Youth Football and I'm pissed

[TarPanther9180]

My peewee football team had a playoff game last night against a team we had already beat this year. The winner of the game goes to the city championship. We were #2 seed and they were #6. We lost 18-7, but we played really hard (probably harder than the last playoff game that we won) and I am proud of my players and view all 18 of them like they are my own kids.

Now, the morning after, I am still PISSED. I wanted to go to the championship because we had a great chance of winning it all. However, what has me so mad is the other team's organization and coaching staff.

We had just played the team a couple of weeks ago and beat them late in the game 13-7. However, this game they had more kids and they were significantly larger than the team they placed on the field...which means they probably moved some kids down from one of their older teams to beat us.

Both teams share a sideline and they had coaches on the other sideline coaching up their defense (which is against the rules). They were telling their players to dive at our kid's knees to "take them out of the game". Which is dirty as Hell.

They were constantly putting late hits on our kids, which were not drawing any kind of penalties (I also find it suspicious that the head ref was bro-fisting the other teams coaching staff after the game). We were down 12-7 and once they took out our QB (he had a head injury and he didn't return), we couldn't do anything offensively. They scored a late TD to seal the game.

These are only 8 and 9 year old kids. Winning is important (or they wouldn't keep score), however, as a coach we need to teach these kids the game how it is meant to be played with class, respect, and good sportsmanship. I told the team and parents afterward, that we were a better loser than they were winners and I am proud of all of them.

Sorry, this is my rant of the month.

[CatsMeow]

I'm guessing you aren't a part of Pop Warner, or another organization that has bookchecks before each game.

That's a shame that adults behave that way. They're obviously missing their "glory days", trying to relive them through their kids.

[Darth Biscuit]

This ^... some people just suck. Good on you for teaching the kids the right stuff.

[Kurb]

I would file a report to the league honestly.

A friend of mine has his son in peewee (Cowboys).

He is smallest kid out there, but one of the toughest and fastest.

He rarely gets to play as the team is just stupid talented.

There is a rule that when one team gets up 30 points the other team gets the ball till they score.

The Cowboys score making it 29-0.

What does the jackwad coach do?

He tells the QB to go for 2 and throw the ball out of the endzone.

So he doesn't pass 30 points and can score again.

How the fug do people get away with stuff like this.

[TarPanther9180]

No, this is Pop Warner (I wish it was). It is a city parks and rec league (Greensboro). We would file a complaint, but the city wouldn't do anything.

[TarPanther9180]

I would file a report to the league honestly.

A friend of mine has his son in peewee (Cowboys).

He is smallest kid out there, but one of the toughest and fastest.

He rarely gets to play as the team is just stupid talented.

There is a rule that when one team gets up 30 points the other team gets the ball till they score.

The Cowboys score making it 29-0.

What does the jackwad coach do?

He tells the QB to go for 2 and throw the ball out of the endzone.

So he doesn't pass 30 points and can score again.

How the fug do people get away with stuff like this.

Yeah, that sucks. Being a coach in youth sports, trying to teach the right way, can be VERY frustrating sometimes. Basketball is the same way (which I start next week).

However, I think teams being coached that way will get theirs in the long run. What comes around, goes around.

[Hawk]

sucks bad when bullshit and idiots have to ruin sports for kids that young.

[TarPanther9180]

By the way, this is the defensive line and my son at DE.

[LifeisaGarden]

You should still file a complaint even if you don't think it will do any good.

[TarPanther9180]

You should still file a complaint even if you don't think it will do any good.

Yeah, I'm talking to the other coaches about that now.

[TheRealDeal]

This is crazy you bring this up because I had an incident at a Pop Warner football game as well recently but mine is a little different but along the same lines.

So my younger brother, much much younger than I, is a very good athlete and a very good football player for his age. His pop warner team has been together for probably four years and has won their "Super Bowl" twice in that span. He plays RB/QB/WR on offense and corner on defense. The coach's know him and how he can play because they've had him on their team for so long.

It's towards the end of the season and his team has only lost one game and is going to get in the playoffs. They are playing the other best team in the league so it should be a good game. He is playing like absolute trash, he looks scared on defense, not running hard on offense, etc. I know something is wrong.

At halftime they are down big so I go down near the field and give him a "pep talk" which includes me calling him a pussy and telling him to step it up. I know that's probably mean but with brothers I think it's a bit different and it's acceptable, spare me.

The volunteer trainer for the team comes over and pulls me aside and says "Take it easy, I think he got a concussion on the first drive of the game and that's why he's playing like that" which sent me into a rage.

I immediately went over and pulled the head coach away and told him how irresponsible it was and he said they "needed to win this game" that's why they kept him in. I have no caused a scene and have an assistant coach holding me back. What made me so mad is this coach is also a local HS coach and just volunteers his time for the youth and is well respected in the community. A 10 year old kid with a concussion and you are forcing him to play in a meaningless game without consulting me (his gaurdian)?

We had to be seperated multiple times and I ended up taking him out of the game and we left. This was a big deal and the board called me in for a meeting the next day and had a hearing about the whole thing. I told them it was unacceptable that this type of thing could happen at the risk of a child's safety. The volunteer medic was not allowed on sidelines anymore and if they wanted to have a trainer there they needed to be certified with the league. They also told me they were going to institute a coach's training course where they could educate coaches on this.

I didn't want him to get fired because he is a great coach and teaches the kid's the right way, this just blew my mind.

Sorry for the long post, I just thought it fit with this kind of thing.

[Hawk]

good story...until the end. How you can call him a great coach baffles me!

[PanthaSan]

Wow, some people shouldn't coach.

I think the whole "living vicariously through your kids" is what the main problem is. Hey, you had your chance now let the kids have theirs is what the good parents like yourselves should be saying. Cheating and playing dirty is even worse. It's like there is no honor on the playing field.

That really sucks but I am gld to see there are good folks out there. Regardless of the fact that they are huddle members....

[TheRealDeal]

good story...until the end. How you can call him a great coach baffles me!

I guess I'm hoping he made a bad decision when his pride got the best of him. All the time I've been around him he teaches the kids the right way not only to play football but how to conduct themselves on and off the field.

He doesn't stand for any trash talk/celebrations from the kids which I like.

They don't play dirty.

They actually know how to form tackle.

All the kids answer Yes Sir/Ma'am No Sir/Ma'am when talking to any adult around the team and always adress them as Mr. _____ Mrs. _______

He preaches how important school is to the kids.

I really think he just made a bad decision.

Not that this makes it better but he didn't end up having a concussion but just got his bell rung. He came off the field with a headache and the trainer gave him some eye test and he didn't pass but went back in anyway. Still no excuse, he should have sat out.

I was more mad at the trainer because if he is there to provide advice to the coach on health of players he should have made that call.