I'm now an 8th grade soccer coach.

[Beebs]

This should be an interesting experience. I got asked about it last week, talked to the AD Monday, started Tuesday, and am now 3 days in. Not something I am looking to do long-term, but I have a little extra time to do it right now.

I only have 7 kids right now, so some 7th graders are going to be brought up once they start next week.

First game is the 30th.

[THEINCREDIBLEdork]

@ NR?

[Ugly Bastard]

Sick dude. That's actually really awesome. Run with it.

[Orgazmo]

I love it. Sounds like a fantastic fit. Keep us posted.

[Beebs]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mistoffelees

@ NR?

Yea.

[Saint DH]

Boys team or girls team? Please say girls team.

[vaga1220 *]

Do you get to touch any of your kids?

[Cocktooth]

I thought soccer was a pretty popular thing at NR? Did they upgrade the soccer complex like they did the gym a few years back? Have they brought back the Hardee's with the all you can eat biscuits and gravy?

[Beebs]

Guys team.

Originally Posted by Cocktooth

I thought soccer was a pretty popular thing at NR? Did they upgrade the soccer complex like they did the gym a few years back? Have they brought back the Hardee's with the all you can eat biscuits and gravy?

It still is; the high school team is usually one of the best teams between the chicago suburbs and fort wayne. The high school complex is one of the better ones in the area, the pitch itself is absolutely the best.

The middle school team is a new thing, not sure exactly how new, but there was no such thing when I was around. This is year there is a new field for us to use, it's just north of the high school fields, where there used to be a practice football field.


Also you have to keep in mind it's only one grade; my senior class only had 10 players, one of which was an exchange student, so it's not all that small in comparison. The 8th grade girls however, have 23.

The Hardee's is now a sort of a generic IHOP, not bad, not great. Same building.

[SittinOnDubsWGW]

all you can eat biscuits and gravy sounds pretty sweet.

[Mr. Blonde]

I would like to hear more about the unlimited biscuits and gravy.

[Cocktooth]

Back in the day, I used to camp at Twin Mills every weekend. On the way home Sunday mornings, we would stop in at the Hardee's there in Middlebury for some biscuits and gravy. The sad thing was, they had unlimited for a short time. The Hardee's in Sturgis was every Sunday as long as I could remember.

It might just be one grade, but more kids play at the middle school level then high school. Expecially, with soccer being such a participant sport, in that everyone plays when they are little. Do you have a youth soccer program up there? Might be something you should consider starting up. It takes a little bit of time, but you can make some solid money, along with introducing soccer as more of a sport to kids 5 and up.

[Mr. Blonde]

Beebs will you be working next friday afternoon?If so,what time?Misty and I might stop by. Also are you coming to Nubblies gathering and want to carpool with us?

[THEINCREDIBLEdork]

Beebs, make sure you supervise those boys very closely when it's time to hit the showers. You need to keep an eye on them and discipline them if there is any naughty behavior.

[THEINCREDIBLEdork]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blonde

Beebs will you be working next friday afternoon?If so,what time?Misty and I might stop by. Also are you coming to Nubblies gathering and want to carpool with us?

Not sure if Beebs would want me to visit @ the school if he wants to keep his job. I was no boyscout in that school system and a lot of the teachers hated me.

[DDTempest]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blonde

Beebs will you be working next friday afternoon?If so,what time?Misty and I might stop by. Also are you coming to Nubblies gathering and want to carpool with us?

Who is Misty? Why is she coming to the Nubblies gathering?

[thekremlin]

I think she's a friend of ID's.

[Beebs]

Originally Posted by Mr. Blonde

Beebs will you be working next friday afternoon?If so,what time?Misty and I might stop by. Also are you coming to Nubblies gathering and want to carpool with us?

Friday I'll be at work until noon, then practice from 4ish to 545. Where/when is the gathering?

[Cocktooth]

Damnit Beebs, what do you have for a feeder program? You need to get these 5 year old little shits on the pitch and teach them. Make NR a powerhouse.

[Beebs]

Originally Posted by Cocktooth

Damnit Beebs, what do you have for a feeder program? You need to get these 5 year old little shits on the pitch and teach them. Make NR a powerhouse.

Actually the feeder program is pretty good; Middlebury Magic does a good job of getting kids ready; the core of my team has played together for a few years.

Ultimately I view myself as the final feeder into the High School program; my job is to get them ready for that. I plan on playing the same general system, which right now is a 3-5-2 formation (more accurately a 3-2-3-2 or 3-4-1-2) with the same notation, etc.

The highest example of a system bringing young players to the highest level is Barcelona, which has won 2 of the last 3 Champion's Leagues (3 of last 6) and 3 Spanish championships in a row.

The current team has 8 of 11 starters who came through the youth system, which is unheard of for a team this good.

[DJ FC]

You're the next Arsene Wenger.

[Cocktooth]

Here is the thing, you are making it sound like your whole feeder program is only one travel team. That is great for top tear 10 year olds, but that's also leaving a ton of kids out. It's crazy how much kids mature, so alienating them away from the sport at that young of age is making the talent pool slim. The same thing is happening to the basketball talent over there. Their coach walked into talent, but spent no time with the program. He is now paying the price, and will be getting his walking papers in 3 years or less. That community continues to grow. Start up soccer leagues like they have here. One in the spring, one in the fall. 5-12 year old age groups. Run games twice a week.


Edit: When I was in Warsaw, we played games on Saturday's. It was a 7 week season and then a playoff. It's easy money, and keeps kids interest in the sport, even if they don't make their travel team. If you put enough time in the community, you sir, could have a field named after you! Beebs Memorial Field

[Beebs]

Originally Posted by DJ FC

You're the next Arsene Wenger.

Take that back

[Beebs]

Originally Posted by Cocktooth

Here is the thing, you are making it sound like your whole feeder program is only one travel team. That is great for top tear 10 year olds, but that's also leaving a ton of kids out. It's crazy how much kids mature, so alienating them away from the sport at that young of age is making the talent pool slim. The same thing is happening to the basketball talent over there. Their coach walked into talent, but spent no time with the program. He is now paying the price, and will be getting his walking papers in 3 years or less. That community continues to grow. Start up soccer leagues like they have here. One in the spring, one in the fall. 5-12 year old age groups. Run games twice a week.


Edit: When I was in Warsaw, we played games on Saturday's. It was a 7 week season and then a playoff. It's easy money, and keeps kids interest in the sport, even if they don't make their travel team. If you put enough time in the community, you sir, could have a field named after you! Beebs Memorial Field

Well there are different, less competitive rec leagues that also feed into the system, one is across the street from me.

The Magic is pretty well represented at most age groups and at different levels of competition. Also if a kid is particularly talented they are encouraged to play at the highest level available, Indiana Invaders works with some of our high schoolers; I played for South Bend Jr Irish once I started to come into my own as a goalkeeper. Basically I knew at least a couple of players on every team I played in high school, because I had worked with them either on a Magic team, an indoor team, or one of a few Jr Irish teams. One or two kids usually end up in the state Olympic Development Program. One of the kids I played with went on to play in a second tier pro league.

I do really agree with you though, that up until about 14-15, getting raw numbers playing and interested is key. There is a summer league system at Goshen College that mixes high schoolers and adults, which has always worked well since Northridge and GC have pretty close ties. There is an informal system of forming indoor teams during the off season, and in the last few years reaching out into the futsal games in elkhart, which are almost 100% mexican.

Eventually though, the main on the field product for the program, is going to be the 20 or so kids who play varsity at the high school. So yes you want as many people involved as you can, but you also want to start forming that group a few years out, getting them familiar with the varsity system, starting to move kids into a position (I sort of dislike this part of it, as really I think we should be thinking more of universal players, because of their age, because having only 1 position limits their options, and because modern tactics are demanding more hybrid players rather than cogs in a machine).

[Beebs]

Won first game 3-2.