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. Apparently the people at U.S. Club Soccer are, too?

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.