Sportsmanship?

[Unregistered]

Anyone up for a sportsmanship question?

In a recent high school (non-varsity, if that makes any difference - I don't think it should) game, one team was short a player the entire game (and no substitutes).

The team with a full team (maybe one or two substitutes as well) did not play down a player during the first half - half time score somewhere around 5-0.

Again in the second half, one team was playing with 10 players, except for about 10 minutes with only 9 players, but the other team played all eleven, including while the other team only had 9 players on the field. The final score was roughly double the half time score (say 10-0).

While I can (maybe) see playing with a full team for the first half, playing the second half with a one or two man advantage while holding a 5-0 lead which was only increasing strikes me as unsportsmanlike. Am I just naive? Does anyone else think this was okay?

[Unregistered]

I wouldn’t have run it up as much but wouldn’t have played down a player either

[Unregistered]

I wouldn’t have run it up as much but wouldn’t have played down a player either

Same. No accommodation, but you don't need to be a diq about it either.

The HS program that's short a player should ask itself why. If it's a JV teams surely they have some benchwarmers on V that could play down?

[Unregistered]

It's good to get perspective from others. I think I'd still be inclined to pull a player, but clearly there are other views, so I'll keep my thoughts to myself. It's a newbie coach.

[Unregistered]

Anyone up for a sportsmanship question?

In a recent high school (non-varsity, if that makes any difference - I don't think it should) game, one team was short a player the entire game (and no substitutes).

The team with a full team (maybe one or two substitutes as well) did not play down a player during the first half - half time score somewhere around 5-0.

Again in the second half, one team was playing with 10 players, except for about 10 minutes with only 9 players, but the other team played all eleven, including while the other team only had 9 players on the field. The final score was roughly double the half time score (say 10-0).

While I can (maybe) see playing with a full team for the first half, playing the second half with a one or two man advantage while holding a 5-0 lead which was only increasing strikes me as unsportsmanlike. Am I just naive? Does anyone else think this was okay?

I agree with the others. I would not play down but wouldn't run up the score. Would probably let my weakest players get the time in 2nd half

[Unregistered]

Just curious - why not pull a player and play even up?

[Unregistered]

Just curious - why not pull a player and play even up?

Because my team should not lose playing time because the other team has whatever issues they have that caused them to not have a full team. It's a great opportunity for one of my bench players to get some experience. That said, if the coach chose to play a player down too, i would have no issue. I just don't think he was wrong for not making that decision.

[Unregistered]

Anyone up for a sportsmanship question?

In a recent high school (non-varsity, if that makes any difference - I don't think it should) game, one team was short a player the entire game (and no substitutes).

The team with a full team (maybe one or two substitutes as well) did not play down a player during the first half - half time score somewhere around 5-0.

Again in the second half, one team was playing with 10 players, except for about 10 minutes with only 9 players, but the other team played all eleven, including while the other team only had 9 players on the field. The final score was roughly double the half time score (say 10-0).

While I can (maybe) see playing with a full team for the first half, playing the second half with a one or two man advantage while holding a 5-0 lead which was only increasing strikes me as unsportsmanlike. Am I just naive? Does anyone else think this was okay?

There are a ton of school who are having real issues fielding a junior varsity / sub varsity team right now. There are even DI schools seeing a drop in players coming out and some don't have freshman teams anymore. Several DII schools could not field a JV program this year too.

With that said - ANY coach who thinks that their team is being short changed by playing even strength in a SUB VARSTIY contest is a first rate idiot!!!!Get some perspective and remember its JV, no titles are given out for JV soccer - and play even strength. Talk to the opposing coach ahead of time and come to an agreement.

If you seriously think that your players are "getting shortchanged on playing time" - go get your head checked. To quote a popular poster in here - you are being a dooooosh!

[Unregistered]

Just curious - why not pull a player and play even up?

Teams need to learn to play up a player and down a player. Good opportunity to do so.

And, for that matter, why punish another team and minimize their playing minutes and the other team can't field enough players? Minutes for some teams and players are already hard to come by, not fair to them to take to 10% away.

[Unregistered]

Why not address the real issue of less kids playing soccer.

[Unregistered]

Why not address the real issue of less kids playing soccer.

Open up a thread if you want to.

[Unregistered]

FWIW, the team "with a bench" had two subs. Ebbs and flows. Two years ago, if I recall correctly, bumper crop of kids trying out for h.s. locally, lots cut. This year, not so much.

My feeling is that after the first half (and knowing the direction of the game), the coach could have easily rested a player and still give kids a decent amount of playing time.

That said, I respect alternative perspectives and will just shut my mug rather than talk with the coach. I don't recall having to deal with this when I was a coach, so I appreciate the input from others that it isn't black and white.

(When this happened to my child's club team (they were playing down, in part because two or three of their players were playing up), the host team did drop a player for the full game, and lost, but not a blowout. I could have seen the opposing coach go back to normal strength, but he didn't.)

[Unregistered]

Why not address the real issue of less kids playing soccer.

Could just be a one off, could also be a very small school or not a big "soccer" school (some just aren't). There are declines but that's overall in all of youth soccer.

[Unregistered]

Teams need to learn to play up a player and down a player. Good opportunity to do so.

And, for that matter, why punish another team and minimize their playing minutes and the other team can't field enough players? Minutes for some teams and players are already hard to come by, not fair to them to take to 10% away.

Agreed here. There are plenty of ways a coach can avoid running up the score, but still having all his players out on the field practicing their skills (one touch, weak foot only, etc). Nobody is getting better sitting on the bench.

[Unregistered]

Epilogue

The two teams played again. Coach of the team that won 10-0 said before the game they shouldn't have a problem beating the other team. I said they were playing down one or two players- coach said they weren't very good - maybe she communicated that to her team - they lost 1-2. Hopefully, she learned a lesson. Respect, and any given team on any given day...