Too Successful?

[Lt. James Cater]

Remember the thread on the Canadian football league that was going wimpy? Here's another story along those lines.

 

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog/prep_rally/post/Youth-league-institutes-TD-limit-to-hold-back-11?urn=highschool-wp6562

 

Can't stand all this PC bull@^%$ going on these days.

[Viggen]

That's pathetic. Kid could lose his drive to win with a rule like that.

 

When I was in fifth grade, so ages 10-11, I played town soccer. There were practices. The team I was on that year once kicked the other team's butt with a score if I remember around 8-1. At no point did the refs or the coaches tell us to stop scoring. Speaking of youth sports. I imagine the trophies handed out to all the teams at the end of seasons are part of this "everyone's a winner" PC?

 

What's the old saying? "Second place is the first loser"?

Edited October 1, 2011 by Viggen

[Icarus999]

Yep, Pathetic... that's the first word that popped into my mind as well.

[+Fubar512]

His parents should sue the crap out of the league, and their idiot officials. What's the point of team sports anyhow? He is setting an example for the other members of the league to aspire to.

[UK_Widowmaker]

Don't these left wing Liberal idiots realise, that competition is what drives Humans, Animals..even plants FFS!

 

It's called survival?

[+Dave]

^{I am going to have to say I kind of see their point.....these are little kids...so what do the other kids learn when this guys scores all the points? Where is the fun for the other kids? I sure the hell wouldn't want to play if this kid is going to be fed the ball all the time and not get a chance to excel. Like UK said, competition is what drives us, but its hard to be competive if your not given a chance. That all they are saying. Once he gets to the higher leagues its game on though. My 7 year old twin girls play soccer and they are having fun, lots of fun because they all play together as a team, there is no dominant player. For little kis its one thing, you need to grow and cultivate that competitive spirit but also show that team work is needed too.}

[Derk]

What a row about nothing, looks like a very nice kid, he says it's okay with him, his time will come and he realizes it so what is all the fuss about ? Now in American Football there is maybe a bit less combining like in soccer or field hockey, but having coached, trained and umpired my three daughters field hockey teams for years, it was standard practice for the younger kids to be told to combine at least 3 times in the penalty area before scoring when there alraedy was a 7-0 or 8-0 lead. Everyone used to agree, the kids scored anyway, they learned to combine AND to be a member of the team. And onlooking parents were told to shut up if they showed hooligan like behaviour (it does happen sometimes). When the kids turned 13 or 14 they were old enough to take care of theirselves and they could score as they liked. Completely agree with Dave, his twin daughters are a very good example of how things can be handled.. They are kids, it's a game and not a preparation for war.

And it makes sense that the rule will be lifted next year for the kid, because he will be playing with and against kids that are a year older and physically a year bigger !!! He will meet adversaries who can handle him.......

 

Houdoe,

 

Derk

Edited October 1, 2011 by Derk

[UK_Widowmaker]

^{I am going to have to say I kind of see their point.....these are little kids...so what do the other kids learn when this guys scores all the points? Where is the fun for the other kids? I sure the hell wouldn't want to play if this kid is going to be fed the ball all the time and not get a chance to excel. Like UK said, competition is what drives us, but its hard to be competive if your not given a chance. That all they are saying. Once he gets to the higher leagues its game on though. My 7 year old twin girls play soccer and they are having fun, lots of fun because they all play together as a team, there is no dominant player. For little kis its one thing, you need to grow and cultivate that competitive spirit but also show that team work is needed too.}

 

Fair Point Dave

[fallenphoenix1986]

Am I the only one getting deja vu here?

I could swear I read an almost identicle piece about a year ago.

 

Craig

[+FastCargo]

I have to say I'm torn about this as well. I don't particularly like artifical limits being placed on an individual (or team for that matter). However, I can also see the reasoning.

 

This year, my older son is part of soccer for the first time with the local YMCA league. 5 and 6 year old kids...heck, at that age, you're lucky if they can stay focused on any one thing more than 30 seconds. So, most times, soccer matches consist of 10 kids (2 teams of five) all trying to kick the ball at the same time and move it in some sort of direction. It's hilarious and funny to watch.

 

Except in one instance.

 

There is a team in the league composed of the same age kids (5 and 6). However, they have been playing as a team since they all were 1 year olds. Apparently, they are Mexican nationals that all know each other (sort of like similar arrangements you would see for embassy personnel and families). Anyway, partially because soccer is big in Mexico (as in most countries), that's what these kids took to early. The coach has them practice 3 times a week, etc.

 

Folks, I've seen high school teams that can't play like these kids can. They are really, REALLY, good...coordinated, disciplined, organized. Obviously, it's a slaughter with anyone who plays them...usually the other team simply never sees the ball.

 

You have to ask what the point of the league is. It's a YMCA league for 5 and 6 year olds...there are no playoffs, no advancing to state, national, etc...none of that exists. So, with that in mind...why are these guys here? No one, and I mean NO ONE, can compete with them. As the opposing coach and players, why should they play when they won't even see the ball. And as this coach and players, why should we play at all against teams that can't even provide a good scrimmage match against us...my team gets nothing out of walking over the other team (especially if we have a 4 year head start).

 

I don't want that team held back at all...the kids need to be rewarded for their discipline and hard work. But, victory is sweeter when you actually have a chance at losing, otherwise, you might as well give the trophy away. IF they were in a real competition league, it would be a different story because the results determine your overall advancement.

 

FC

[+Fubar512]

I'm sorry, but by the age of ten, the baby-coddling should be long over.

 

When kids of my generation reached that milestone, we were expected to pick ourselves up after a hard tackle knocked the wind out of us, and dust ourselves off in time for the next huddle or scrimmage. If another team beat us out of either sheer talent or dogged determination, then we tried just that much harder to hand their asses to them the next time we encountered them on the field.

 

Teamwork means that everyone involved pulls their own weight to achieve a defined goal. Anything else, is new-age defeatist PC nonsense.

Edited October 3, 2011 by Fubar512

[+Dave]

I'm sorry, but by the age of ten, the baby-coddling should be long over.

 

When kids of my generation reached that milestone, we were expected to pick ourselves up after a hard tackle knocked the wind out of us, and dust ourselves off in time for the next huddle or scrimmage. If another team beat us out of either sheer talent or dogged determination, then we tried just that much harder to hand their asses to them the next time we encountered them on the field.

 

Ed

 

They didnt even have sports when you were born.....