Same down here. But imo it should all be called developmental. Because too many people twist “Rec” to simply mean first step towards travel and assume the best kids should get extra playing time.
Unfortunately, the people getting mad about little kids getting trophies probably don’t understand what developmental means.
My favorite was we used to call 5-6 pee wee football the bobble head division since thats what they looked like running around.
Having coached lax the last 5 years of youth lacrosse I’ve learned there are asshat parents & asshat coaches, but you can’t let it get in the way of the kids. I had a zero tolerance policy with parents anytime an official had to say something to them & our team’s parents figured it out quickly after the 1st one was sent out. As for the kids, at about 5th grade ours started really caring if they won or lost. They began to understand that players that came to every practice played more even if they were less talented than the kids that only came when convenient and we had no issues telling parents why little Johnny didn’t get as many minutes. The kids get it and that is what we tried to make important so they started taking responsibility for being there. Accountability is key as they become teenagers and it was awesome to watch them grow up. Keep it fun & teach teamwork & responsibility, the kids will take it from there.
I’ve coached youth sports for 10 years in multiple sports at various levels. This year’s 2015 club soccer team is, by far, the worst coaching experience of my entire life. I’ve had SIX parents complain about their child’s position and/or playing time, the latest being tonight at halftime of our tournament game. The guy straight up walked across the field, came into our huddle and started asking me why his kid didn’t play more in the first half. First grade. I’m about to hang it up. I can only imagine how unbearable they’ll be in 5-6 years.
It is tough time commitment wise for the entire family. My daughter is 11 and we pay for a pretty serious “travel” team. I’d prefer not to but her little league teams were SO BAD. I’m not some maniac thinking kids should be pros but she wasn’t learning anything and was bored. She wouldn’t take any coaching from me so we found her current program. They have high standards but they actually teach. She is so much happier now.
I have two friends with kids graduating high school and moving on to college sports (soccer and volleyball) and my first question to each was how happy are you to finally have your weekends back? Both just presented the biggest smiles.
We did pretty much this for swimming and water polo. But we had a great group of adult friends through it and we turned many weekends into mini vacations. Tailgate parties on the pool deck during football season was quite the event.
I don’t know. Lots. Nothing this weekend! They play spring/summer and then a lighter fall schedule. She also swims. That complicates the fall and winter.
for my daughter at 14u volleyball it’s been 9 weekends since January. She’s got one more weekend and then a week in Orlando for nationals. Then season is over. School will start up in August through November if tryouts go well. But that’s more standard school schedule. And then travel again next January again if she makes a team. she won’t play a national schedule so most tournaments are within a couple hour drive, Orlando excepted
Both my boys play club/travel lacrosse and it takes up at least half a year worth of weekends. It’s worth it if they are the one’s driving it, but if the parents are pushing it can make the kids want to quit. Saw it multiple times
Had this happen yesterday in flag football and had to vote on it in this morning. Quarterfinal game, interested to hear how you would vote. First is the email from league president and second is the response from offending coach. As far as I know the player is fine and was able to re-enter the game at the next break. I need to post scores for tonight’s games. It has been brought to my attention that you and your opponent both had 8 players for tonight’s game. In this situation every player must sit one period. It is clearly stated in the rules. I spoke with (other coach) and received a text from one of the Board members watching the game and was informed that one of your players (your best player) never left the field to meet the “must sit” rule that applies. If substitution rules violation did indeed occur the game will have to be forfeited as this is also clearly stated in the Must Sit, Must Play rules specific to playoff and championship games. We do not believe any substitution rules violation occurred. The situation was we had to have a player, in fact one of our best players, sit 2x - once planned and once unplanned. Once in the first half when he was scheduled to sit and once in the 2nd half he was hit in the jaw/chin in a collision literally on the play before substitutions. I had multiple kids on my team screaming that he had taken a hard hit and were concerned for his well-being, so I subbed him out which I believe was the proper thing to do there (in fact it left our team quite vulnerable as he is literally the only Center we have as my other 2 who played Center this year left for vacation this week). As a result, the one player who I was planning to sit there, did not sit, as it would have then been impossible at that point. In light of this, we do not believe the substitution rule violation in question did indeed occur. This wasn't some close, back and forth game. We were up by 2 TDs until late. They had gotten past midfield, maybe 3x the whole game. I didn't need to have (best player) in (does anyone not think w/ how long I've been coaching that it may not be noticed)? I'm not one to lie or skirt the rules and I assumed if there was an issue or question you and I would discuss but unfortunately I feel like I’m being put on the defensive. Again, I had no choice there as I'm not going to ignore player safety only had 8 players. It would be a horrible shame to have to tell my team that we have been given a forfeit by the league because I wouldn't keep an injured player in the game and I don't think that's the spirit of what we are trying to teach or reinforce
Can the opposing coach or the parent of the alleged "injured" kid corraborate the injury? Seems like a non-issue.
Every time a parent is booted from a child’s game, DCS should be required to do a wellness check visit. Every time.
Are the injured kid (“one of the best players”?) and the “best player” that didn’t sit different kids? I think that’s the case but it’s pretty confusing. Did the injured kid actually re-enter the game post injury? I’m leaning towards siding with the forfeit but lol at the whole situation.
I prob would accept the explanation from the coach unless he's a known liar and is it really that important who won or lost?
In all my years of youth sports, I've never heard of a "must-sit" rule. That's interesting. But to the point, the coach should have spoken to the officials and the other coach at the time to explain what he was doing and allow any objections to occur at that time. Unless there are exceptions to the rule, it is a violation.
Before I can answer, I need to know the most important detail: WERE ANY OF THE PLAYERS TRANS AND DEPRIVING GOOD GOD-FEARING CHILDREN THEIR RIGHT TO WIN A RECREATIONAL FLAG FOOTBALL GAME?!?!?
A new email from another coach has surfaced this is the short version Both teams have 1 really good player. 3rd quarter starts and neither team has subbed their best player. Asst coach on the #2 team starts jawing saying if you don’t sit your best player we’re not sitting ours. (Side note I know that guy and 100% believe that happened.) Best player on the #7 team scores a TD and gets hurt and sits the last half of the 4th. Who knows if they would have sat him if he got hurt or not but that follows the rule. Game ends with #7 team driving without their best player. Coaches start jawing back and forth. #2 says you didn’t sit your best player so we didn’t sit ours. #7 points out they did. No mention of the player on #2 getting hurt and causing them not to sit the best player. Coach on #2 didn’t have his sub sheet filled out also breaking a league rule. Only votes I’ve seen are for forfeit to be put in place. Side note my team is playing in the other semi and would beat either of these teams.
Well now it's getting complicated so I'd do what I normally do when things get hard and tap out of any further involvement
Forfeit. If you risk not sitting your best player because you care that much about winning a fucking kids flag football game AND don’t fill out the sheets (which are there to make sure kids get a realistic opportunity to play), then you deserve a forfeit if an “unforeseen”circumstance causes you to break the rules further. In sum, stop being a fucking asshole coach at a kids sport and prioritize kids development, understanding, and respect over winning.
As the former commissioner of my law school’s flag football league, no question in my mind that’s a forfeit.
Downright embarrassing all those things are necessary in youth sports. Look in the mirror folks (not this thread)
Had a wine-drunk Karen bull rush me last night at a soccer game because (after crying about how unfair the game was for most of it) she started attacking the boys on the field and I called her on it. Apparently she didn’t enjoy me telling her how classy she was for verbally assaulting 7th graders. They had one parent get a warning, one parent get kicked out, and their coach carded. Seems like a top-notch program.
It was hilarious. She jumped out of her seat, puffed out her chest and stumbled over to me…finger in my face and all. I think it made her and her husband more upset that I just laughed at her.
Sounds threatening. You should have put her in a choke hold then started a gofundme for millions of dollars.
also helps to remember all the different shit you did growing up when you’re 22 and moving out for good
We had our opening 6u baseball allstars tourney last weekend, and for the most part the parents are pretty chill, but there’s always at least one. It’s worse when they have zero knowledge of the game. We got one heifer who is out for blood b/c talent has pushed her son to the outfield while he’s always played third base. Negative loudmouth all game, coaching from the stands telling our kids to throw behind runners or what to do running the bases. Nipped it with a quickness, she got here first and only warning. I had to find my old cup after last night’s practice. We have 2 kids that are freak athletes, but learning the game after only playing football until this season. I’ve figured out how to pitch to them, the only drawback is one of them shotgunned me so violently if I hadn’t got my pitching hand down in time to catch it on my knuckles my scrote would have been sent into the ether. I laughed it off but I was shook.
You’re talking about 6 year olds as if they should be seasoned vets. None of them know shit about the game.
I can’t tell if you are being serious about wearing a cup to throw BP to 6 year olds? May just be me, but that’s a bizarre move. Couple other options include a glove, L screen or add a little velocity to the pitch.
Why? We had 4 Rec teams from our fields alone, after Rec is over we choose an all star team from them, we just finished another tournament this weekend with at least a dozen other 6u allstar teams from the nearby area. We play an extra month after rec is over finishing up with the state tourney near July 4th.
Because 6 year olds shouldn’t be playing regional, much less state wide, tournaments and leagues for 6 year olds shouldn’t be set up to identify the best of them
I’m dead serious. I’m pitching like 5 or 6 ft away and not trying to strike them out by throwing it by them. These 2 particular kids are advanced, and when they catch it right they are murdering the baseball. I have a glove on dipshit, just lack the time to use it being that close.
No I’m not, it’s just their first time playing. We’re teaching our players the game every time we hit the field and they seem to know the gist of things.
Y’all may suffer from past abuse you’re hanging onto, don’t project, we got nothing but love for these kids. We celebrate win or lose.