How Many Boots

"Calling Off The Dogs" -

Lowering the Score Differential

A suggestion to SAYSO coaches from Michael Lindeburg, Coaching Director

No single rule fits all situations, particularly in a competitive league. I've had coaches get mad at me for running up the score, and I've had coaches get mad at me for pulling my team back. So, I've developed a procedure that seems to inject some humanity and respect when there is a blow-out building. After 5 or so goals, I simply ask the other coach, "Coach, what would you like to see in the rest of the game? Would you like me to pull the team back, or would you like me to help you work on some particular part of your team's game?" In almost every case over the past ten years, the coach has wanted his/her team to experience tough love, but the respect that is shown by the question defuses his/her anger. True, the parents may not know this, nor would a watchful league, as the score seems to reflect a cruel hammering, without redemptive features. Even with the question, I expect someone to be critical. The option to continue on with a hammering probably is most appropriate in class-1 soccer and is least appropriate in recreational soccer. Whether of not it is appropriate in your league is a function of the league rules, the age of the players, the relationship you have with the opposing coach, and your own personality.

Anson Dorrance of the University of North Carolina (Women's Soccer Coach, winner of umpteen national championships) stated in his book, "Training Soccer Champions", that the best way for a team to show that it respects an opponent is to hammer the opponent into the ground.

Maybe so in college, but things look a little silly when you start hammering young children. Hammering children makes you a bad guy, not a respectful, humane, politically correct coach. So, all youth coaches, even those of elite teams in tournament championships, need to have ways of slowing down the hammering.

Here are some ideas for keeping the score differential respectable (e.g., 5 or less). Don't wait until the score differential is more than 5 goals, as neither team will have much fun. If your teams scores early or easily, you can begin implementing these challenges early in the game. If the other team scores on you after you've implemented these, your team can tighten up a little.

Reduce the number of players on the field (i.e., pull 2 off and send 1 back on).
Reduce the intensity of the players on the field (i.e., pull a stronger player and substitute a weaker player).
Limit the number of touches per player.
Let players score only on headers.
Let the players score only with their weak feet.
Let the players score only when they incorporate a particular skill or strategy (i.e., something they have been working on at practice).
Let players shoot only outside of the penalty area.
Let players shoot only after 3 (or 4 or 5) consecutive passes.
Let players shoot only from crosses from the sideline.
Let players shoot "first touch" or "first time" only.
Limit shots to one particular player.
Dribble all balls over the end line instead of scoring.
Limit the number of players who can advance past the halfway line to only two or three. Everyone else stays behind the halfway line. If the ball crosses into their defensive half, defensive players have to complete 2 or 3 passes between each other before advancing the ball past the halfway line.
Combine some of these ideas.

Ideally, both team strengths would be comparable so that this wouldn't be an issue. But, there are always strong and weak team pairings. We want to keep the games enjoyable for both teams. There is no glory in making children miserable or discouraged.

Want to add to this article? Email SAYSO.