Valid Players on the Pitch

[Unregistered]

I think you are a blind optimist (that's code for fool) if you think this does not go on. Where in life, anywhere, does a poorly regulated system not go uncorrupted? No place. Nowhere. Cheating exists everywhere. Ok, now go close your eyes and hum loudly as that will make it not so. Grow up. Your logic is wrapped up in an argument that says "what we have is fine"? Huh? Cheating is fine. Let me guess, got some big kids on your team do you? At least that would warrant your position, otherwise it just makes lazy as your core reasoning. Lazy to accept a poor system because it is "fine". What is "fine" by the way? Laaaaaaaaaaazy. That's what it is. Dude, if someone wants to cheat, whatever, chill man....pass the pipe dude...don't bogart that thing.....cough...just live man...live and let live. Peace bro. Can't we all just get Along?

Man, you are one intense dude. Rather than just throwing out a bunch of platitudes, propose some solutions.
First, for better or worse, birth certificates are the accepted course of proof for most instances in which proof of age is required. Hell, you can get a passport without much more than a birth certificate and proof of address. But that's not good enough for you in order to get a youth soccer player card? I'm laughing as I write this. If someone wants to go to the effort of obtaining a fraudulent birth certificate, then they will get caught when it matters, and it sure as heck doesn't matter at most levels before national team or college.
Second, I trust the registrar of our club. I trust her for a number of reasons, but from a purely objective standpoint, the players are in the grades that I would expect. Of course, a child may have been held back a year, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it. If you don't trust your club registrar, then have your club mandate that two people witness/approve the issuance of all player cards.
Third, when entering a tournament, all the players' names, registration numbers, and dates of birth (consistent with the player cards) are all entered in advance. Not a bad protection. Again, if there is fraud at this level, it goes back to the issuance of the cards in the first place.
Fourth, every other concern you seem to have arises from a player using someone else's card (e.g., a ref not comparing the pictures with the players at check in, late arriving player). That would mean that virtually every player, the coaches, and the team managers are in on it. (Most are able to tell the differene between Jill Smith and Jane Doe.) What world do you come from where all these people are willing to cheat in order to win a youth soccer tournament or league or game, and where it is a regular problem?

It appears you have been burned, or are aware of others who were burned. At what stage? Simply having the "feeling" that others must be cheating because some teams have bigger players than others doesn't cut it.

And what are your solutions to the perceived problems? In 15 years of youth soccer with three kids, I have yet to see an issue. Of course, if a player used a fraudulent birth certificate, I wouldn't know it; however, see the foregoing.

[Unregistered]

I'd be surprised if anyone in Oregon tried to slip in an overage player. We are a pretty tight community and people know the better players. It would be difficult to keep it a secret. All the kids on the team will know, so will their parents. You'd have a lot of co-conspiritors. Frauds with more than more party are usually foiled by loose lips. Add in 40 or more parties that know and the likelihood of discovery is very high.

[Unregistered]

I'd be surprised if anyone in Oregon tried to slip in an overage player. We are a pretty tight community and people know the better players. It would be difficult to keep it a secret. All the kids on the team will know, so will their parents. You'd have a lot of co-conspiritors. Frauds with more than more party are usually foiled by loose lips. Add in 40 or more parties that know and the likelihood of discovery is very high.

That only works if you speak the same language

[Unregistered]

I think you are a blind optimist (that's code for fool) if you think this does not go on. Where in life, anywhere, does a poorly regulated system not go uncorrupted? No place. Nowhere. Cheating exists everywhere. Ok, now go close your eyes and hum loudly as that will make it not so. Grow up. Your logic is wrapped up in an argument that says "what we have is fine"? Huh? Cheating is fine. Let me guess, got some big kids on your team do you? At least that would warrant your position, otherwise it just makes lazy as your core reasoning. Lazy to accept a poor system because it is "fine". What is "fine" by the way? Laaaaaaaaaaazy. That's what it is. Dude, if someone wants to cheat, whatever, chill man....pass the pipe dude...don't bogart that thing.....cough...just live man...live and let live. Peace bro. Can't we all just get Along?

The horse is dead already. But you might want to kick it a few more times. If that's what you need to do...

[Unregistered]

That only works if you speak the same language

Exactly.

[Unregistered]

That only works if you speak the same language

So call this what it is…a racist rant, because your poor child's team lost to a hispanic team, rather than accept that it is possible for them to lose you are trying to build this straw horse of rampant cheating…

I agree with what others have said there is no way you could coordinate a fraud on the scale of 30-40 people knowing and not have word leak out.

Kids develop at different speeds, just because there is a team with bigger players on it than yours does not mean they cheat or have brought in ringers etc…Some teams/coaches select for size in a tryout.

Get over yourself, and go back and hang with your ilk in the klavern

[Unregistered]

Exactly.

Or if they speak your language. Sad to say not many people speak stupid anymore

[Marbull]

It is unfortunate that lately (last few years), those that have been caught at the "fake age" thing have been Hispanic. Doesn't mean they're all bad. There are just as many "white folk" that would probably pull the same thing if given the opportunity.

The problem as I see it is this. If my lil suzie or fred was benched by a guest player that I knew or suspected was older then allowed, Id scream bloody murder even if we just won the Dallas Cup. This typically isnt the case in other nationalities.

I remember a couple of years ago the situation where the registrar of a club registered a player at OYSA using the players name hyphenated, altered birth year and a varied home address. Enough that that Affinity system didn't catch it and was issued a player card. That player wasn't playing down, but rather UP. Both teams did very well, but the older team was penalized for the use of the incorrect player data. The player was registered at both US Club (correctly) and USYSA (incorrectly) and played in both state cups.

[Unregistered]

Remember this well, but different clubs were involved

Marbull

Good to point this out. I remember following this.

The player was register with 2 different clubs. The family did not understand the rules and saw no problems with playing on different clubs at different age group. They would not have been catch if both teams had not made it to the State Finals that year.

There is a culturally and sometimes language differences to cover come. In the end, they just want to play and some of the rules don't make sense to them.

Overall, this is not as big of deal that some are making this out to be.

[Unregistered]

Marbull

Good to point this out. I remember following this.

The player was register with 2 different clubs. The family did not understand the rules and saw no problems with playing on different clubs at different age group. They would not have been catch if both teams had not made it to the State Finals that year.

There is a culturally and sometimes language differences to cover come. In the end, they just want to play and some of the rules don't make sense to them.

Overall, this is not as big of deal that some are making this out to be.

What rules don't make sense?

[Unregistered]

So call this what it is…a racist rant, because your poor child's team lost to a hispanic team, rather than accept that it is possible for them to lose you are trying to build this straw horse of rampant cheating…

I agree with what others have said there is no way you could coordinate a fraud on the scale of 30-40 people knowing and not have word leak out.

Kids develop at different speeds, just because there is a team with bigger players on it than yours does not mean they cheat or have brought in ringers etc…Some teams/coaches select for size in a tryout.

Get over yourself, and go back and hang with your ilk in the klavern

What a ridiculous post.

[Unregistered]

What a ridiculous post.

Maybe it hits too close to home...it is embarrassing the number of folks who are stating that culturally "they" don't get it, "they" speak a different language, "they" have bigger players than us...All with the implication that "they" feel it is alright to cheat in order to win...

I apologize but it really is a pet peeve of mine when someone makes broad cultural statements based on the behaviour of a few individuals.

Also I have been around the soccer community in Oregon long enough to know that these kind of statements usually come from a parent who NASA child who lost, and they feel "hard down by". Set a good example for your kids...instead of making racist generalizations take your licks, and move on, and become better for it.

[Unregistered]

Maybe it hits too close to home...it is embarrassing the number of folks who are stating that culturally "they" don't get it, "they" speak a different language, "they" have bigger players than us...All with the implication that "they" feel it is alright to cheat in order to win...

I apologize but it really is a pet peeve of mine when someone makes broad cultural statements based on the behaviour of a few individuals.

Also I have been around the soccer community in Oregon long enough to know that these kind of statements usually come from a parent who NASA child who lost, and they feel "hard down by". Set a good example for your kids...instead of making racist generalizations take your licks, and move on, and become better for it.

What a ridiculous post. Discussing age fraud is not racism. Stop trying to begin a thread on the subject here. If you want to cover racism in Oregon soccer, start a new thread otherwise stop whining and pointing fingers at every comment and screaming racist! Every argument can not end because your see cultural bias in every sentence and every word around you. Quit the trolling it is silly and childish.

[Unregistered]

Maybe it hits too close to home...it is embarrassing the number of folks who are stating that culturally "they" don't get it, "they" speak a different language, "they" have bigger players than us...All with the implication that "they" feel it is alright to cheat in order to win...

I apologize but it really is a pet peeve of mine when someone makes broad cultural statements based on the behaviour of a few individuals.

Also I have been around the soccer community in Oregon long enough to know that these kind of statements usually come from a parent who NASA child who lost, and they feel "hard down by". Set a good example for your kids...instead of making racist generalizations take your licks, and move on, and become better for it.

We can all pretend that this does not happen more often in the Hispanic community. There is a Hispanic youth soccer league in Hillsboro-Forest Grove-Cornelius. The use of illegally using older players is a common problem. You can contact any of the coaches and they will tell you this is a big problem and is very common. Main difference is that it is a tighter community. People know each other so the players are often caught.

[Unregistered]

We can all pretend that this does not happen more often in the Hispanic community. There is a Hispanic youth soccer league in Hillsboro-Forest Grove-Cornelius. The use of illegally using older players is a common problem. You can contact any of the coaches and they will tell you this is a big problem and is very common. Main difference is that it is a tighter community. People know each other so the players are often caught.

So to put a fine tip on it, the difference that makes it racist is when you talk about a Hispanic league (making specific observations about an identifiable group) or when, as most if the posts do above, you speak about Hispanic culture in general. Comments like some cultures tolerate cheating or they do this, they do that etc are claiming there is a difference between these two cultures , and would be like saying white people aren't as good at soccer. Stupid comment, wrong in many situations, but can be proven by general observations.

I happen to disagree that age cheating is a huge issue, I think there are systems in place, that while most lax at summer tournaments, than league, become strict when you get to anything meaningful. I think most of the time when these complaints come up, it is from an upset parent of a losing team, and must be taken with a grain of salt.

I would never anonymously accuse people of BEING racists, I do think it invalidates our discussion if that is what we base our arguments on.