TomSawyer

There are always "bad calls", "no calls" and perceived makeup calls and it always evens out. The game is won or lost by the players, not the refs. I never let my team blame a ref for us losing a game. At the end of the day, if one of these so-called bad calls makes a difference, then we didn't do enough to win the game outright and need to do more next time.

Some of the best games my teams have had (and easiest to coach) were when I only had 1 or 2 subs. The chemistry they gain offsets some of the lack of fresh legs, especially if they are a possession team. I have seen this repeatedly over the years. Don't ever underestimate a team because they don't have subs.

Good point bothways. I don't think the ball runner should be the one retrieving balls that are out of sight over a hill. That is also excessive and above their responsibility. When they are doing that, they are not doing their job and thus the home school is violating the rule of having 2 ball runners. Extra balls should be provided to the ball runner and the home school should have to send a person (bench player) to go over the hill to get those.

My point was 2 is plenty. Most high school fields are fenced in. With 9 home games, every JV player covers 1 game. Someone suggested having 6 (3 per side). That is just plain excessive for a high school game. They don't need a player standing there 10 feet away to hand them a ball, they can get their own if it is close and the ball person is there when it goes too far.

High school coaches do take a beating here and I certainly have seen my share of ones that are one step above a baby sitter. I will tell you that high school coaching is MUCH harder than club coaching. The variety of talent is much wider, more similar to a rec team variety than a club team. The drama is 10x more with players and parents. The players see each other daily so their mood and attitude everyday matters. Team building is so much more important. Finally the extra rules and "help" from the school, the state organizations and NFHS are not exactly conducive to maintaining quality coaches. Feel free to complain and question them. Any that can't take it shouldn't be coaching. Just remember they aren't doing it for the money or the fame. Most are doing it because they love the kids and the game.

NFHS rules only requires 2 ball runners per game and that is all that is needed if they do their job. Club games don't have any, they get their own. You really think it is more important to have a JV player stand around for 2 hours to save a few seconds in your varsity game than get home on a school night?

I will reply to my own post because I was certainly having a bad day when I wrote that one. Not that it isn't a stupid rule. It is. That is besides the point. I've coached club, high school, been a dad and made all the mistakes. Regardless of the rule, I highly suggest not coaching players in both for many reasons that I don't have time to explain here. It sounds like a good idea but it will cause more problems than you realize. I think letting them continue to play together is a good thing, just stand back and let someone else do the coaching in the off-season.

The bylaws of the states written by the soccer associations are ridiculously long if you ever had the unfortunate need to read them. It is full of extra rules like this, written by a bunch of bureaucrats that have nothing better to do than make up more rules and think that that it is their job to protect the kids. They are not the parents. Just because you can make a rule doesn't mean you should. Inform the parents and let them make decisions for their children. They will always know better what is best for their kids. Sorry done venting. ..

I wouldn't go bragging too much. You didn't call anything. You have a bias to the Camels and that is understandable. It doesn't make you right, it just makes you loyal. Nothing wrong with that. No one can predict the outcome of these games, that is why they play the game.

I was not at the game so my opinions are based on seeing them play other teams. Every game is different for sure. Some teams just match up better against other teams. One of the girls could have sprained her ankle the day before. There is so much more that we don't know as spectators. I too am surprised to hear they didn't try or go for broke. Losing 1-0 or 2-0 is still a loss. I wonder if they had anything left in the tank. Again, which team subbed more? The unlimited subs of high school soccer makes the bench players almost as important as the starters.

I've seen all 3 teams play. Yes, they were outmatched. Sorry for being blunt and honest. WJ is even better than ND this year. They have more speed, more talent and a better bench. There is always a weaker team on the field. Coaches that understand that and adjust their playing style can win even when they are outmatched.

Proud of the Camels. To keep so close and even have a chance against Wess Jess is really something this year. This is not football. A good offense isn't the best defense in soccer. There is so much more to the game and scoring goals isn't easy. A coach must recognize and adjust their style of play against superior teams. Playing a counterattacking style doesn't mean playing direct or kick ball. When you are outmatched, the longer you keep your team in the game, the more the opponent starts to panic and your team gains confidence. When you are outmatched and down 1-0 or 2-0 early in the game, you can forget it.

Some of the best keepers play on the worst teams. Stats can't show this. Not even by shots on goal. A good defender will narrow the shooting angle and make a keepers save easier. There are no stats for that. The only way to judge is to watch that keeper. It isn't just her stopping ability either. Her communication and game awareness can also be a huge impact on a team.

I'm so glad someone brought up the play by play. Every announcer needs to take note. Just stop it. Don't try to make excuses for them. I would rather have no announcer than one that is constantly talking and giving their opinion. It ruins the game.

The KHSAA HANDBOOK has a section for KHSAA COMPETITION RULES. It has a number of paragraphs to determine seeding based on the number of teams in the district. The rules are too long to cut and paste here. google: khsaa handbook competition rules