Soccer Hate

When my kid was younger, she didn't feel personally affronted too much by opponents. After a really tough match, she had one word to describe certain players or teams: mean. On the plus side, there were a few kids she competed against who'd ask about topics like her favorite color while in the heat of battle.

At U15, she considers LH league play pretty much a test of skill and strategy, without a lot of personal conflict/interaction. According to her, players don't say much to each other on the pitch. There can be conflict, but she's also had opposing players congratulate her for good play after hard fought matches.

HS is a different story...with Cro-magnon physicality, and an expanded vocabulary. After stealing a ball from an opponent, she's at times treated to an "F*** you!" as she heads the other way. Intrasquad friction (if that does it justice) is also new to her. There are some real positives that come from playing with friends for your school, but in the soccer world, growing up ain't always easy.

Shotshagger wrote:Intrasquad friction

The appropriate term you're looking for is "drama" and the amount of it in HS soccer has certainly been eye-opening.

It seems high school soccer is equivalent to lake highlands, hate and more hate, little soccer.

It seems we have all lost respect for each other,parents and players therefore games tend to be battle grounds not pitches.

aggiemt wrote:

Shotshagger wrote:Intrasquad friction

The appropriate term you're looking for is "drama" and the amount of it in HS soccer has certainly been eye-opening.

Meow.

aggiemt wrote:

Shotshagger wrote:Intrasquad friction

The appropriate term you're looking for is "drama" and the amount of it in HS soccer has certainly been eye-opening.

HS-age girls. That whole upperclassmen v. underclassmen thing, particularly if the underclassmen are better players. The entrenched "classroom" moms. Kids coming from club teams of different levels.

That's a recipe for more drama than Broadway

Shotshagger wrote:When my kid was younger, she didn't feel personally affronted too much by opponents. After a really tough match, she had one word to describe certain players or teams: mean. On the plus side, there were a few kids she competed against who'd ask about topics like her favorite color while in the heat of battle.

At U15, she considers LH league play pretty much a test of skill and strategy, without a lot of personal conflict/interaction. According to her, players don't say much to each other on the pitch. There can be conflict, but she's also had opposing players congratulate her for good play after hard fought matches.

HS is a different story...with Cro-magnon physicality, and an expanded vocabulary. After stealing a ball from an opponent, she's at times treated to an "F*** you!" as she heads the other way. Intrasquad friction (if that does it justice) is also new to her. There are some real positives that come from playing with friends for your school, but in the soccer world, growing up ain't always easy.

DD has had pretty much the opposite experience. According to her she's been hearing B****, etc. (Not necessarily directed at her) since entering LHGCL at U-11, and these isn't as much in the HS games. More drama at club (this year has been a bit different), and the play tends to run dirtier in LHGCL.

High School or Club there is still way more "drama" from the parents than the pitch...

I have witnessed a bit of the drama, but was more surprised at the earlier ages where it is beginning now. When you have 10 and 11 year-olds dropping the F bomb constantly, and others using the B word, I have to wonder what their home life and up bringing is like.

How does a parent allow a child to behave this way? I have to think that it comes from the parents - both the behavior and the language. I have seen and heard parents emitting the same words on the sidelines. It's all road rage times 100.


I don't think it matters where the game is played, bad sportsmanship is bad sportsmanship.

I'm not sure which is worse, Soccer Hate, or Soccer Hypocrisy-as the in the kind I witnessed tonight, with a team hacking, elbowing, tripping, fouling, getting carded, and finally, with three minutes left, getting a rabbit's-foot goal to pull out a victory...and then kneeling and thanking Jesus for blessing them with the undeserved outcome.

So Jesus didn't want them to win, but they won anyway.

3-4-3 wrote: So Jesus didn't want them to win, but they won anyway.

I'll leave it to them--or to you--to figure out who Jesus was pulling for.

Shotshagger wrote:

3-4-3 wrote: So Jesus didn't want them to win, but they won anyway.

I'll leave it to them--or to you--to figure out who Jesus was pulling for.

Silly. You're calling out a team for praying. Could it be you who has much to figure out?

I could doubtless learn a ton from you about some of the more nauseating variations of sanctimonious piety.

As for faith not being a particularly great fit with sport, check out "In The Fields of The Lord" by Mark Oppenheimer in the Feb. 4 issue of Sports Illustrated--if you want to learn something, that is.

Life is too short to argue on this topic, and I'll debate most anything.

Gee, how interesting, what was the score?

Gee, how interesting, what was the score?

Gee, how interesting, what was the score?

For entertainment value, let's say it ended with the same score as the match you're thinking of, whatever that may have been--that it was the same match. What's your side of the story?

Shotshagger wrote:I'm not sure which is worse, Soccer Hate, or Soccer Hypocrisy-as the in the kind I witnessed tonight, with a team hacking, elbowing, tripping, fouling, getting carded, and finally, with three minutes left, getting a rabbit's-foot goal to pull out a victory...and then kneeling and thanking Jesus for blessing them with the undeserved outcome.

Why? Was she offside?
Rm

I think you may be missing his point. Sportsmanship, mutual respect and fairplay have taken a backseat to thuggery poor sportsmanship and win at any cost selfishness.
Sad state to see a skilled player taken out by a bulldozer and know full well it is not an accident.

my DD, U11, played in a tournament a couple of weeks ago and the keeper from the other team was very beligerant and threatening in her vocabulary. she actually threatened a couple of the girls when they scored. they scored anyway and won but the girls were afraid of her. i thought it was awful that this was allowed to happened. you could hear her on the sidelines so the coach knew. control needs to happen somewhere. this should have been handled by the coach but he was very verbal also.

badcramp wrote:I think you may be missing his point. Sportsmanship, mutual respect and fairplay have taken a backseat to thuggery poor sportsmanship and win at any cost selfishness.
Sad state to see a skilled player taken out by a bulldozer and know full well it is not an accident.

Bad sportsmanship happens at every age level and in every division. Yes, the coach should do something, but I rarely see them do anything. The Refs should do something, but I see a lot of things done behind the ref's back or where he can't see it. Bottom line is that you have a lot of teams who don't really know how to play soccer so they resort to taking out as many of the opponents as they can.

These teams have a focus on winnng the game at any cost. Is it wrong, absolutely. Is it dangerous to other players - YES. Can anything be done? Yes, but it will take a harder stance from the league. You can't excuse away bad behavior by saying "they were just being physical."

You can't have a better team unless the coach knows how to coach soccer and not just depend on physicality.

You can't have a better game unless Refs start carding for bad behavior as well as outlaw plays like hitting a player after ball release, hard elbows to the back, collar pulldowns, sweeping feet from behind, intentional injuries such as stepping on ankles, cleating legs, elbows to back, head, etc., etc.

If some of these teams were actually taught soccer instead of rock em, sock em robot, we could all enjoy the games.