Open letter to Phoenix cup

[Unregistered]

What you say is true but also there are times when a parent is absolutely correct. The other teams do on occasion have kids that are out to hurt people, they do play dirty and they do injure other kids. Even at age 10. No idea if that happened in this case, but it does happen and a parents concern should not be swept under the rug as "well you don't know what you are seeing, parents are emotional" Your darn right I'm emotional when a kid hits my kid in the face with an elbow off the ball or steps on his groin when he's down, or pinches him in the privates on corner kicks. If that is happening, the ref is not seeing it and the coaches aren't either, a parent has every right to yell his head off and let the ref, and everone else watching the game know what is happening.

It happened to my kid and I yelled at the ref, and then yelled out loud for everyone to know that "#15 plays dirty and hits in the head" " watch this play, #15 is going to foul" on a corner kick I yelled, "Ref #15 if pinching him, can't you see it" At that point when nothing is done, you have the right to leave the game and the entire team should as well. Maybe then it would clean up the game.

Oh my god, please stay home, your kid will be better off. It is not your decision to call the game or not. I know, I know, you paid. The team coach should be telling you to stay in the parking lot.
Watch professionals on corner kicks.......

[Unregistered]

What you say is true but also there are times when a parent is absolutely correct. The other teams do on occasion have kids that are out to hurt people, they do play dirty and they do injure other kids. Even at age 10. No idea if that happened in this case, but it does happen and a parents concern should not be swept under the rug as "well you don't know what you are seeing, parents are emotional" Your darn right I'm emotional when a kid hits my kid in the face with an elbow off the ball or steps on his groin when he's down, or pinches him in the privates on corner kicks. If that is happening, the ref is not seeing it and the coaches aren't either, a parent has every right to yell his head off and let the ref, and everone else watching the game know what is happening.

It happened to my kid and I yelled at the ref, and then yelled out loud for everyone to know that "#15 plays dirty and hits in the head" " watch this play, #15 is going to foul" on a corner kick I yelled, "Ref #15 if pinching him, can't you see it" At that point when nothing is done, you have the right to leave the game and the entire team should as well. Maybe then it would clean up the game.

Please do everyone a favor and find a different sport for your little snowflake. You are not cut out for this.

[Unregistered]

Only 11 years old. Last year, same circumstances, í watch a 10 year old defender FAES a 60 pound girl into the ground. She broke,her clavicle, didn't touch a soccer ball for 5 months. The kid and coach were elevated to ECNL, no punishment...just promotions. Won't say which club...because after all...it's only little girls playing kickball. I hope your kid isn't a arrojaron south east ECNL U12...because that same kid is still out there being rewarded for aggressiveness.

She could still kick the ball around with a broken clavicle.. Plus it's really easy to break, only takes seven pounds of pressure. Not sure this is a good example.

[Unregistered]

Huh?

She could still kick the ball around with a broken clavicle.. Plus it's really easy to break, only takes seven pounds of pressure. Not sure this is a good example.

You must be from Brevard.

[Unregistered]

Sport for your kid

What you say is true but also there are times when a parent is absolutely correct. The other teams do on occasion have kids that are out to hurt people, they do play dirty and they do injure other kids. Even at age 10. No idea if that happened in this case, but it does happen and a parents concern should not be swept under the rug as "well you don't know what you are seeing, parents are emotional" Your darn right I'm emotional when a kid hits my kid in the face with an elbow off the ball or steps on his groin when he's down, or pinches him in the privates on corner kicks. If that is happening, the ref is not seeing it and the coaches aren't either, a parent has every right to yell his head off and let the ref, and everone else watching the game know what is happening.

It happened to my kid and I yelled at the ref, and then yelled out loud for everyone to know that "#15 plays dirty and hits in the head" " watch this play, #15 is going to foul" on a corner kick I yelled, "Ref #15 if pinching him, can't you see it" At that point when nothing is done, you have the right to leave the game and the entire team should as well. Maybe then it would clean up the game.

Please sign your snowflake up for this: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Synchronized-Swimming

[Unregistered]

You must be from Brevard.

No but Slap Shot is my fav. show. Gotta love the Hansen Brothers. I show it to my Daughter and her teammates in the van ride down.

https://youtu.be/VHMi-j7W2gM

[Unregistered]

I saw the fight - so sad

I was at the Phoenix Cup this weekend and I saw much of the fight between the father/son duo from Brevard and the older gentleman from Armada. It was a volatile event that poured onto the field and lasted for at least 10 minutes. It was the saddest thing I've ever seen in youth sports. Parents have to control themselves and cannot assault parents of the opposing team, but the clubs have to do their due diligence and 1) confirm that their coaches aren’t encouraging dangerous play and 2) immediately remove and report referees that are incapable of calling a game fairly.

Referees have varying degrees of expertise, and I'm sure tournaments present challenges to the event host in finding quality refs for all games (particularly of smaller tournaments). We have attended the Phoenix Cup for the last two years, and had one very poorly refereed game last year with un-penalized dangerous play and one atrocious game this year with overly protective and one-sided calls in favor of one team.

I will encourage my daughter's coaches and team parents to attend a different tourney next year.

[Unregistered]

I was at the Phoenix Cup this weekend and I saw much of the fight between the father/son duo from Brevard and the older gentleman from Armada. It was a volatile event that poured onto the field and lasted for at least 10 minutes. It was the saddest thing I've ever seen in youth sports. Parents have to control themselves and cannot assault parents of the opposing team, but the clubs have to do their due diligence and 1) confirm that their coaches aren’t encouraging dangerous play and 2) immediately remove and report referees that are incapable of calling a game fairly.

Referees have varying degrees of expertise, and I'm sure tournaments present challenges to the event host in finding quality refs for all games (particularly of smaller tournaments). We have attended the Phoenix Cup for the last two years, and had one very poorly refereed game last year with un-penalized dangerous play and one atrocious game this year with overly protective and one-sided calls in favor of one team.

I will encourage my daughter's coaches and team parents to attend a different tourney next year.

I encourage parents to speak up and post about dangerous play. Video it when you see it. There are players who are out of control out there, and when the ref and their own coach won't get them off the field, then are you going to stand by knowing your player is still going to play the game and is at risk? When the other adults (coaches and refs) aren't protecting the kids on the field from a dangerous player, then other adults have to step up. Take video and make it available, otherwise it will be denied. Take your player out of the game if need be. One serious injury can affect your child for a very long and difficult time. Take it from me. My player sustained a serious injury as a result of a very dirty foul. Your kid counts on you above everyone else. use your sense and be a snowflake.

[Unregistered]

Parents

I encourage parents to speak up and post about dangerous play. Video it when you see it. There are players who are out of control out there, and when the ref and their own coach won't get them off the field, then are you going to stand by knowing your player is still going to play the game and is at risk? When the other adults (coaches and refs) aren't protecting the kids on the field from a dangerous player, then other adults have to step up. Take video and make it available, otherwise it will be denied. Take your player out of the game if need be. One serious injury can affect your child for a very long and difficult time. Take it from me. My player sustained a serious injury as a result of a very dirty foul. Your kid counts on you above everyone else. use your sense and be a snowflake.

As a parent you will always feel your is at risk. Most parents don't a "dirty foul" from a hard tackle. Refs look at intent when making decisions and that is very hard for a parent to see from the sidelines. I have been involved with soccer for 18 years and I can honestly say there may have been 2 or 3 times that I saw a player cause injury due to a hard foul and it wasn't called, but looking at the Big Picture the games are safe.

[Unregistered]

As a parent you will always feel your is at risk. Most parents don't a "dirty foul" from a hard tackle. Refs look at intent when making decisions and that is very hard for a parent to see from the sidelines. I have been involved with soccer for 18 years and I can honestly say there may have been 2 or 3 times that I saw a player cause injury due to a hard foul and it wasn't called, but looking at the Big Picture the games are safe.

my player was injured from a dirty foul from behind, no ball involved, and it was called. but the player had been engaging this type of play during the game and should have been removed. the player was removed after my player was injured, by his own coach, and kept out the rest of the game. you never think your player will be injured, I didn't, until it happens. I disagree that parents always think their player will be injured, I think it is the other way around. I've seen other players that have a habit of fouling from behind when they are beaten.

I also disagree that the game is generally safe given the amount of broken bones, concussions, and tendon injuries I have seen. I haven't been around it 18 years, but I've been around it 8 years.

That's my take.

[Unregistered]

I also disagree that the game is generally safe given the amount of broken bones, concussions, and tendon injuries I have seen. I haven't been around it 18 years, but I've been around it 8 years.

I've been in the sport for 37 years as a player, coach, referee, and parent. Key word "sport." Injury risk is inherent in any physical activity.

In almost four decades, I probably couldn't use all the fingers on one hand to count the times a serious injury was the result of dangerous play allowed to continue unchecked. Those last four words being critical here.

A truly serious injury is more likely to occur from an unforeseen accident due to factors such as:
* poor skills and timing
* weather conditions
* field conditions
* player's own physical condition (susceptible to ACL injury for example)

The ones that can be attributed to malicious intent usually seem to come out of nowhere rather than be predictable. Because whether you want to believe it or not, coaches and referees are able to detect potential problems and do try to take corrective action before the kid gets out of control.

The game is generally safe when you consider the millions of kids who play it regularly without serious injury. But no sport is injury-free.

[Unregistered]

Excellent

I've been in the sport for 37 years as a player, coach, referee, and parent. Key word "sport." Injury risk is inherent in any physical activity.

In almost four decades, I probably couldn't use all the fingers on one hand to count the times a serious injury was the result of dangerous play allowed to continue unchecked. Those last four words being critical here.

A truly serious injury is more likely to occur from an unforeseen accident due to factors such as:
* poor skills and timing
* weather conditions
* field conditions
* player's own physical condition (susceptible to ACL injury for example)

The ones that can be attributed to malicious intent usually seem to come out of nowhere rather than be predictable. Because whether you want to believe it or not, coaches and referees are able to detect potential problems and do try to take corrective action before the kid gets out of control.

The game is generally safe when you consider the millions of kids who play it regularly without serious injury. But no sport is injury-free.

Very good post. Totally agree with your points.

[Unregistered]

You are a over a rec tournament!!! C'mon man!

[Unregistered]

my player was injured from a dirty foul from behind, no ball involved, and it was called. but the player had been engaging this type of play during the game and should have been removed. the player was removed after my player was injured, by his own coach, and kept out the rest of the game. you never think your player will be injured, I didn't, until it happens. I disagree that parents always think their player will be injured, I think it is the other way around. I've seen other players that have a habit of fouling from behind when they are beaten.

I also disagree that the game is generally safe given the amount of broken bones, concussions, and tendon injuries I have seen. I haven't been around it 18 years, but I've been around it 8 years.

That's my take.

Tackles from behind were legal when I played and they let us challenge studs up.

Just saying the games are not that rough anymore.

[Unregistered]

Tackles from behind were legal when I played and they let us challenge studs up.

Just saying the games are not that rough anymore.

No kidding! I'm the 37 year soccer vet above. Some tactics accepted as part of the game when I was in high school and college would earn an immediate sending off now.