SOCCER SEASON IS HERE!

yes, Soccer Season is Here!
SPRING SOCCER
the boys are looking forward to it
Saturday each of my boys had their first game
SPRING AND ALL OF ITS AWESOMENESS!
along with some absurd weather including hail and ice cold rain!

is anyone else frustrated by SPORTS IN NW DC or sports in DC as a whole?

personally I find it funny how wishy washy "rec" sports are
the "just for fun" concept

the removal of competition
telling the kids not to keep score?
telling the kids not to focus on who won?


personally I believe that we are setting the bar too low
if teachers taught the way that so many of our coaches coach...
well... things would be worse in the schools than they are


I push my team

I ask each kid to be the best that they can be
it is important for them to show up ready to play soccer to focus on soccer
while they are at soccer
to put something in and to get something out

on a few occasions I have proposed to various people at STODDERT SOCCER alter their format
to go from the two tear set up of REC and TRAVEL to a three tear system

REC, REC PLUS, and TRAVEL


let the families who think that it is fine for soccer to be "a play date with a ball" be separated from those who want a little more
REC PLUS could practice a little longer and practice more frequently, is twice a week too much practice?
LESS IS NOT MORE when it comes to practice
the MORE a child does something... the better they will get

Soccer is not just about Soccer... soccer is about fitness, coordination, self confidence, team building... the list goes on
less screen time and more time chasing the soccer ball!

sadly... the current model is not passing all of this on
if a coach seeks FUN as his-her goal... they are less than likely achieving SOCCER as a byproduct
but... if coach seeks SOCCER as his-her goal... they are likely able to have FUN as a byproduct

my kids sign up... my kids show up... my kids look forward to Soccer Season... Soccer Practice... and Soccer Games
then on days where they do not want to show up... they are taught the lesson that there are times that we have to step up and do things we do not want to do
and
that once we are into the activity we forget why we had not wanted to participate

my seven year old's team was undefeated last season not because our our soccer prowess... but rather because of the weakness of the other teams
other teams show up late
other teams show up with a low number of participants
other teams like to start late and take long breaks at half time... SNACK AT HALF TIME? it is a 40 minute game!

the outlining suburbs have superior programs creating superior players
me... I am not looking to drive to Montgomery County or Arlington County
I want the DC options to be up to par
not just for my kids... but for all the kids and the future of the program