It's for 5-year-olds. At that age the set up doesn't matter you just want the kids to get used to having the ball at their feet. Once the kids get older, you can start playing with a traditional set up. I'm not sure if DD's kids play a 3-on-3 but I have heard of it. Once the kids get to the 8 or 9-year-old level they start learning about formations and the like. Kids don't have the ability to grasp formations at that age. If you tell them they're a defender and they should stay back. That's what they'll do. They'll stay at the top of the 18 for the entire game. They're only 5.
Ok...update. Today was our toughest match by far.....we ended up winning 25-14, but we were actually trailing at the end of the first quarter 6-4. The other coach had some new rules to try out, where we rotate kids in on the fly and it was screwing up my rotations. I have 2 kids that are awesome on offense and more importantly defense, they run down the other team and take the ball away...if one of them is not on the field the other team scores at will. My son and another are the two boys....and while i enjoy playing them together....we got up 4-0 in the first 3 minutes of the first quarter before I took them both out and the other team scored 6....I just have to split them up. So, I went back to regular rotations.....and we killed em.... The best part about it, was that this team has not lost in 2 years......and last season when we played them, one of our two good players was sick and we lost 11-7.......when they left their best player on the field ALL GAME long... So, today, it was fun to watch their parents faces...as the scoring mounted....by the end of the first half it was 13-6....then at the end of the third quarter it was 21-10, and then we coasted on in for the win 25-14, where I took both my son and the other kid off the field for the last 3 minutes to let the other team score.....[EVIL LAUGH] You should have seen the looks on the other team's parents....they were like...."how could this be happening"......... Revenge is a dish best served cold......... What a gorgeous day !!! By the way, I believe in teaching kids to win and lose, none of this sissy no score keeping crap....life is about how you handle winning AND losing.....and the sooner you learn that..the better..... DD
When I was 5 I played real soccer and none of this sissy 3-3, no keeper crap. You are infantilizing your child and should not be so smug about it. I am guessing you never played.
DaDa, If my kid was on your team, I'd have to remove him from your dynasty if only out of fear the tremendous psychological damage you would do to him from your "winning v. losing" teachings.
LOL - I would love to play real soccer, but all they play at this level is 3 on 3...but hey if it gets them to love the sport, I am all for it. As for me, I played until I was 14, scored over 4 goals a game at 13, and got to high school, our school didn't have a team, so I went to the Baytown Saints club team.....played 2 games scored 3 goals and got 2 assists, then gave up because I was the only English speaking guy on the team, and all my friends were playing other sports. So, I stuck to traditional American sports.......should have stayed in soccer.... DD
Codell, I don't teach them winning vs. losing, only that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but the important thing is to try your best all the time. Trust me, my excitement at the winning is VERY tempered on the field.....no need to get arseholish, but inside, I am very excited, and this my entusiasm shows in my posts......but not necessarily to my kids. To them it is all about having fun.........and how winning is SOOOO much more fun than losing..... (I kid..I kid...sorta) And there are winners and losers in all facets of life, nothing wrong with being competitive........all the most successful people are...... DD
When I was five we played baseball with a pretend baseball so that nobody got their feelings hurt. I am now 37, and me and my best pal Billy Jack still play ball almost every weekend. It doesn't bother me anymore that people say he isn't real. He is real to me and that's what matters most.
2 seasons....Fall and this one...sorry. This was their first loss......according to their coach and one of their parents..... Also, the look on the coaches face when he said "See you next year"....lol priceless. In the fall season.....parents on a lot of the teams complained about the team we played today because their coach was leaving his best players on the field not playing everyone and rolling the ball to make it easy for his kids to score and not being fair. He got reprimanded by the league......This was a sweet win....I enjoyed it immensley, and I played everyone equally, as I always do.... And we kicked their ARSE !!!!!!! DD
Uhhh...you still have your stats memorized? Uhhhh.... I forgot to mention that the balls we played with had nails sticking out of them. If a header presented itself, you took it and didn't cry.
My stats were memorized because my dad kept em......easy to remember when you are a teenager. As for the rest, I see your sarcasm. But I am too happy on this day to be bothered. HURRICANES FOREVER !!! DD
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DaDa, you sound like a dad whose going to coach his son all the way up until he eventually makes some sort of school team. Then not being the coach will destroy you inside, and you'll be the dad yelling at coaches for not playing your son enough. I say, take a chill pill
You could not be more wrong.....I refereed for 10 years.....and no way in HECK will I yell at the Ref etc...only positive reinforcement. Do not take my sharing of my joy on an internet message board to be any indicator of how I act in real life. This is a place to vent and let it all out.....otherwise....poker face baby...nothing but positive.... Like " Hey coach, I am positive, we just kicked your team's arse" DD
