My son loses every match...

Fittle

Been here a few times - have an 8yr old who only kicked a ball for the first time last summer. He's now on the local ddsl team. I'm his mam, dad not involved. He eats, sleeps and drinks football these days, and I do anything and everything I can to help him on his dream of living in Manchester when he's 19, having cleared my mortgage in Dublin before he goes please and thank you darling;)

His team have lost every match they've ever played and I am losing heart (they are a new team, and only together since last July). He's not, but I am. Today, it was another 9-2 defeat. Most matches are lost 10-0 or more. They have improved since August and we figured out they were actually in the wrong league, so they were moved down a few leagues in January. But they've yet to win....or draw:(

Now I wouldn't be the most competitive mammy in the world - I'm really not. Even in school, he's not top of the class and it doesn't bother me in the least. He does his very best at everything he does and I'm really proud of him.


There are times when I think of changing teams for him - but not only will he not have it (he loves his team), I know he's not the best player in the world and there's a chance he won't get a match at a better team:(:(

So I'm his mam and I'm losing heart..it's getting me down more than it should. What did your folks do back in the day when you were playing U8s and you weren't great? Just grin and bear it and keep up the 'positive' parenting lark...? Hoping for anything constructive here.

Please don't say 'it's all for the fun of the game' at this age, because I do know that, I really do, and it's the best craic ever on the sideline...but having lost 19 matches out of 19, I have a severe pain in my (insert appropriate word here) with my/his commitment to it.............Cheers

flahavaj

Its not about you its about him.

If his enthusiasm hasn't waned then you'll just have to suck it up and keep supporting him in what he enjoys doing.

Ebbs

They'll be relagated to a worse division, play worse teams, and win.

Season is nearly over too surely.

Turtyturd

If he is going to be a professional footballer he is going to have to start blaming these 10-0 defeats on the referee.

theteal

Always a pleasure to see a Fittle thread in here, a breath of fresh air

Now, what you don't want to hear, it is all about the fun at that age. He's learning with every game and by the sounds of it, he's enjoying the crap out of it so i don't see the harm. It's actually quite heart warming to to hear of a kid that won't leave his mates behind because they're taking a beating each week

The team will probably drop a few more leagues for the next season and this will help them find their feet

The competitive side of things will develope as he gets older so just hold out for a few more years and you'll get your fix as the proud mammy

bohsman

Maybe try to find him some summer football camps aswell, great fun and will improve his game if he ever does want to move to a better team.

monkey9

At eight, it not just about winning matches and titles. It's about developing your game and technique as you start out in the game. Winning is just a bonus!!!

The main thing is he's enjoying himself. Once he is, then you should be basking in that enjoyment.

Wilson91

theteal wrote: »

Always a pleasure to see a Fittle thread in here, a breath of fresh air

Now, what you don't want to hear, it is all about the fun at that age. He's learning with every game and by the sounds of it, he's enjoying the crap out of it so i don't see the harm. It's actually quite heart warming to to hear of a kid that won't leave his mates behind because they're taking a beating each week

The team will probably drop a few more leagues for the next season and this will help them find their feet

The competitive side of things will develope as he gets older so just hold out for a few more years and you'll get your fix as the proud mammy

This.

To be honest U8's don;t know how to play football, and your son or his mates wont untill they're about 12, and develop a bit more co-ordination and learn the game. As for now, like theteal said, its about the learning experience, growing in confidence and getting experience. He seems to have good heart for it too so I wouldn't worry too much at this stage

Iago

Fittle wrote: »

Been here a few times - have an 8yr old who only kicked a ball for the first time last summer. He's now on the local ddsl team. I'm his mam, dad not involved. He eats, sleeps and drinks football these days, and I do anything and everything I can to help him on his dream of living in Manchester when he's 19, having cleared my mortgage in Dublin before he goes please and thank you darling;)

His team have lost every match they've ever played and I am losing heart (they are a new team, and only together since last July). He's not, but I am. Today, it was another 9-2 defeat. Most matches are lost 10-0 or more. They have improved since August and we figured out they were actually in the wrong league, so they were moved down a few leagues in January. But they've yet to win....or draw:(

Now I wouldn't be the most competitive mammy in the world - I'm really not. Even in school, he's not top of the class and it doesn't bother me in the least. He does his very best at everything he does and I'm really proud of him.


There are times when I think of changing teams for him - but not only will he not have it (he loves his team), I know he's not the best player in the world and there's a chance he won't get a match at a better team:(:(

So I'm his mam and I'm losing heart..it's getting me down more than it should. What did your folks do back in the day when you were playing U8s and you weren't great? Just grin and bear it and keep up the 'positive' parenting lark...? Hoping for anything constructive here.

Please don't say 'it's all for the fun of the game' at this age, because I do know that, I really do, and it's the best craic ever on the sideline...but having lost 19 matches out of 19, I have a severe pain in my (insert appropriate word here) with my/his commitment to it.............Cheers

The bit in bold is the only bit that matters, leave him to it and stop putting your expectations on him. He's happy, and he's playing with his mates, that's more important than winning games.

The Muppet

Sack the Manger , Sign Des as new manager, they will be winning the league in no time.

Ordinary man

Hopefully he'll learn more being in a team getting beating on a regular basis. He'll learn to accept defeat when it happens, enjoy the victories when they come and try his best to get those wins. Praise him for trying, tell him to take defeat on the chin, tell him to keep going til the final whistle even if they're losing 10-0. If he learns, those lessons will stand him for life and not just in football;)

_blank_

The Muppet wrote: »

Sack the Manger , Sign Des as new manager, they will be winning the league in no time.

only took us 5 years!

DeVore

Get a Russian oligarch to take over his team... simples!


But seriously, most parents are pulling their hair out trying to teach their kids that winning isnt everything, that its the "taking part" thats important. Sounds like your fella is ahead of the crowd.

And dont worry, we ALL wanted to be famous footballers when we were 9. By 15 he'll want to be a boob-job doctor

DeV.

_blank_

DeVore wrote: »

But seriously, most parents are pulling their hair out trying to teach their kids that winning isnt everything, that its the "taking part" thats important.

:eek:

have you ever been to see a match involving kids with the parents on the sidelines?

Most parents certainly are not of the mindset you describe.

I've reffed at that level, we get treated worse than professional refs.

CiaranC

I dont understand why they play seven year olds in competitive games against each other. I mean how do you know what level they are at to create an evenly matched league? Its nonsense.

If hes running around and enjoying it well leave him to it at this point. If you want him to actually learn something about the game look at getting him into a camp for the summer.

Heres the hugely successful one we run at rovers (this one is at easter):

http://www.shamrockrovers.ie/news/35-news/1846-srfc-easter-soccer-camps-

It tries to focus on teaching football and having fun and removes the pointless "competitive" matches which are of little use to kids that age.

Try to find one wherever you are.

Ebbs

DeVore wrote: »

And dont worry, we ALL wanted to be famous footballers when we were 9. By 15 he'll want to be a boob-job doctor

DeV.

Looking around standiums all around the world, especially the premier league, you'll see thousands of fat, balding, old men wearing their team's latest jersey. Each week in the back of their minds they are thinking that maybe someone will get injured and the manager will pull them out of the stands, where they'll replace their icon and score a hattrick...

Boob-job doctor is for a year or two, football dream is for life.

Mars Bar

I'm delighted to hear he's not disheartened by losing.

One kid I know has only recently joined a team and he's also 8. He played his first match two weeks ago and I asked him how he got on. He hesitated, then frowned and informed me that they lost. I asked him did he have fun and does he like training. He said yes. I told him that that is all that mattered. I told him that losing makes winning a lot more fun!

He seemed happy with that.

Happy is the operating word.

Fittle

Right a few things - if I could do the multiple quote thing I would, but for now, you'll have to cope with my inverted commas sorry..

'Its not about you its about him.'

With the UTMOST of respect (and I know that people who say this, mean little respect:rolleyes:) I am the one who cleans the boots, puts on the shinguards (the ones with the ankles included:rolleyes:), ties the laces, fills the water bottle, zips up the tracksuit and the rain jacket, gets him in the car, picks up his two mates (waits 10 minutes for both), heads to the clubhouse, blaggs a lift off a daddy because I hate driving on motorways, talks sh1te about today's Liverpool match (I'm a Man U fan) to said daddy for the trip, brings a plastic bag with me coz fittle jnr gets carsick, stops off twice on the hard shoulder to rub his back while he pukes, cheers him on for the full 40 minutes, spends the trip home telling him how great him and his mates really are (only one stop-off for car sickness) and that all 14 goals were bad decisions......so a mere morcel of a win would be quite a nice end to a sunday morning for both him and ME.

'Maybe try to find him some summer football camps aswell'

Funny you say that Bohsman because there's a Bohs Easter camp out our way and will sign him up for that:D

'then you should be basking in that enjoyment.'

I bask, I swear I bask...you were amazing today son, when you touched that ball that one time!! Amazing!!

'leave him to it and stop putting your expectations on him'

I swear to St. Anthony and all the Blessed Saints in he whole wide world that I have absolutely and utterly NO expectations on him...other than that he doesn't lose the next match...this expectation I have been carrying for 19 matches now...and I hope he doesn't lose his 20th match, I really do!!

And (I can't copy&paste anymore) it's not competitive at this age, one of the home dads tends to be a ref...there is no offside, no penos etc. It's just for fun, and it is great fun...

And if he could just win or draw ONE match..just one...I swear, just one...is that too much for me to ask???

jaykay74

What you need is an unnaturally large 12 year old, some fake id and to tell the rest of the lads to lump it long.

Sounds like he is enjoying himself anyway. As others have said organised games at that age are a nonsense.

flahavaj

Fittle wrote: »

Right a few things - if I could do the multiple quote thing I would, but for now, you'll have to cope with my inverted commas sorry..

'Its not about you its about him.'

With the UTMOST of respect (and I know that people who say this, mean little respect:rolleyes:) I am the one who cleans the boots, puts on the shinguards (the ones with the ankles included:rolleyes:), ties the laces, fills the water bottle, zips up the tracksuit and the rain jacket, gets him in the car, picks up his two mates (waits 10 minutes for both), heads to the clubhouse, blaggs a lift off a daddy because I hate driving on motorways, talks sh1te about today's Liverpool match (I'm a Man U fan) to said daddy for the trip, brings a plastic bag with me coz fittle jnr gets carsick, stops off twice on the hard shoulder to rub his back while he pukes, cheers him on for the full 40 minutes, spends the trip home telling him how great him and his mates really are (only one stop-off for car sickness) and that all 14 goals were bad decisions......so a mere morcel of a win would be quite a nice end to a sunday morning for both him and ME.

I didn't mean to come across as disrespectful. But all that matters when he's 8 is that he's enjoying himself. Be glad he's not getting hung up on rsults, because when he starts then you'll have a real pain in the hole!

And if he could just win or draw ONE match..just one...I swear, just one...is that too much for me to ask???

It really doesn't matter.

shanec1928

match fixing maybe:D

Chucky the tree

I won't bother saying no offence OP because it won't do much good but your attitude is horrible. You want to pull your kid of a team he loves playing for just so he can play or be a sub for a team who wins games because you put in a small bit of effort to bring him to games? Wow, so selfish. Any half decent parent would do whatever makes their child happy, not what makes the parent happy.

Fittle

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I won't bother saying no offence OP because it won't do much good but your attitude is horrible. You want to pull your kid of a team he loves playing for just so he can play or be a sub for a team who wins games because you put in a small bit of effort to bring him to games? Wow, so selfish. Any half decent parent would do whatever makes their child happy, not what makes the parent happy.

Yep, the most selfish mother in Ireland, that's me...:rolleyes:

I want him to win for himself as much as for me. 19 games and 19 games lost.

U telling me you wouldn't also want your child to win ONE match

Thanx 4 The Fish

Des wrote: »

:eek:

have you ever been to see a match involving kids with the parents on the sidelines?

Most parents certainly are not of the mindset you describe.

I've reffed at that level, we get treated worse than professional refs.

Too right, I was reffing an under 12s couple of months ago and had to send a dad off. He was abusing his kid every time he did something wrong, calling him all sorts, then slagging off the other kids in his team if they did not give it to him and the ref (me) if he did not come off best out of a 50/50. I think if I had not got him out of the ground (he went out and sat in his car) some of the other parents would have done him in anyway. Fair play to him he apologised after the game but he will probably be doing the same again and again, have not had his team since so have not seen him.

How bad must it be for lads like that though who (in the case of this lad) is a class little player but must feel like he is the worst player on the team, due to unfair expectations on him from a parent

Helix

Fittle wrote: »

Yep, the most selfish mother in Ireland, that's me...:rolleyes:

I want him to win for himself as much as for me. 19 games and 19 games lost.

U telling me you wouldn't also want your child to win ONE match

youre missing out on the only things that matter here

1) is he enjoying it
2) is he starting to gain a working understanding of the game from a playing and tactical standpoint
3) is he improving as a player

until he's 12 or 13 NOTHING else matters. if his manager and coaches arent actually teaching him stuff then look to put him on another team, but if they are completely unconcerned with scores and are instead focussing on teaching the kids the basics of the game then he's as well there as he is anywhere for at least another year or 2

flahavaj

Fittle wrote: »

Yep, the most selfish mother in Ireland, that's me...:rolleyes:

I want him to win for himself as much as for me. 19 games and 19 games lost.

U telling me you wouldn't also want your child to win ONE match

You've said he's not bothered though. Be glad he doesnt take every defeat to heart like some kids do. When he's older and he gets in a mood for the rest of the day every time he loses you'll be longing for the days when he just enjoyed his football.

I actually hope your attitude doesn't rub off on him tbh.

Fittle

Helix wrote: »

youre missing out on the only things that matter here

1) is he enjoying it YES
2) is he starting to gain a working understanding of the game from a playing and tactical standpoint YES
3) is he improving as a player YES

until he's 12 or 13 NOTHING else matters. if his manager and coaches arent actually teaching him stuff then look to put him on another team, but if they are completely unconcerned with scores and are instead focussing on teaching the kids the basics of the game then he's as well there as he is anywhere for at least another year or 2

The managers and coaches are fine - they tend to be dads and I don't think any of them have the 'coaching training' that they should have, but they are football mad themselves. Unfortunately, at the level he's at, there appears to be only a few kids committed to the team (Its communion year for most of them, although he made his last year, so there is commitment elsewhere this year) so perhaps that's another problem. We have 2 teams at both u7s and u9s, but only the one at my lads age group, so the club themselves don't appear that interested in them.

I wasn't looking for a slaggin here - I know it's all about fun at this age - I really do - and he loves it, and if he's happy, I'm happy, but honestly, how many of yis would go out and lost 19 matches out of 19 and still try to be doing the positive parenting messages...Sorry, but I'm trying to figure out what message he's learning by losing every single match he's actually played Is he just learning to be a good loser

karma_

Fittle wrote: »

Sorry, but I'm trying to figure out what message he's learning by losing every single match he's actually played Is he just learning to be a good loser

Loyalty, commitment, effort, sportsmanship, modesty... I could go on like.

Fittle

karma_ wrote: »

Loyalty, commitment, effort, sportsmanship, modesty... I could go on like.

Ok, I get that.

But shouldn't 'sportsmanship' include a will to WIN? Shouldn't they actually want to win at this point? My lad just assumes they will lose every week - surely that's not the best message for a kid?

bohsman

Fittle wrote: »

Sorry, but I'm trying to figure out what message he's learning by losing every single match he's actually played Is he just learning to be a good loser

That's the major problem. They should not be keeping score in matches before under 12s or so.

CSF

Helix wrote: »

youre missing out on the only things that matter here

1) is he enjoying it
2) is he starting to gain a working understanding of the game from a playing and tactical standpoint
3) is he improving as a player

until he's 12 or 13 NOTHING else matters. if his manager and coaches arent actually teaching him stuff then look to put him on another team, but if they are completely unconcerned with scores and are instead focussing on teaching the kids the basics of the game then he's as well there as he is anywhere for at least another year or 2

This is only half true. While it is undoubtedly true that winning hasn't got a patch in terms of importance on development, the 2 very much do come as a package alot of the time. You'll also find that bigger kids have a massive advantage at these kind of age groups, but for the most part, those teams who are coached and developed better, do end up the winners.

I'd be a little bit worried about the coaching of a team who have been dropped a good few leagues still getting beaten by 9 or 10 goals every week. Sounds like the kids aren't being taught football at all as the the most basic level of organisation should be enough to make you even slightly competitive at that level.

To the OP, I wouldn't be worried about results, but it does sound as if the coach may not really be doing what he is there to do, which is to develop the kids and give them a chance to become good footballers in the future.

karma_

In fairness the whole competitive aspect of the game at that age should be abolished and be focused on the technical aspect of the game.

Iago

Fittle wrote: »

The managers and coaches are fine - they tend to be dads and I don't think any of them have the 'coaching training' that they should have, but they are football mad themselves. Unfortunately, at the level he's at, there appears to be only a few kids committed to the team (Its communion year for most of them, although he made his last year, so there is commitment elsewhere this year) so perhaps that's another problem. We have 2 teams at both u7s and u9s, but only the one at my lads age group, so the club themselves don't appear that interested in them.

I wasn't looking for a slaggin here - I know it's all about fun at this age - I really do - and he loves it, and if he's happy, I'm happy, but honestly, how many of yis would go out and lost 19 matches out of 19 and still try to be doing the positive parenting messages...Sorry, but I'm trying to figure out what message he's learning by losing every single match he's actually played Is he just learning to be a good loser

RESULTS DON'T MATTER!!!!!!

Now if you take the above statement as being gospel, you'll realise that whether it's the 1st or the 101st match that he plays it's all the same.

What he's learning right now is the most important thing that matters "no matter how bad things get, you don't pack it in for an easier life" he's also learning about relying on your mates, enjoying your activities and I've no doubt that his passing, tackling, shooting, positional awareness and understanding are all improving with every game as well.

Sure it would be nice if they won every game, or even one game, but none of that really matters at his age.

Helix

CSF wrote: »

I'd be a little bit worried about the coaching of a team who have been dropped a good few leagues still getting beaten by 9 or 10 goals every week. Sounds like the kids aren't being taught football at all as the the most basic level of organisation should be enough to make you even slightly competitive at that level.

To the OP, I wouldn't be worried about results, but it does sound as if the coach may not really be doing what he is there to do, which is to develop the kids and give them a chance to become good footballers in the future.

she did say the team only existed since summer, so its likely the players are mostly awful. new teams tend to form using kids who arent good enough for elsewhere, itd be more fair to judge them in a year's time when you can see if there's any improvement

obviously none of us can say whether or not the coach is doing his job though, but its likely a bit early to tell. perhaps if she went along to some of the training sessions to see what theyre covering she'd have a better idea of whether its the right team for her son

Helix

Fittle wrote: »

how many of yis would go out and lost 19 matches out of 19 and still try to be doing the positive parenting messages...Sorry, but I'm trying to figure out what message he's learning by losing every single match he's actually played Is he just learning to be a good loser

i learned more playing for a team who lost by 5+ goals most weeks than i did when i started playing for a good team

granted i was a keeper, so for the bad team id have 40-50 shots a game to deal with which certainly helped my progress

Bodhisopha

Fittle wrote: »

I bask, I swear I bask...you were amazing today son, when you touched that ball that one time!! Amazing!!

LOL!

CSF

Helix wrote: »

she did say the team only existed since summer, so its likely the players are mostly awful. new teams tend to form using kids who arent good enough for elsewhere, itd be more fair to judge them in a year's time when you can see if there's any improvement

obviously none of us can say whether or not the coach is doing his job though, but its likely a bit early to tell. perhaps if she went along to some of the training sessions to see what theyre covering she'd have a better idea of whether its the right team for her son

By the sounds of it, she wouldn't really know what to be looking for, so it might not be all that beneficial.

The summer is still a while gone to be fair. It isn't the Premiership granted, and the results themselves are irrelevant, but any coach in it for the right reasons should be able to take the kids to the 1st step by now, which is giving the kids a basic understanding and ability to play the game.

Helix

CSF wrote: »

By the sounds of it, she wouldn't really know what to be looking for, so it might not be all that beneficial.

The summer is still a while gone to be fair. It isn't the Premiership granted, and the results themselves are irrelevant, but any coach in it for the right reasons should be able to take the kids to the 1st step by now, which is giving the kids a basic understanding and ability to play the game.

Yeah but we also dont know the type of teams theyre playing against. Tbh the more you think about it the more impossible it is to give op an accurate answer.

Are the opponents playing physical 'play to win' ball or are they trying to play 'properly'?

What about the ops sons team, what kind of ball are they trying to play? What do they do in training? Theres a million questions tbh

bradlente

The competive aspect of football should only be exposed to a young player at about 12/13 I say.If hes still playing with the enthusiasm he has for the game now when hes that age then yer grand,there is no problem imho.

Fittle

CSF wrote: »

By the sounds of it, she wouldn't really know what to be looking for, so it might not be all that beneficial.

The summer is still a while gone to be fair. It isn't the Premiership granted, and the results themselves are irrelevant, but any coach in it for the right reasons should be able to take the kids to the 1st step by now, which is giving the kids a basic understanding and ability to play the game.

I understand the basics of football. I have a 8 brothers and I grew up in a house of football - I do know the basics - granted, I can't remember who passed what ball to whom in the FA Cup in 1993, but I know the difference between good football and crap football.

And I disagree that the results are irrelevant - granted, losing 19 matches out of 19 is not a dream one would wish for one's child, but losing 19 matches 10-0 or more is even less of a dream....

For those of you saying my attitude as his mam stinks, because I should really be happy that he plays every week...seriously..seriously..you should
try keeping his positivity up on the journey to the match, chatting about how great it will be if he wins at last etc. I said he loves his team and he doesn't get down when they lose..but there is a journey home of tears and snots...until I build him back up again and he runs out onto the road and I convince him 'it's only a game son'...he's 8, he wants to win ya know? It doesn't sink him into a deep dark depression no, but learning that it's ok to lose for 19 matches isn't exactly the message I'd hoped to be giving him.

Don't get me wrong - learning to lose is a message he should learn, absolutely. But 19 times out of 19??????????

Helix

is he improving as a player?

CSF

Fittle wrote: »

I understand the basics of football. I have a 8 brothers and I grew up in a house of football - I do know the basics - granted, I can't remember who passed what ball to whom in the FA Cup in 1993, but I know the difference between good football and crap football

I wasn't calling you completely clueless, I was saying you're probably not clued in enough to go to a training session and know what the coach is doing better than he does. Fair, no?

In answer to your question, I'd consider moving him to a team where he'll get better coaching, but not completely against his will if he is vehemently against it.

bigdaddyliamo

My 2 cents: As a dad and a coach I have seen both sides of this! The first team I was involved with from under 7's went 36 games before their first win. This was both formations in ddsl at under 7 and pretty much the last game of the second formation at under 8 was when we finally got the win. Now all I will say is that the team was at the younger range of the age groups and were very small for their age. They had good fundamentals but came up against teams which had some big lads who pretty much ran the show on their own. We dropped down the leagues as you would expect and eventually found our level.
Fast forward to the under 9's were the work at team level "suddenly" became alive. We ended up playing many of the same "bigger" sides who were still relying on the 1 or 2 big guys to do all the donkey work and just passed them off the park. We ended up winning the league without losing a match.
So Fittle, please don't despair. Your son loves the game and WILL win in time, and trust me....it will be worth the wait!
Keep up the great work soccermom!:D

CSF

Helix wrote: »

Yeah but we also dont know the type of teams theyre playing against. Tbh the more you think about it the more impossible it is to give op an accurate answer.

I look after 2 teams in the Under 8s DDSL aswell, the January regrading was very good, if they were dropped leagues they aren't playing against teams every week that should be in the top leagues. The DDSL are good like that.

Fittle

Helix wrote: »

is he improving as a player?

Yes, absolutely. And so are his team mates. I can see an improvement in them week after week, I really can. They are now almost working as a team. They still don't listen to their coach very well, but have improved 100 per cent since August.

Fittle

CSF wrote: »

I wasn't calling you completely clueless, I was saying you're probably not clued in enough to go to a training session and know what the coach is doing better than he does. Fair, no?

In answer to your question, I'd consider moving him to a team where he'll get better coaching, but not completely against his will if he is vehemently against it.

Agreed, I'm not clued in enough to realise how good/bad our coach is.

He's completely against moving...we don't have great facilities at our team and have seen the facilities at other teams (all weather pitches/changing rooms etc) and he ain't for moving...which is a great quality in him I believe, because even though they lose, he is still so committed.

You all may laugh at his dream of playing for Man U, and fair enough.

I joked about him paying my mortgage etc, but guess what - he GENUINELY believes that he will play at Old Trafford when he's older, and who am I to say he won't? All I can do is believe in him like Ryan Giggs mam believed in him.

But did Ryan Giggs learn at 8 that it was ok to lose every game you've ever played? I doubt it.

Fittle

bigdaddyliamo wrote: »

My 2 cents: As a dad and a coach I have seen both sides of this! The first team I was involved with from under 7's went 36 games before their first win. This was both formations in ddsl at under 7 and pretty much the last game of the second formation at under 8 was when we finally got the win. Now all I will say is that the team was at the younger range of the age groups and were very small for their age. They had good fundamentals but came up against teams which had some big lads who pretty much ran the show on their own. We dropped down the leagues as you would expect and eventually found our level.
Fast forward to the under 9's were the work at team level "suddenly" became alive. We ended up playing many of the same "bigger" sides who were still relying on the 1 or 2 big guys to do all the donkey work and just passed them off the park. We ended up winning the league without losing a match.
So Fittle, please don't despair. Your son loves the game and WILL win in time, and trust me....it will be worth the wait!
Keep up the great work soccermom!:D

I KNOW he will win...I do...and he does too. We stay as positive as we can. Today's post from me was just down to a really early morning, a really crap trip to the match (he gets car sick after two miles since he was about three!!), and then they lost.

Thanks though:D

CSF

Fittle wrote: »

But did Ryan Giggs learn at 8 that it was ok to lose every game you've ever played? I doubt it.

Don't read too much into this. All 8 year olds usually want to do is win, it is not them who need to have the attitude. The best coaches are those who can improve the players and eventually get results without having to put that winning pressure on the young lads.

Kiwi_knock

When I was a similar age I had the same experience. My team lost every game for two years running. Scored less than 10 goals in them two years.
But I always enjoyed every match and every training session, I looked forward to them each week. I made good friends there and we always had a laugh. We never let it depress us and always tried to have a good time.
I still remember when we would have the Man of the Match award even though we lost like 20-0. I was delighted when I got player of the year and top scorer, I only scored two goals (One horribly deflected and the other being a tame shot that went through the hands of keeper).

The important thing is that he is having a good time and enjoying being part of a team. At that age I still thought I would be a professional player despite being rubbish. No point changing teams if he is enjoying himself and having a good time.

Fittle

Kiwi_knock wrote: »

When I was a similar age I had the same experience. My team lost every game for two years running. Scored less than 10 goals in them two years.
But I always enjoyed every match and every training session, I looked forward to them each week. I made good friends there and we always had a laugh. We never let it depress us and always tried to have a good time.
I still remember when we would have the Man of the Match award even though we lost like 20-0. I was delighted when I got player of the year and top scorer, I only scored two goals (One horribly deflected and the other being a tame shot that went through the hands of keeper).

The important thing is that he is having a good time and enjoying being part of a team. At that age I still thought I would be a professional player despite being rubbish. No point changing teams if he is enjoying himself and having a good time.

You do know I want to cry now:rolleyes:

If he turns out like you, I'll be the happiest Mam in Ireland...honestly..and at the moment, he's on the road to never letting it depress him, making friends etc AND he got man of the match last week DESPITE the fact that they lost 12-1;)

Thanks:D

noodler

I'm back playing this year at 25 after a fairly horrific injury for at a poor UCFL standard and, despite having problems winning games, absolutely love having the Saturday game to look forward to.