12 new rules for youth football
Some positive , some absolutely bonkers, thoughts ?
- Silent Sidelines
- No Slide Tackle
- Blue Card
- Respect Marks
- Retreat Line
- Pass Back
- No Instructions
- Equal Playing Time
- All Positions
- Mixed Teams
- Power Play
- Equal Numbers
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Comments
Why don't they just invent a new sport !
What do some of those even mean?
Sorry, makes a bit more sense if you can negotiate the pop up ads and read all about them. Some of them are decent ideas, some ridiculous, as you say.
Does no 7 mean the referee can't give players instructions? No 11 is interesting though, could lead to the creation of a lot of young Beasts!
Sorry @MindlessDrugHoover didn't know the website had a lot of pop ups had my ad blocker running.
@mooneyman it says on the website for no.7 that "Coaches may ask questions that prompt players to think for themselves but must not shout instructions during matches." ( or you might be making a joke, hard to tell online sometimes sorry if that's the case! )
Mixed teams? As in gender?
Is there a point in that if it suddenly has to change after a certain age?
Stopping drone parents on the sidelines sounds a great idea though.
They already have mixed teams at some age groups.
The linked article makes it sound like 'mixed teams' means in terms of ability rather than gender...
Actively like a few of them: 8, 9, 11, 12
Already do a couple of them: 5 and 6
Ambivalent about: 2 and 5
Against: 1, 3 and 4. Trying to improve people's behaviour by legislation doesn't work. If there is a problem with people on the touchlines being morons, the problem is theirs and the solution is not to play against them in your leagues. If the problem is with young players on the pitch, goodness knows where the problem is, but giving cards is exactly the opposite of sensible practice. Having provisions in place for poor on-pitch behaviour is the exact opposite of solving the problem, if there is one.
When I was coaching football regularly a large number of these ideas were used by our team of coaches:-
Silent Sidelines;-Parents were kept away from the touchline
No Slide Tackle;-We had specific slide tackle sessions when it was really wet, kids loved it.
Blue Card;-Any deliberate foul or unacceptable language was 5 minutes on the side line.
No Instructions:- Instructions only from a designated coach. Part of the learning process
Equal Playing Time:- Always every session.
All Positions;-Every one played part of the match in goal, this almost completely stopped the moaning at keepers when they let in goals, as it would be their turn soon.
Mixed Teams:-Used when ever possible, also used no player could score 2 consecutive goals, made players try really hard to set up a team mate.
Equal Numbers:-always.
I was fortunate that during 15 years coaching the vast majority were open sessions and not specific teams or age groups.
A little more controversial possibly. At some point sport becomes competitive, once you have accepted this, "winning is not the most important thing, it is the only thing" a quote from the best coach I ever trained under.
I've coached for 5 years from under 9 and most of these make a lot of sense. I could argue some of them less so as the kids get older - eg the goalie one if you have someone who actively wants to be in goal, or equal playing time after about u12s. But youth football is all about the kids enjoying themselves playing this wonderful sport, playing as a team and developing all aspects of their game.
How do you "not play against them in your leagues"?
Having coached for many years I agree with some of the new laws, but some are crap, one that springs immediately to mind is number 5 retreat line when the keeper has the ball in their hands. Retreating in order to let em play out from the back, do we really want the next few generations to play like the dross served up now by the England senior team? One team could spend the whole game consistently running back to the half way line! What if a teams wants to play a high pressing game like my under 7s do? If a team press high up on us I don't mind playing over the top. Kids need to learn to play against different teams and tactics. Unfortunately there is still very much a win at all cost attitude amount many coaches living their own failed careers through their kids.
Do your under 7s enjoy playing a high pressing game?
Indeed peter. I well remember my lads team coming up against the most efficient offside trap since George graham in I think their second ever 11 aside game. The other team won. Bully for them. I don't remember who won the local area under 11 division 3 title that year. I don't think it really mattered.
They like to win the ball back as soon as they can, they realise and understand the closer they are to the opponents goal the easier it is to score and the less chance for the other team to score yes.
It used to be such a simple game sigh
When I was seven everyone played a high pressing game. It basically involved everyone on the pitch just chasing the ball around in a big pack. The team that won was nearly always the one who got the ball to pop out of the ruck towards the goal they were attacking.
Your description of under 7's football either fills me with sadness @WelwynWanderer or is an ironic piece of work I haven't followed. Seven year olds should be taught nothing other than how to enjoy being on the ball.
It's the parental influence that can be the biggest problem and the greatest joy. Having played and managed junior football the line between being a positive supporting influence and being a complete pain in the neck is so thin it is almost impossible to keep to. When I played parents directly influenced the result of loads of games by making the manager play their kid or upsetting the referee to such a level they did what they could to get to their car quickly.
The last sentence surely flags the rest of it as "irony"?
Surely?
Hmmm, when I was seven, the team that won was nearly always the team that got first pick & didn't have to play in skins! It was a very very long time ago.
@Right_in_the_Middle @EwanHoosaami how wonderfully summed up. Let them just have fun at that age and begin to improve basic skills and embrace team work principles.
How exactly are they going to enforce rule one?
Dad shouting on the sideline a free kick offence?
will they have to had in a form to tell the ref who's parent they are?