbolts won the championship last Saturday 10-2 with my daughter scoring 6 goals. It was pretty much over at half time with us playing the inexperienced girls on offense from that point on. It's funny however that one of the girls on the other team still tried the jersey pulling routine. I tipped off the referee on that before the game and we got a free kick when the girl got called for it.

The indoor place we play has 3 Under 8 divisions. They are rebracketing the teams for the next session and we will be in the most competitive division. It should make for a fun, exciting, and competitive session.

Congratulations, "Coach" !!

Are your divisions, "A", "B", "C", etc?

Originally Posted by BST

Congratulations, "Coach" !!

Are your divisions, "A", "B", "C", etc?

The divisions were called A, B, and C but when I talked with the administrator Monday it turned out that in the Under 8s the letters didn't mean anything since we don't have select teams. They put all the returning teams in one division and the new teams (like mine since we were coming off the AYSO season) in another and had a C division which I think was the last teams that were allowed to play and were willing to play on Wednesday night instead of Saturday.

From what I understand this next session will have at least an A and B Division with the above .500 teams from the previous sessions regardless of Division put in the B Division, and the remainder and "new" teams in the A division. Usually the Divisions have 6 teams. From the look of things we should have at least two teams playing at or above our level this next session plus you can never tell about the second place teams in the other divisions.

I think it will be a challenge for the kids. Most of my kids haven't lost a game since we started playing in September. You can tell the experienced kids are let down when they get relegated to defense only mode. I don't think they are going to get this option too much in the next session!

[BST]

Hmm, that Division arrangment is a bit different from ours which progresses from C to B to A. Oh, wait a minute, I'm talking Travel League classifications. I forgot your daughter's age group.



It's funny but, that brings back a story - my daughter's Travel team (first year of U-12) was a "nervous" joy. We very rarely had subs and sometimes did not even have 11 players. Many times, we played 1 down, sometimes 2 down and the other teams RARELY reciprocated. We used to call them the "No Subs"!



Anyway, that year they went UNDEFEATED and won the end of (Fall) Season tournament. Their reward? They were bumped UP to Division "A" the following spring! They finished the Spring season 4-3-1 -- not bad considering we still had to call them the "No Subs" and this was against better teams!

Oh, the joy!!

Originally Posted by BST

It's funny but, that brings back a story - my daughter's Travel team (first year of U-12) was a "nervous" joy. We very rarely had subs and sometimes did not even have 11 players. Many times, we played 1 down, sometimes 2 down and the other teams RARELY reciprocated. We used to call them the "No Subs"!

That's funny! This indoor session was the first time that subs are having an impact on our game. During the fall season we were one of the few U8 teams that played positions. I still don't have them playing left and right but they do play forward, halfback, and fullback. With our kids playing positions and the majority of their opponents playing "bunch ball" our kids were never tired like the other kids.

Now that we play indoor we don't get those throw in breaks, "quarter substitution break", and 10 minute half time. The halfbacks in particular get tired fast. We play a 40 minute game with only a two minute halftime. I substitute out halfbacks every 5 minutes.

I limit my team to 9 players (6 can be on the field) because at their age if I had more kids they would sit out too much. As it is if everyone shows up 6 kids play for 30 minutes and 3 kids play for only 20 minutes in a game. Last session we had one game with only one kid available for substitution and another with just two. At this age I actually like it when I have only two substitues since then all kids are only out ten minutes of the game and they don't get so antsy on the sideline.

During the outdoor fall season if we played a team that was short players we would lend them one of ours. The beauty of the Antelope AYSO league is that the kids wear reversible shirts, one side purple and the other side gold. During our games the opponent wears the reverse side of whatever we wear. Flip the shirt and we can switch kids. This ensures all games have the maximum number of players possible on the field. It's funny when one of your own players scores against you when you lend them to the other team!

[BST]

It's funny when one of your own players scores against you when you lend them to the other team!

[Darrell Lawrence]

AYSO totally rocks.

They promote sportsmanship as well as "every kid plays".

I asst. coached my daughters team and head coached my son's team.

My son's team won the sportsmanship award two years in a row (first year, never won a game... second year, went undeafeted!)

Originally Posted by Warrior

AYSO totally rocks.

They promote sportsmanship as well as "every kid plays".

I asst. coached my daughters team and head coached my son's team.

My son's team won the sportsmanship award two years in a row (first year, never won a game... second year, went undeafeted!)

I really enjoy AYSO. I have been with them through three seasons now. I love their philosophy.

We may however have to switch to another league next fall. AYSO, at least out here won't keep the kids on the same team unless they are siblings the next year. I understand their reasons. It has to do with keeping the teams balanced so to make all games competitive. Now we are hitting the point where many of the kids and even more so the parents want to stay on the same team season after season. Some of the parents I am with now have approached me to put our team in another league next fall so we can keep the girls together rather than break them up. From what I see this tends to happen as things get more competitive and there starts to become a real experience and skill difference between kids that have been playing for years versus the general population in AYSO.

As BST knows better than me there appears to be a hierarchy of leagues (clubs) and certain ones feed into the advanced programs that lead on toward university or olympic play and others that are strictly recreational. It seems that break starts as early as among 10-12 year old kids. I don't harbor any illusions about the olympics but my daughter is pretty competitive and enjoys playing with the girls she is with now. In the next few months it looks like I'll have to make that decision. As BST also mentioned if you go down the advanced path it becomes a family activity as the "away" games become further and further away. It's interesting however that even at the age of eight girls get "recruited" to play on club teams once the word is out they are relatively good. One coach calls me at the start of every session this past year to know if my daughter is available to play on their team. At least for the next couple years I think I can avoid traveling outside the Sacramento metro area as long as we pick the right club.

[Darrell Lawrence]

Well... it depends on the area's population size as to whether or not kids stay on the same teams.

In our area, it couldn't be helped that many of them were on the same team year after year.

We also selected "All Star" teams and played in a tourney in Carson City, NV.

I recall talking to a chap one year at the tourney, and he was watching and commenting on my daughter (not knowing she was my daughter ) Turns out, this guy was a college scout.

She could have gotten a scholarship from college had she continued to play in High School on that team.

Unfortunatly, she lost interest in soccer after her junior high years

Originally Posted by Warrior

Well... it depends on the area's population size as to whether or not kids stay on the same teams.

In our area, it couldn't be helped that many of them were on the same team year after year.

We also selected "All Star" teams and played in a tourney in Carson City, NV.

I recall talking to a chap one year at the tourney, and he was watching and commenting on my daughter (not knowing she was my daughter ) Turns out, this guy was a college scout.

She could have gotten a scholarship from college had she continued to play in High School on that team.

Unfortunatly, she lost interest in soccer after her junior high years

That's the thing about the sport and all sports for that matter. When the kids get older they have to have the skill, experience, temperment, and desire. As they become teenagers their social life becomes more important sometimes or they have to choose one sport or activity and drop the rest.

As long as my daughter wants to play she can play but the day she doesn't its all over. I am glad she plays because it keeps her in shape, gives her confidence and teaches her about being a team player. She would be just as happy however being a cheerleader. She does the cheer camp stuff in the summer. I will be curious to see what she wants when she is older.

My little brother is 14 and in a club team plus plays for his High School. He was in a big tournament this past month with 144 teams. His team lost in the championship game. They had college scouts there. I hope my brother can keep his mouth shut and get a scholarship. He has a tendency to mouth off when fouled. My Dad wishes he could duct tape that boy sometimes.

When I was young I was in Judo. I was in local tournaments and competed in the junior nationals for my age out of state. During one of those tournaments I beat the kid that was then rated fourth in the country. My father was in the Air Force and we moved to a place with no Judo dojos. I never played the sport again. Life has a way of changing your interest and hobbies in ways you never expect. A few years after I quit playing Judo I became an avid bass fisherman, worked in a fishing tackle store, and was considering entering bass fishing tournaments. My Dad moved again in my sophomore year of High School. I have seldom fished for bass since but I tried to surf and met my wife in High School in Hawaii. I left Hawaii and never surfed again. Since then I learned to snow ski in Europe where I was stationed in the Army. Change is the only constant!

[Darrell Lawrence]

Skiing... now that is a funny story for me.

I live rather close to Mammoth Lakes, AKA one of the premier ski resorts in the world. Lived near it my entire life up to the time I left for the military.

Ever see the movie "The Other Side Of The Mountain"? The story about Jill Kinmont? My mom went to school with her.

Anyways, she was an Olympic hopeful who trained at Mammoth.

Me? I never learned to ski, even living that close to the place!!!!

I didn't learn until, like you, I went to Germany in the Army. Berchesgarten is where I learned

Originally Posted by Warrior

Skiing... now that is a funny story for me.

I live rather close to Mammoth Lakes, AKA one of the premier ski resorts in the world. Lived near it my entire life up to the time I left for the military.

Ever see the movie "The Other Side Of The Mountain"? The story about Jill Kinmont? My mom went to school with her.

Anyways, she was an Olympic hopeful who trained at Mammoth.

Me? I never learned to ski, even living that close to the place!!!!

I didn't learn until, like you, I went to Germany in the Army. Berchesgarten is where I learned

That's funny!

I learned during an Officer's OPD trip to Austria when we stayed in the Tyrolean Alps. I later skied at the Army resort at Chiemsee and at some place near the Zugspietz. When I moved to California I would go up to the Tahoe area once a year and ski with some friends. Since the birth of my kids however I haven't skied. Now we go up to snow country at least once a year especially when out of town family is here and go sledding and snow ball fighting. It is especially fun to go with my wife's family from Hawaii. Often we get a relative that has never seen snow out there. It's magical for them whether they are in their 20s or 50s.

[Spike The Cylon]

Congrats on the win