SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Boys Varsity Soccer Unsportsmanlike Scores

I couldn't disagree more. A team should never be asked or expected to play to anything other then their potential. In a blowout, I really believe it's an opportunity to empty the bench and allow some of those players that have to work so hard in practice but receive limited PT. You can't ask them to go in and 'take it easy'. Sports are competitive and there is no life lesson in playing against someone that isn't trying. It's degrading, IMO.

As a coach I would use those games as an opportunity to give some players experience in other positions b/c you never know when an injury will change the make up of your entire team. I would never, however, ask my players to stop playing with anything less then their best effort.

If you only start 8 or 9 players though doesn't you send the message that you don't even think your opponent is worthy enough to play your full side?

exactly what I was thinking Phenomenon

I have to agree with Coach J about reserves wanting to take rare advantage of scoring opportunities. Another point needs to be made. In last year's North Charleston - Bluffton match I tried just about everything to keep the match from getting to out of hand and was still unsuccessful. I played 7 players to N.C.'s 8. We worked on possession, everybody having to touch the ball multiple times, scoring in certain situations. I even tried to get the refs to put an end to the game. The bottom line, North Charleston gave up and did not put up any fight after the first few minutes of the game. It was an ugly affair and I actually had to put my starters back in because we all agreed this was too much and they tried to hold back until the refs finally called the game.

I have been on the wrong side of blowouts and it is not fun but you should measure some successes somewhere. Not all victories are on the scoreboard. Running up a score can also make the game no fun for the team getting beat up on and the sport would lose players. This is something I do not want to do. However, some coaches and refs should realize things are getting out of hand and just end it.

I know I sound like a hypocrite after last year but that was a situation I have never experienced nor hope to experience if I return to coaching.

Phenom,
You may be right but...
1. My players had to work hard and play smart which made it much better for them (my team). As some have said, it's hard to avoid humiliating a team. Some choose to score 19 goals, some choose to play keepaway. I chose to not allow any through balls for breakaways and to only start 8.
2. You'd be surprised at how many people did NOT realize we were playing short-handed.
3. I admit I am different. When my sons u8 rec. by some chance got up by 4 goals I didn't make them pass to play keep away like other teams (our club has a 4 goal lead limit). I told my players they were NOT allowed to pass. They had to dribble and maintain possession themselves until they lost the ball. It was amazing to see some of the weakest kids in the league pull of some of the moves we had worked on plus they usually could only beat 1 maybe 2 players before losing the ball. Then it becomes a lesson in defense. In my opinion, hte best way to go.

I will have to say that I like the rule in Illinois concerning blow-outs. If at any point during the game, the difference in scores becomes 7 goals, the time remaining is cut in half. Makes for a much better use of time, and the scores aren't usually too bad.

Clark, if in the normal run of play you were to pull one or two players off the field at the most I can maybe see this. Not making a big deal out of it and just descretly pulling somebody off the feild I find acceptable. Starting a game you can obviously tell that people are missing if indeed they are.

Phenom,
I'm telling you that the team we started short against did not realize (besides the coach) that we only had 8 guys on the field until less than 10 minutes in the game.

True story: U18 state playoffs, I stopped playing with St. Giles to play with my friends, most of them never having touched a ball before. We decided we didn't want to go to Due West to get killed, so in the second half of an 6-0 game we put all 15 players on the field. The other team was amazed at how we were getting to every ball first and playing so well.Took them and the Refs 15 minutes to realize what we were doing. AND we had TWO keepers.

does anyone else in this thread smell that?????
it smells like a huge pile of bs to me

BTW, if you know you’re going to be playing a much weaker team, you can also move up some JV players for the match.