High School Soccer - Love It, Hate It, or Somewhere in Between?

[MBWC41]

I don't like soccer at any level. I never have.

 

I do think that I would have liked to give goalie a try though. That's the only position on the field that appeals to me in any way. Being a goalie would be fun.

 

My dislike for soccer has nothing to do with the toughness of the people playing it. Soccer players are great athletes. It takes a ton of endurance and hand eye coordination to play. I don't like soccer for the same reason I don't like golf and hockey, because I find it boring. Theres not enough action in it for me. I've actually made myself try to like it a time or two. I made myself set through entire games...It was torture.

[MJAlltheWay24]

I don't like soccer at any level. I never have.

 

I do think that I would have liked to give goalie a try though. That's the only position on the field that appeals to me in any way. Being a goalie would be fun.

 

My dislike for soccer has nothing to do with the toughness of the people playing it. Soccer players are great athletes. It takes a ton of endurance and hand eye coordination to play. I don't like soccer for the same reason I don't like golf and hockey, because I find it boring. Theres not enough action in it for me. I've actually made myself try to like it a time or two. I made myself set through entire games...It was torture.

 

At least you tried, there are to many people that don't even give it a chance. Soccer is kind of a sport that you almost have to have played and have experience in to truly appreciate what some of the things are that they are doing. Unlike the sport of basketball where you don't have to be able to dunk a basketball off an alley-oop to know how awesome it was. And I completely love basketball...so I hope this makes sense.

[stick1]

Not trying to pick a fight, but that is just an absurd, unfactual statement.

 

You don't know the kids I've had in school so I don't see how you say that is false. The kids I was talking about were some of the best soccer players in the state (they went on to win a national championship). Some of them could have been amazing football players if they were tough enough. That is a fact!

I also agree with MJ that there are a lot of football guys that could never handle the cardio in soccer. That's a fact too.

An athlete is an athlete. I'm not here to just put down soccer. I have respect for the cardio it takes and the dedication for anybody in a team sport. I LOVE it for younger kids because I think it is great for cardio, stop/start skills and balance. I just think as far as high school sports it is way behind the things I love compared to a sport like football.

Lacross is a better mix of both. Cardio+ more physical.

[nkuclubbaseball19]

Love soccer at the high school level. I played all four years (even though i missed about 1.5 years total due to injury) at DH. It is great for an athlete's cardio.

 

For those who say it is not a physical sport obviously have not watched enough HS soccer. It may not seem like the contact is bad but it really can be/is. The injuries that I received from playing include: torn mcl and meniscus, concussions, bruised ribs, sprained wrist (defender ran into me), bruising along my spine, and a few bloody noses. Not to mention a few others.

[leatherneck]

Funny thing is...lots of kids in middle and high school are far to out of shape to hack it on a soccer field, so they have to play a sport like football.

 

Uh, they wouldn't play football at Highlands if they were out of shape. :thumb:

 

I don't watch soccer enough to even understand it. But if there are kids playing soccer with a H on the front of their jersey representing Highlands, I'm pulling for them all the way. And I don't necessarily agree that the kids playing it are wimps or aren't tough. The kids that I know that play the game are in great shape and work their tails off. That in and of itself is worthy of my respect.

[stick1]

I've done a poor job in this thread I think trying to explain my feelings. I'll try to sum it up.

1. I think soccer is good. It affords kids another chance to play a TEAM sport and I'm all for team sports plus I think any time kids are involved it's free time off of their hands to be getting into trouble.

2. I LOVE it at the lower levels because I think it teaches kids a lot of pysical skills that you don't get at lower levels. The start stop + cardio are outstanding.

3. I love it for girls.

4. I have taught in schools were the majority of the kids were too soft to play football. Those same kids were tremendous atheltes! It might not be like that everywhere but the kids I dealt with fit that bill. Not all of them but the majority. What really rubbed me raw with soccer was the middle school kids I taught that played. They felt like they were head and shoulders more special than most of the other kids and the apple didn't fall far from the tree. The majority of them had A LOT of money and felt like rules didn't apply to them. That left a bad taste in my mouth. It might not be like that everywhere but that was my experience. Once again that didn't apply to all the kids because there was a handfull that were some of the best kids I ever had.

5. As a sport I totally respect soccer. As I said any contact sport is going to be somewhat physical. I've had people try to say that it is more physical than football but I'm not buying that one. If I could be hit by Ronnie Lott or David Beckem then I'm asking for Beckem (as long as he brings his wife:)

6. I LOVE the soccer games on playstation etc. It can get boring in real life but I love the games:)

7. Overall I'm glad there is soccer out there as a choice for kids to play. It affords more kids to be involved and learn about dealing with other teammates etc. It's great exercise and teaches young kids a lot of skills/coordination. At the high school level I love it for girls and it's fine for boys too. It's definatly not my favorite but I respect the kids that find their niche there. Give me football all day everyday but too each his own.

For you guys on here that played it I am not saying you are not athletic or couldn't handle football etc. I don't know you all so I'm not going to be judgemental about you. I respect you guys for finding your nitche and am glad you enjoy it. I was speaking from experiences I've had at a couple of the biggest soccer schools in the state.

[Original Rookie]

Stick, maybe they just liked soccer (or were better at it) than football. For most of them, it probably has nothing to do with how physical it is because if they were on some of the best teams in the state, then they are plenty physical on the soccer field.

[cheapseats]

I like soccer but, I think more people would like it if the games were not so long. 80 mins is along time even if there are no time outs and little clock stoppage, The typical low scores turn people off too. My personal pet peeve is ties. No game should ever end in a tie. It is unamerican and most likely a socialist idea. Forget about the overtime periods. You just played 80 mins and the game is tied. Have a shoot out (the most exciting thing in soccer) and get it over with already.

[MJAlltheWay24]

I've done a poor job in this thread I think trying to explain my feelings. I'll try to sum it up.

1. I think soccer is good. It affords kids another chance to play a TEAM sport and I'm all for team sports plus I think any time kids are involved it's free time off of their hands to be getting into trouble.

2. I LOVE it at the lower levels because I think it teaches kids a lot of pysical skills that you don't get at lower levels. The start stop + cardio are outstanding.

3. I love it for girls.

4. I have taught in schools were the majority of the kids were too soft to play football. Those same kids were tremendous atheltes! It might not be like that everywhere but the kids I dealt with fit that bill. Not all of them but the majority. What really rubbed me raw with soccer was the middle school kids I taught that played. They felt like they were head and shoulders more special than most of the other kids and the apple didn't fall far from the tree. The majority of them had A LOT of money and felt like rules didn't apply to them. That left a bad taste in my mouth. It might not be like that everywhere but that was my experience. Once again that didn't apply to all the kids because there was a handfull that were some of the best kids I ever had.

5. As a sport I totally respect soccer. As I said any contact sport is going to be somewhat physical. I've had people try to say that it is more physical than football but I'm not buying that one. If I could be hit by Ronnie Lott or David Beckem then I'm asking for Beckem (as long as he brings his wife:)

6. I LOVE the soccer games on playstation etc. It can get boring in real life but I love the games:)

7. Overall I'm glad there is soccer out there as a choice for kids to play. It affords more kids to be involved and learn about dealing with other teammates etc. It's great exercise and teaches young kids a lot of skills/coordination. At the high school level I love it for girls and it's fine for boys too. It's definatly not my favorite but I respect the kids that find their niche there. Give me football all day everyday but too each his own.

For you guys on here that played it I am not saying you are not athletic or couldn't handle football etc. I don't know you all so I'm not going to be judgemental about you. I respect you guys for finding your nitche and am glad you enjoy it. I was speaking from experiences I've had at a couple of the biggest soccer schools in the state.

 

This post really went from being a great one at explaining yourself to me being the only thing I take away from it is point number 3.

[stick1]

This post really went from being a great one at explaining yourself to me being the only thing I take away from it is point number 3.

 

Not sure what you mean? I'm not saying people are girls for playing it, I mean it as girls don't really have the option of playing football.

OG I talked to a lot of the guys and they told me they didn't want to get hit. Trust me I begged some of them to play football because they could fly and they have great start/stop skills. A lot of them played for a Javanon team in Louisville that won the National Championship a few years ago. A couple are playing in college now. They were very athletic so I'm not trying to take away from them just sharing what they said to me. Some people just don't like the grind of wearing a lot of uncomfortable pads + being hit by somebody 100lbs bigger than them. It's understandable. I respect those guys (and you all) for your dedication because I know it is not easy and I understand it is a physical activity. It wasn't around when I was growing up so maybe that clouds my feeligs for it some. I LOVE football too so I'm sure I'm a little biased towards it just as some soccer folks are toward football. I'm not saying I'm right about everything just sharing the experiences I've had with it.

[MJAlltheWay24]

Not sure what you mean? I'm not saying people are girls for playing it, I mean it as girls don't really have the option of playing football.

 

That is why they have volleyball in the fall, because girls don't play football. I just thought that one comment ruined your post.

[stick1]

That is why they have volleyball in the fall, because girls don't play football. I just thought that one comment ruined your post.

 

I didn't mean it in a smart way. It might have come off like that. My old high school just got volleyball and there are a lot that still don't have it. Soccer is a great option for those girls since they don't have a sport like football that is offered at almost every school.