Footie: Game Six

[przed]

Another Tuesday, another rainstorm, but this time without thunder and lightning so we played through the downpour. My fellow coach bundled up in a rain jacket, but since it was reasonably warm I just embraced getting wet.

The downside of the rain, apart from the getting wet thing, was that we were down 5 players, only one of whom we knew would be away. (We shall be emphasizing to the parents that it would be really nice to know when they're not showing up.) Our side was sloppy--and really I can't blame them; the field was a mess--but we somehow managed to hold on for a 4 - 5 win. That was in large part due to one girl, who was amazing in goal in the first half (she was jumping for everything and was covered in mud by the end of the half) and grittily determined in the second half. She wouldn't even come off the field when she collided with the other team's best player and was hurting badly enough that she was holding back the tears. Alas, we're losing her for most of the rest of the summer as her family are spending the next month and a half in Japan.

Ros did not have her best game ever. I think she was having an over-thinking day. She'd get in good position to defend, but then let the other team's players sail past her. The plan is to do some kickaround over the next couple of weeks so she's ready to handle the ball.

In the three years I've been coaching, I just cross my fingers that we have reasonable parents. And we totally have. But this year there are starting to be some minor annoyances. One mom is parking herself behind the goal and coaching her daughter, when parents are supposed to stay on the spectator side and are definitely not supposed to coach their kid. (General yelling and cheering is totally fine.) And this mom is coaching her other kid's team, so she totally knows the rules. My fellow coach and I both hate confrontation, so we haven't said anything to her. Yet. ::sigh:: The other issue, which is probably at least partly me needing to get my ego out of the way, was another mom asking when we're going to have them start playing positions. Heck, I'm still trying to get them to pass occasionally and not strip the ball from a teammate, but point taken. I think I will try a three up and two back set up and see how it goes. Fingers crossed this is as bad as it gets with the parents. (And really, compared to the team we all hated last year, whose parents would cluster behind the net and tell their players how to take out our kids!, this is very small beer.)

Comments

[miwahni.livejournal.com]

The whole "other parent" thing can be a nightmare, I wish you luck with that - parents like that tend to get offended no matter how nicely they're asked to back off. *sigh* I've never understood how some parents can turn their kids' sport-for-fun into such serious business.

[przed.livejournal.com]

I'm tempted to just take a deep breath and let it go, but then there's the problem that other parents might start doing the same thing, and then it's just a nightmare. (It's U8 house league! It's not that serious! And this is why I'm happy Ros isn't interested in playing rep.)

[moonlightmead.livejournal.com]

Oh dear. I remember asking you whether you had the obnoxious parents thing in Canada in the same way that we apparently have here in the junior football leagues, and you said, no, not on the scale we have. Sorry to hear it is encroaching.

Also: My fellow coach and I both hate confrontation...
You hate confrontation and you are involved in football? :) Sorry, I know what you mean. It just made me grin :)

[przed.livejournal.com]

Clearly, my earlier comments were premature. :-/ Still, I doubt it's as bad as it is over there. For that, you'd have to be in hockey. Which I will NEVER be letting Ros play, so that's not a problem.

Hey, I'm okay with confrontation as part of physical sport. I do martial arts, after all. *g* But having a run in with someone who there's every indication is going to be unreasonable and obnoxious? No thanks. ::shudder::

[halotolerant.livejournal.com]

The Germany-USA world cup tie today seemed to be played in what I later learned was in fact indeed a Monsoon of sorts... You're preparing those kids for the international stage! *g*

[przed.livejournal.com]

I missed the Germany - USA game! Waaaah! (Though given that I'm fighting a migraine, watching it would have been a bad idea anyway.)

But as for the rain, yeah, it was training for future World Cup glory!

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

The mum parking behind the goal sounds like a real pain, as you say she knows the rules but has for some reason decided they don't apply to her something which drives me nuts. Hope you manage to get them sorted out.

[przed.livejournal.com]

People who decide the rules are for everyone but them...irritate me. (And that's understating the case.) Ah, well, we'll see how next week's game goes.)

BTW, a belated Happy Birthday! I had every intention of getting a birthday greeting for you up, but the intention was scuppered by an ill hubby and an energetic daughter. (There was footie on TV and footie in the park.) Hope you had a lovely day!

[saintvic.livejournal.com]

Thanks luv, I did have a lovely birthday and I hope that your other half is feeling much better!