To: Coaches, Assistant Coaches & Team Parents/Managers
RE: Running up scores
At the beginning of every season, it is a good practice for the league to circulate a letter to address concerns in regards to running up the score in recreational soccer. It’s not only a concern in recreational soccer but also it other team sports. You, as recreational coaches have taken on a major task with our young players to develop them both mentally and physically to have fun and enjoy this wonderful game. You are all very much appreciated for your efforts and without you, we certainly would not be able to provide our young players the opportunity of playing this great sport.
It is very important for players to develop skills while having fun. The kids should be coached to have fun and play the game with passion and learn through your efforts as a leader. This leadership extends beyond how kids look to you as a coach. It broadens as an example to follow in everyday life. When a game's score becomes too lopsided, it is not benefiting either team. The team that is behind by that large of a margin will usually become discouraged and not play to their potential and will be demoralized. They are definitely not having fun, nor their parents or family members watching from the sidelines. The team that is winning finds it easier and easier to score because the other team is discouraged. That team is not learning skills when playing an opponent like this. Why would any player want to ever play this beautiful game again under circumstances like this?
When a team with a higher degree of skill level is playing against an opponent of lesser ability, a good sense of "sportsmanship" is necessary to prevent running up the score. As a coach, it is your responsibility not to run up the score on another team. There are a number of things you can do if you feel that you are in complete control of your game and can score at ease. If you have reached a safe winning situation without the threat of your opponent coming back at you, then you need to make some serious decisions for the good of the game, your opponents and the other members of your community.
The following are provided as guidelines and suggestion on how you can do that.
If your team is winning by three or more goals, it is time to give your team a bigger challenge. If you are ahead 6-0 or 7-0 then you have gone too far and you need to make decisions more drastically. Suggestions include:
1. Remove some of your starting players.
2. Move your team positions (forwards to defenders and vice versa)
3. Take players off the field; Play one or two players down.
4. Put your best goal scorer in as goalie
5. Pull your best goal scores off the field and give your other team members more playing time
6. Require a shot to be taken only off a cross from the outside of the field.
7. Require shots be taken with the non-dominant foot
8. Require a pass back to a midfielder before scoring
9. Require a minimum of three passes before scoring
10. Require a specific play or move before scoring
These are just a few ideas you can use to evaluate yourselves and start enjoying soccer. You may come up with some of your own based on skills you may have been practicing during the week. We hope some of the above will help if you are ever in this type of situation. The extent to which these are used depends on the individual circumstances. The overriding principle is to do whatever is necessary to ensure good sportsmanship.
There should be only one winner here and that should be the kids.
Thank you and have a great season!
Thom Terrazas
Escondido Soccer Club
