My kid still plays on a girls Middlesex YSL town team too, because it's fun (or used to be) and a lot of her friends have been on the team since they were little kids.
But in the last year or two as the kids have gotten bigger, the dirty play has gotten hard to take. It's not aggressive or tough play, it's stupid and dangerous and no-skill stuff like hits to the face, or blindside two-hand pushes from behind. It's obviously being encouraged by the weak coaches and towns. They think it's what you do when you don't have the coaching or player skills to compete. It's most noticeable with a couple teams - let's call them S & M. It's unbelievable they are willing to do this over a game that is supposed to be fun, and where the scores don't matter at all.
Before you say, hey that's just how the game is played when the kids get bigger - it's not. It's not how most of the teams in MYSL play. It's not how the teams play in BAYS. It's not how the teams play in club. It's just these few teams in MYSL.
So part of it is the coaches and towns, and part of it of course is the referees. A tough job for sure, but MYSL has to tell them to clamp down on this. And give them the training to do it. There's no reason for kids to get injured over what's supposed to be a fun game.
Its also not doing the kids on their teams any favors. They are learning the wrong stuff, and not learning what they should.
And of course it's the other coaches and town directors too, who more than anyone see this and know this is wrong but don't say anything. They could actually do something about it, but don't. You're really not doing anyone any favors with that, people.
But in the last year or two as the kids have gotten bigger, the dirty play has gotten hard to take. It's not aggressive or tough play, it's stupid and dangerous and no-skill stuff like hits to the face, or blindside two-hand pushes from behind. It's obviously being encouraged by the weak coaches and towns. They think it's what you do when you don't have the coaching or player skills to compete. It's most noticeable with a couple teams - let's call them S & M. It's unbelievable they are willing to do this over a game that is supposed to be fun, and where the scores don't matter at all.
Before you say, hey that's just how the game is played when the kids get bigger - it's not. It's not how most of the teams in MYSL play. It's not how the teams play in BAYS. It's not how the teams play in club. It's just these few teams in MYSL.
So part of it is the coaches and towns, and part of it of course is the referees. A tough job for sure, but MYSL has to tell them to clamp down on this. And give them the training to do it. There's no reason for kids to get injured over what's supposed to be a fun game.
Its also not doing the kids on their teams any favors. They are learning the wrong stuff, and not learning what they should.
And of course it's the other coaches and town directors too, who more than anyone see this and know this is wrong but don't say anything. They could actually do something about it, but don't. You're really not doing anyone any favors with that, people.
Comment