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Youth soccer "coaching / how to approach this" question

I'm coaching a coed ages 10 to 12 team this fall. A Rec soccer league, but Travel Soccer players will join the league on occasion as it's only Sunday and only for 2 months.

My town doesn't seem to take rec soccer at this age very seriously. They had a tough time getting enough kids signed up but did manage to put together 4 teams of about 12 kids each later than they wanted to. As mentioned above, Rec is Sunday only and the club doesn't even set up any practices. Coaches can set up practice time if they want (which we did - but that detail isn't necessary to the question).

We had one practice and realized we had 8 players on our team with "Travel Soccer" experience. Being my first time at this age, I had no idea if that was a lot or a little compared to the other teams.

Our first game was yesterday and I knew that 2 boys who looked very skilled in practice wouldn't be there, so I was a little concerned how good we would be without them.

Instead, wow, we just destroyed the other team. 9-0 at halftime. My son played goalie for us in the first half and never even faced a shot, only handled the ball once. We (and the parents there) told the kids at halftime to pass, pass, pass. If you've scored, don't shoot at all, look to get an assist to someone who hasn't scored. No shots until X passes, etc.

It didn't help (even though the kids did start focusing on passing a lot) and we lost track of the final score. Had to be about 20 to 0. And that was without 2 players who I thought were probably in our top 3 in skill.

So that's the setup, now the question. Since there's only 4 teams in the 'league', we're going to play these guys 2 more times. What to do? If I spoke to the other team's coach and suggested we get some pinnies and mix the squads for a scrimmage, would that be insulting or welcomed?

And I have no idea how the teams, at least the 2 I'm talking about, got so unbalanced. Whoever created rosters I think split the teams well by gender and age, but they must not have been looking at the player history and if they were a travel player or not.

And if we're beating the other 2 teams in the league similarly badly, should we suggest mixing the squads for the 2nd half, or again is that insulting somehow? Other ideas if we keep getting way out of whack?

Posted: 09/09/2019 at 12:27PM

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Youth soccer "coaching / how to approach this" question -- Late 80s Hokie 09/09/2019 12:27PM

Sounds like you had some good ideas. Here's a few more -- TD77 09/09/2019 4:20PM

Maybe it's just that your coaching is so much superior. ** -- Chris Coleman

09/09/2019 3:53PM

I'd like to think that, but NO, not after one practice. We just got -- Late 80s Hokie 09/09/2019 4:12PM

As an ex-coach for both travel and REc, I have seen this. -- MontyPythokie 09/09/2019 3:47PM

Wouldnt set anything up with other coach. -- One4VT 09/09/2019 2:32PM

Mix it up, everyone will get a trophy anyway! 😉 ** -- B777Fr8Dog 09/09/2019 2:09PM

This is complete BS, Travel players playing rec? A lot of fun for rec -- Josey Wales 09/09/2019 2:04PM

It's killing rec sports, which is a real shame. ** -- reestuart 09/09/2019 3:48PM

If travel players hadn't signed up, they wouldn't have even had enough to -- Late 80s Hokie 09/09/2019 3:01PM

The serious soccer people have prob had their kids in CESA since age 4 ** -- bigbadbird 09/09/2019 1:52PM

Maybe the other team was missing some of its top players? ** -- 133743Hokie 09/09/2019 1:48PM

Here's hoping, but so were we. ** -- Late 80s Hokie 09/09/2019 2:56PM

I suppose they might have been... -- Hokie CPA 09/09/2019 1:51PM

Take no prisoners. RUTS them all. ** -- RoswellGAHokie 09/09/2019 1:36PM

Also flex and yell on the sideline after every goal. ** -- RoswellGAHokie 09/09/2019 1:37PM

And be sure to tell complainers that maybe they should teach their kids to -- Hokie CPA 09/09/2019 1:40PM

And take more time-outs to draw up plays, regardless of score. ** -- HokieSignGuy 09/09/2019 1:42PM

Way too much thought devoted to youth soccer. So many suckers in youth -- ModerateHokie 09/09/2019 12:58PM

Youth/rec soccer, not travel ** -- 133743Hokie 09/09/2019 1:48PM

Irrelevant to the question but everyone is better for hearing -- BG Hokie 09/09/2019 1:04PM

Dont set up anything with the coach... -- One4VT 09/09/2019 2:31PM

Of course they are. Why do you waste everyone's time stating the obvious? ** -- ModerateHokie 09/09/2019 1:07PM

To officially document the occasion. ** -- BG Hokie 09/09/2019 1:11PM

Do all the kids a favor and have them play a real sport instead of soccer. -- HokieGator 09/09/2019 12:50PM

It sounds like it's supposed to be "just for fun", so... -- JoesterVT 09/09/2019 12:49PM

I'd like your idea. Maybe contact the league with the idea first, though. -- reestuart 09/09/2019 12:45PM

Just from a logistical and practical standpoint -- HokieAl 09/09/2019 12:40PM

Some suggestions: -- calihokie 09/09/2019 12:38PM

No high press... -- One4VT 09/09/2019 2:36PM

Also, move your better players back on D and your lesser ones up on O ** -- 133743Hokie 09/09/2019 1:49PM

Did that. Goals kept coming. BUT....by that time part of the problem was -- Late 80s Hokie 09/09/2019 2:53PM

It’s rec league, just mix the teams up. -- vthokieq 09/09/2019 12:36PM

Since teams have been assigned, team Snap set up, etc. and the parents -- Late 80s Hokie 09/09/2019 12:38PM

Once a given game gets out of control... -- No1Hokie 09/09/2019 2:38PM

I think that's probably the angle to take. Before the game, half time of -- BG Hokie 09/09/2019 1:09PM

I think switching players before the game would be welcomed -- Dan1993 09/09/2019 1:05PM

I like the idea of an open practice for anyone who wants to come. -- HokieSignGuy 09/09/2019 1:41PM

Agreed, BUT the 2 of us couldn't possibly coach that many kids at a -- Late 80s Hokie 09/09/2019 2:55PM

Youth soccer "coaching / how to approach this" question

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