#8 TIES: previous thread about JV Soccer ---> NEVER PK's unless JV tournament.
Varsity only tournaments or if necessary Regional games.
#6 SCHEDULES: jamborees really a football concept, eliminate jamboree & substitute a 3rd scrimmage.
Not sure how many coaches are aware you may have MULTIPLE TEAM scrimmages. Used in other states and very effective, useful for organizing, evaluating your players and other teams.
#14 TOURNAMENT FORMAT: provision should be made to allow a round robin tournament that includes some form of points, goals for & against format to declare winner. Provides more opportunities to schedule games knowing exactly how many you are going to play. In addition, it should allow tournament to be played over an entire week (days off in between contests) OR two (2) separate weekends.
We keep talking about health and safety and we jam more games one on top of another!!!
STATE TOURNAMENT FORMAT: I have coached in regions/leagues that the longest away trip was only 45 minutes away. I have also coached in regions/leagues where the closest away trip was 45 minutes. The accumulation of travel time has a huge impact on player fatigue and eventually injuries.
Neutral sites should be used as EARLY AS POSSIBLE. Worried about gate receipts & publicity ----> schedule double headers. Again, I have been in settings where this concept is used and is very successful.
#11 SCHSL certified officials: All the discussion about cards & fouls, other conversations about availability of officials, and quality of officials ??? Here is a novel/crazy solution: coaches take the written rules test (and pass) ---> varsity coaches officiate the JV game, JV coaches officiate the varsity game!
I have had to do this on multiple occasions in high school, club AND even on the collegiate level!!!
It creates many POSITIVE dynamics during the course of a game. Players are less likely to play outside "the spirit of the rules" when they have an ongoing relationship with the official ---> IT WILL CROSS THEIR MINDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
Worried about coach/official favoring his team? You know what normally happens, you wind up being tougher on your team. I especially don't want to make the 1st "homer" call and give the other coach/official the advantage of having one to use at a later MORE ADVANTAGEOUS time.
When we have had to do this many players walk off at the end of the game saying this was the best officiated match they have ever played in and wish they could do that more often!!!
