goodwood v colnel light gardens u/8's 3/6/07

[bayman]

The littleys don't seem to worry if they've won or lost from what I've seen in the past & are just happy to play.

sheik, i dont think that is quite right as last year when they had the 'round robin' tournament with winners playing in a grand final, when clg lost, about half the boys were crying including little bayman & most of the rest were visibly disapointed, so they know what's going on, its 'the do gooders' that have no idea that kids understand & accept you win or lose in every aspect of life, i recall back in the bow & arrow days that we won or lost & then you then looked forward to the school/club you played next week

[Pearcey]

The problem you describe with the kids crying is probably caused by some parents or coaches putting pressure on them to win. Just let 'em have some fun for God's sake. The kids wouldn't be so upset if someone hadn't put too much pressure on them. They should play the game for the fun of it, not for the glory.

[scottroo]

bayman, my lads were very happy they won the carnival and the announcer dude said we were the "winners" the phos boys we beat were sad, almost as much as there parents

[Pearcey]

What a load of crap! Banning the publication of scores. Who is going to be hurt by publishing the scores from a footy game?
The kids generally know who won, unless it's really, really close. Also, if the coach, team officials and parents are responsible then the kids on either side won't be too worried. On our club website: http://www.geppscross.homestead.com you will find the results for every match, from Under 6's to Under 16's, plus best players and goal scorers. For example:
Under 6:

Gepps Cross Blue 11-12-78 D TT Gully 1-3-9
Best: J. Plane, J. Charles, R. Travis
Goals: C. Brown 3, M. Pert 3, T. Payne 2, J. Wishart 2, R. Travis

Under 6:
Gepps Cross Red 8-5-53 D TT Gully 3-1-19
Best: N. Lomas, T. Grainger-Balding, J. Dixey
Goals: B. White 4, B. Simpson 3, N. Lomas

Under 8:
Gepps Cross Blue 3-5-23 D Modbury 2-3-15
Best: All played well
Goals: K. Polkinghorne 2, R. Blittner

Under 8:
Gaza 9-8-62 D D Gepps Cross Red 2-2-14
Best: P. Hooper, J. Mail, C. Riley
Goals: C. Riley, J. Mail

Every player from the younger grades gets a mention in the best players during the season and, as we keep a record of goal scorers, then we may as well put them on the website too. After all it was only 2 years ago that a five year old was runner up in the club goal kicking, with 56 in 14 games!
Do we have to keep that a secret too?

Pearcey you are lucky to have under 6's anyway. you are not meant to have them anyway. if you got off your high horse and looked at the broader picture instead of worrying about gepps cross to much, you would want to promote clean and skillfull players not winners and losers.

We promote Geppys because we are in an ageing area and we have to let kids know there's somewhere to play footy if they want to. Also we are hidden away on a side street and some families just a block away from the club didn't know we were there until they got a note in their letterbox.

The bigger issue is that the GAME WILL DIE unless clubs get of their backsides and promote the game. Public school footy is dying and if the community clubs don't 'sell' the game then there won't be an AFL in 20 years.

And, we are not 'promoting winners and losers', it's just simply reporting match details for interested players and their families

[bayman]

The problem you describe with the kids crying is probably caused by some parents or coaches putting pressure on them to win. Just let 'em have some fun for God's sake. The kids wouldn't be so upset if someone hadn't put too much pressure on them. They should play the game for the fun of it, not for the glory.

crap, they were crying because they were disapointed with the result not what any parent or coach has said, if the coach was all out to win he would've had the best/most advanced 4 players in the team on the ball for the entire game but no he did what he did for the entire season which was playing kids in different positions in every quarter, as for crying or whatever surely letting your emotions out is a good thing, i know i said to little bayman "its okay mate its only a game & you all tried but were beaten by a better side tonight thats all" i believe it showed they cared for the team they are/were playing for, you know showing pride & love for their club

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Gotta say I've never seen a kid cry after an under 6's, 8's, or 9's game of which I'm glad. They were never Grand Finals though. I can remember my eldest playing 8's & losing the first 10 rounds, round 11 they lost by a point. Us parents were besides ourselves but the lads, when learning the score shrugged it off & went off to compare the latest pokermon cards just released.
That was a lesson for me back then, whatever makes them happy.........oh & 12 of the 16 still play together today as under 15's, more than I can say for a lot of teams.

[Pearcey]

That's the very point though Bayman.
Someone MUST have given them the message that it's bad to lose and that they are 'losers'.

Really, games from Under 10's down are really only competitive training and learning. Sure there are scores but the kids are all 'L' platers and, from our experience, the kids have lots of fun just having a run and getting a kick.

A couple of years ago, before the Under 6's were created, our Under 8's, who were all 5 years old, regularly had scores of 20 goals recorded against them. But they were all happy little campers and when they scored their first point, in round 5!, you would have thought they'd won a premiership.

Most are still running around getting a kick, by the way. One will play his 100th game in round 15. He played 3 years of 8's, 2 of 9's and now he's an Under 10.