Guest
Player Rules and U.S. Club Soccer
While
checking in teams at a local tournament,
the coach of one U-14 team asked
me if a player from their club’s
U-13 team (who was playing in
the previous game on the same
field) would be allowed to play
with his team as well.
With
U.S. Club Soccer rules in effect,
I had no idea if this was allowed,
so I called the tournament director
who said “No,” but
didn't know if this was the official
U.S. Club Soccer ruling.
You
would think the rule would be
“one player, one team, one
tournament,” but I researched
the rule and found this fact from
the U.S.
Club Soccer Web site:
Re:
loaning players:
Loan
rules to allow players to play
on teams from other clubs for
the purposes of tournament participation
are encouraged, but will be reviewed
as part of the tournament's proposed
competition rules, and ultimately
are for the tournament host to
decide.

Apparently, I made the right call,
although inadvertently. I really
don’t think this policy
is good for “the player,”
and should be changed at the highest
of all levels.
Immediately
after the coach asked me if this
would be allowed, I remarked that
“I don’t know and
will find out, but if it is, it
shouldn't be.” I then asked
him if he thought this was good
for the player, both physically
and mentally (not to mention the
effects on game integrity) and
would perhaps burn the kid out?
and he retorted “Maybe?”
This brief encounter with this
coach pretty much proved to me
exactly where he was coming from.
As far as priorities go, this
guy was all for himself, and not
developing kids into good soccer
players and people, both on the
field and off, which should be
the highest priority for any youth
soccer coach.
With
the open border’s policy
of modern day competitive youth
soccer, it seems like this rule
is something that should be addressed
by U.S. Club Soccer right now.
One tournament, one player, one
team.
After
being around this tournament,
my feeling is that youth soccer
is essentially becoming a wide-scale
pick up game and the results are
often determined by which clubs/coaches
can attract the best players.
No wonder this coach was all about
himself, the rules encourage it!
This
game is about the kids. Too many
people forget that.
"One
player, one tournament, one team."
Pretty basic, all encompassing,
and easy to follow. I am a bit
of a libertarian and usually dislike
rules and legislation in general,
but it seems this one would be
good for youth soccer and competition.
Most importantly, it would take
the dangling carrot out from in
front of competitive coaches faces
to burn a kid out, or subject
them to injury. The game is about
the kids, and it is ultimantly
about fun.