Another example of the problem with parents and sports....

[1987alum]

Very nicely done!

We need more people like you driving people further away from soccer. I think if we got it to the point where the USA couldn't field a national team then we wouldn't even have to hear about the sport once every 4 years! Think how much happier we'd all be!

Amen to that.

This is one of the reasons given for the exponential growth of lacrosse in various non-traditional lax regions of the country.

Kids like to get into it because their dads didn't play and they can't "help them out" with coaching and tips.

That could be. I will say, though, that when I've talked to Noah about playing without me coaching, his response is something like, "what do you mean you won't be coaching?" But he'll be able to make his own way, I'm sure.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

I always loved having my Dad coach me, too. I think you and my Dad are exceptions to the rule, from what I've seen. You both went to BG, though - so that probably explains it.

[Class of 61]

Very nicely done!

We need more people like you driving people further away from soccer. I think if we got it to the point where the USA couldn't field a national team then we wouldn't even have to hear about the sport once every 4 years! Think how much happier we'd all be!

Amen to that.

This is one of the reasons given for the exponential growth of lacrosse in various non-traditional lax regions of the country.

Kids like to get into it because their dads didn't play and they can't "help them out" with coaching and tips.

That could be. I will say, though, that when I've talked to Noah about playing without me coaching, his response is something like, "what do you mean you won't be coaching?" But he'll be able to make his own way, I'm sure.

Karl,
I guarantee that if you ever DO coach Lacrosse, you'll absolutely LOVE the game! I've coached many sports, some with my boys, some without...(and yes, Hambb, it included soccer too!)... by FAR the most fun that I"VE had was with lacrosse...of course it helped that my son was the head varsity coach, asked me to become his asst. and head JV coach to teach younger kids the proper fundamentals... (which he taught ME BTW)...it's also a great conditioning sport, tied into football since it's a Spring sport...lots of running, eye - hand co-ordination involved etc. Just remind him about a guy named Jim Brown... (hopefully, he's at least heard of him).

[hammb]

My dad coached my little league team most of the years I played and I always had a great time too. The kids all loved him, we all had fun playing baseball as we were growing up.

With my competitive spirit I do occasionally wish that he would have been more into teaching us fundamentals and more of the nuances of the game...we never learned much about playing baseball. My dad's coaching advice was pretty much limited to "Keep your eye on the ball," "Get in front of that grounder," and "two hands to catch a fly ball!" Beyond that I never really learned how the game is played on a higher level...which I occasionally regret. That said, I was never going to be playing the game on a high level anyhow and we always had a helluva lot of fun, so what the hell...

[1987alum]

Just remind him about a guy named Jim Brown... (hopefully, he's at least heard of him).

Yes, he has ... and he knows what a two-sport threat he was!

hammb ... that's one reason I'm glad Noah took on the challenge of travel baseball; it afforded him the opportunity to learn more about the game and me the chance to teach some kids, too. He's played since he was 8 and every year we add a little, so he's been exposed to a lot of the little things. Not sure how much further he'll go, but he's seen quite a bit and, Lord knows, he's certainly played more than his share of baseball. Just with travel alone, he's played more than 150 games on top of the 50 or so indoor workouts and probably 100+ outside practices, not to even mention the times we've just gone to the cage for a couple of buckets of BP.

[Tech83]

I have said it before and I'll say it again. Soccer is a great youth sport. For the following reasons:

a. The best players learn to move without the ball. This translates great to basketball, hockey, lacrosse. When my guys still played basketball - all the best bball players were soccer players. The football and baseball kids seems stuck to their spot on the floor.

b. Conditioning.... nothing conditions you like soccer. Probably why so many of the better runners at the local high school played youth soccer. Soccer demands that you are on the field for a full 30 to 45 minutes running and moving all the time. Again... we'd move to bball in the winter and again the soccer players were able to run and move without getting gassed after two minutes. The football players took several weeks to catch up.

c. I noticed soccer helps develop a vision for the field. Something I really noticed with Nicholas when he played basketball, baseball and football. He was typically a point guard and could really distribute the ball. He clearly saw things we coaches did see. He always lead the team in assists. And probably why he was immediate made a receiver/DB in football. Same with running backs coming out of soccer.

But we'll never convince Hammb.

[Pete Segaard]

I have said it before and I'll say it again. Soccer is a great youth sport. For the following reasons:

a. The best players learn to move without the ball. This translates great to basketball, hockey, lacrosse. When my guys still played basketball - all the best bball players were soccer players. The football and baseball kids seems stuck to their spot on the floor.

b. Conditioning.... nothing conditions you like soccer. Probably why so many of the better runners at the local high school played youth soccer. Soccer demands that you are on the field for a full 30 to 45 minutes running and moving all the time. Again... we'd move to bball in the winter and again the soccer players were able to run and move without getting gassed after two minutes. The football players took several weeks to catch up.

c. I noticed soccer helps develop a vision for the field. Something I really noticed with Nicholas when he played basketball, baseball and football. He was typically a point guard and could really distribute the ball. He clearly saw things we coaches did see. He always lead the team in assists. And probably why he was immediate made a receiver/DB in football. Same with running backs coming out of soccer.

But we'll never convince Hammb.

I won't argue about soccer being good for conditioning etc., but I will never like it.

[Tech83]

I won't argue about soccer being good for conditioning etc., but I will never like it.

I think the future of soccer will be as follows: A lot of kids will play it as a youth sport. They will understand the game. They might not play it after U14 (8th grade), but they will appreciate it. This will lead to themwatching soccer at a professional level.... maybe not MLS, but definitely World Cup or the European leagues. I know both of my boys and their friends were watching and following the World Cup. Nicholas even recorded a few games he wasn't going to be able to watch.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

Forum rules

This forum is a "Free-for-all" type forum, but without all the freedom. Religious, political, or soccer discussions will not be tolerated, nor will personal attacks. The forum will be policed offending posts will be removed, and offending posters will be warned and/or disciplined.

[hammb]

I won't argue about soccer being good for conditioning etc., but I will never like it.

I think the future of soccer will be as follows: A lot of kids will play it as a youth sport. They will understand the game. They might not play it after U14 (8th grade), but they will appreciate it. This will lead to themwatching soccer at a professional level.... maybe not MLS, but definitely World Cup or the European leagues. I know both of my boys and their friends were watching and following the World Cup. Nicholas even recorded a few games he wasn't going to be able to watch.

This is EXACTLY what I fear could happen. It's why we should ban the sport from all youth leagues. The last thing we want to do is create a generation of Americans that actually want to *shudder* WATCH a soccer match on TV *vomit*. We must repress the sport to the point of nobody wanting to do it...let those crazy Europeans watch it, I just don't want ESPN or other American networks wasting my time covering the sport!

And I fully support J4H's amendment to the forum rules

[musicman2343]

I have said it before and I'll say it again. Soccer is a great youth sport. For the following reasons:

a. The best players learn to move without the ball. This translates great to basketball, hockey, lacrosse. When my guys still played basketball - all the best bball players were soccer players. The football and baseball kids seems stuck to their spot on the floor.

b. Conditioning.... nothing conditions you like soccer. Probably why so many of the better runners at the local high school played youth soccer. Soccer demands that you are on the field for a full 30 to 45 minutes running and moving all the time. Again... we'd move to bball in the winter and again the soccer players were able to run and move without getting gassed after two minutes. The football players took several weeks to catch up.

c. I noticed soccer helps develop a vision for the field. Something I really noticed with Nicholas when he played basketball, baseball and football. He was typically a point guard and could really distribute the ball. He clearly saw things we coaches did see. He always lead the team in assists. And probably why he was immediate made a receiver/DB in football. Same with running backs coming out of soccer.

+1,000

But we'll never convince Hammb.

unfortunately.... but everyone is entitled to his or her own close-mindedness-- oh, I mean opinion!

just a little fun