Question about playing time

[Unregistered]

On our ECNL team, the coach will allow fwds and mids to make a lot of mistakes (often rightly so, they need to take some risks) but if a defender screws up once they are going to hear about it and often get pulled. The #1 CB is the only one who is "safe" but everyone else on the 4 man back line is fair game for the hook.

Well, then your ECNL coach is a dumb ass. For so many different reasons, the worst thing you can do to a kid is to pull them for making a mistake. In fact, if they are not making mistakes, you should be wondering what the heck is going on.

[Unregistered]

On our ECNL team, the coach will allow fwds and mids to make a lot of mistakes (often rightly so, they need to take some risks) but if a defender screws up once they are going to hear about it and often get pulled. The #1 CB is the only one who is "safe" but everyone else on the 4 man back line is fair game for the hook.

This has to be JB.

[Unregistered]

This has to be JB.

unfortunately, no single coach has cornered the market on this particular trait. i've seen all sorts of coaches pull kids after making a mistake. i've seen the confidence death spiral too many times where a kid gets pulled a couple of times for making a mistake, then the next time out they are tentative which leads to mistakes for which they get pulled and so on until by the end of the season you can't tell it's the same kid. and not in a good way.

[Unregistered]

Well, then your ECNL coach is a dumb ass. For so many different reasons, the worst thing you can do to a kid is to pull them for making a mistake. In fact, if they are not making mistakes, you should be wondering what the heck is going on.

i agree - the last thing you want is a player not taking any risks for fear of punishment. Nothing worse than watching a player afraid to play the game and just worrying about coach's temper.

[Unregistered]

Well, then your ECNL coach is a dumb ass. For so many different reasons, the worst thing you can do to a kid is to pull them for making a mistake. In fact, if they are not making mistakes, you should be wondering what the heck is going on.

I've heard that from friends of ours, and yes, JB was the coach. It was horrible...kid gets on and five minutes later they are yanked off. That is no way to learn.

It's a reason why I actually could see some merit in the GDA subbing rules. Players were forced to play through mistakes vs. playing in fear.

Before you all jump...not saying I agree with the GDA approach or defending them or what have you...just that not playing in fear is a benefit.

[Unregistered]

I've heard that from friends of ours, and yes, JB was the coach. It was horrible...kid gets on and five minutes later they are yanked off. That is no way to learn.

It's a reason why I actually could see some merit in the GDA subbing rules. Players were forced to play through mistakes vs. playing in fear.

Before you all jump...not saying I agree with the GDA approach or defending them or what have you...just that not playing in fear is a benefit.

or maybe just play for a coach that doesn't do that...

[Unregistered]

At u12 my kid once got yanked after a defensive blunder only to be told by the coach that the mistake was someone else's and when she asked "if it was so & so's mistake, then why did i got pulled?" he got mad at her.

Coach's love their world of zero accountability more than anything else.

[Unregistered]

or maybe just play for a coach that doesn't do that...

So, how do you do that? You've had this dream and been told the only way to achieve this dream is to follow a path. You are thrilled to be selected to a team that will put you on the only path, only to find out your coach is a prlck.

Now what?

[Unregistered]

Well, then your ECNL coach is a dumb ass. For so many different reasons, the worst thing you can do to a kid is to pull them for making a mistake. In fact, if they are not making mistakes, you should be wondering what the heck is going on.

Pulling them out of anger or disappointment is one thing. Using it as a teachable moment to watch and learn from someone else playing defense is different. Unless the coach put out someone with less ability.
Then, you are in the doghouse.

[Unregistered]

So, how do you do that? You've had this dream and been told the only way to achieve this dream is to follow a path. You are thrilled to be selected to a team that will put you on the only path, only to find out your coach is a prlck.

Now what?

Like what others in that soccer graveyard do, let a prik coach snatch it away and go on or transfer to another team.
This stuff is not youth specific. college coaches who believe they are great do the same thing.

[Unregistered]

So, how do you do that? You've had this dream and been told the only way to achieve this dream is to follow a path. You are thrilled to be selected to a team that will put you on the only path, only to find out your coach is a prlck.

Now what?

It really depends on what the dream is.

Personally for me as a parent, what I care about the most is that my kid is happy, part of a great soccer experience where character is valued just as much as actual soccer development. Believe it or not, my kid plays for a club whose coach is a volunteer. Amazing person, terrific coach and my kid is being challenged on so many levels on this team. Will my kid ever make a D1 college under this coach? Very doubtful, yet... there is no other place I would want my kid to be in. The path that you speak of is most often a recruiting tool that in the long run leads to an unfulfilled dream. It doesn't have to be that way.

[Unregistered]

I've heard that from friends of ours, and yes, JB was the coach. It was horrible...kid gets on and five minutes later they are yanked off. That is no way to learn.

It's a reason why I actually could see some merit in the GDA subbing rules. Players were forced to play through mistakes vs. playing in fear.

Before you all jump...not saying I agree with the GDA approach or defending them or what have you...just that not playing in fear is a benefit.

That is one of the rationals in GDA, the player has to learn and develop. Better now than get to college, make constant mistakes and ride the bench. Coach's job is at stake then. They get placed in a permanent time out until they leave.

[Unregistered]

That is one of the rationals in GDA, the player has to learn and develop. Better now than get to college, make constant mistakes and ride the bench. Coach's job is at stake then. They get placed in a permanent time out until they leave.

All of these feeds my rationale for reducing # of leagues, increasing the # of teams in them, enforcing reduced roster sizes and creating situations where players are free to mess up a little. Tournaments and Champions Leagues at U14 is silly. None of this should exist until U16, say sophomore/junior year.

[Unregistered]

So, how do you do that? You've had this dream and been told the only way to achieve this dream is to follow a path. You are thrilled to be selected to a team that will put you on the only path, only to find out your coach is a prlck.

Now what?

If it's a consistent problem for your kid you leave. There isn't one path. Even if you're ECNL and want to stay ECNL there are two other teams to choose from assuming you can make those teams. GA may be an option. If you aren't at that level there's more choice.

[Unregistered]

Well, then your ECNL coach is a dumb ass. For so many different reasons, the worst thing you can do to a kid is to pull them for making a mistake. In fact, if they are not making mistakes, you should be wondering what the heck is going on.

Agree and disagree with you and the OP .... most of my kids teams, the forwards, wings, and mids have received so much support despite making the same mistakes over and over again (which is great for their confidence and ego, but has often been at the expense of the team, IMHO) ... I always thought it was a mistake that they never put THOSE kids at centerback and told them to play the same way (ball hogging, dribbling everywhere, turning every which way and generally giving the ball away a lot) .... when the ball gets deposited into the back of your own net .... coaches would be quick to see (as would the players) that they have to do better, be more aware, involve teammates ..... and when they have pulled the defensive players for mistakes, the confidence destruction is often difficult to mend later.