Do you agree with 2 or 3 water breaks in a football match?

[pioneertrini]

If ya remember in world cup 94 jack charlton the Ireland coach had those little plastic water packs that he used to give the players, u bite it and suk it lol. dat would be better than taking actual breaks. football is gettin silly enuff wid the ref blowin whistle every second and people divin all kinda ting. soon it go be like watch american football.

[Jefferz]

I was at a game earlier today in pembroke pines florida where under sixteen youths were playing a match and to my astonishment I witness the ref blowing the whistle for 2 minute water breaks,this was definetly a culture shock to me,so I turned to one of the coaches at the field and ask him if this was new and he replied it's now mandatory in high school and college games played in florida as of a couple weeks ago,now while I understand that this state is basically hot year round,coming from the caribbean we never had at least to my knowledge any incidents of heat stroke or fainting spells as they claim happens hear,now if they're so hell bent on playing soccer in florida why the hell they doh play it in ah air condition covered park.One of the coaches there told me that it has nothing to do with game but as always about law suits,yuh see with the advent lawyers everybody ready to sue at the drop of ah hat.Now I personally have nothing against water breaks but at the expense of stopping the momentum of a game midstream I Think not,we better off not playing at all. 

dat is common american 

[dotless007]

we in trinbago play football dey play soccer. jus someting to get use to. time out in footballis crap d players cyah wait for a injury or take a second and run off de feild to get a sip of water

[slates]

In America, this water break thing is not about fitness, is not about endurance.

It is about the leagues, the organizations, the schools protecting themselves from liability. All yuh now dey will sue you in America for looking at dem too hard. Imagine somebody child fall down an a field.

Dem lawyers not differentiating between a kid who has a pre-existing condition versus a kid who legitimately fell from dehydration.
 
Kid fall, dey sueing. Bottom line. And it doh matter if it's a 5 year old, a high-schooler or a college student. Even as a big man playing here in a recreation league, all I've played in, you have to sign waivers or else, yuh cyah play.

Is all about sueing and liability.

On de heat note, remember de 94 WC here in de US? Korea vs. Germany (I think), when all dem Germans was falling down with cramps and dehydration while dem Koreans kept running. De heat here, and more specifically, de humidity is ah killer.

[fari]

i always hear man talk about is not the heat is the humidity, and i did not know what the heck it was-until i came to south carolina, lord fadder.   this place herer hot, but not like trinidad dred, this heat could kill u-literally.   when u check out that here is more white boys who play the sport -folks without alot of natural sunblock then i could understand having a lil break, timeout, whatever.    just my 2 cents.

[StoreBayLimer]

I coach out here in the US and in the system for the past 15yrs,the things they do with Soccer here is mind boggleing,it's very fustrating but there is nothing much you can do so you just have to work with it.

Your experience is quite normal here especially for the above reason,when i'm working with kids at practice,Camps,Clinics and one kid say they want water i send everybody,this happens almost every 10mins as they get older it's less often,in games kids ask you to sub them because they want to drink water.

The system here is such that it caters for that,they have unlimited substitution,players can be subed in and out any amount of times,the worst experience i ever had here was when a whole team substituted at half time in a game(all at one time),it's just crazy the things that these ppl do,FIFA rules is joke,they have that and more.

You know at one time the US had propose to FIFA to play the game in quarters?because they don't have enough time for commercials etc.One good thing though is that they are very organized and have a plan. 

In California there is definitely more adherence to the standard  rules but with minor modifications, and that applies to both the AYSO (American Youth Soccer Association) league and the more competitive CYSA (Cali Youth Soccer Association) league. For example in the under 6, 8, and 10 age group, there is at most 3 subs a quarter and every player plays for at least 3 quarters.  In that group, there is only a water break at the half.  During practices  it is typical to have more water breaks.  In the CYSA system the substitution is not done on the quarter but according to the standard rules and  there are about 3 players subed roughly after playing 75% of the match.

The available training for coaches and referees is very good.

[StoreBayLimer]

Senior level, high school, college etc need to be able to play a full 45min half. Its the world game and thats how d world plays. Athletes playing at dis level need to be conditioned for this kinda play. Yuh could go as far as putting in misting areas on d sidelines to cool down players during slack times such as when a man injured, dead ball plays etc.

Dis might sound sorf to men sweating in d savannah no matter d weather but not eveybody built d same.

At those levels they do play the normal game,our high schools i don't think can handle a high school teams in the US.These players play  Football year round,even during Winter,they always in some tournament,always travelling,they have different Programs that the best players participate in Olympic Development Program,Regional tournaments,State Cup tournaments (club level).
   

Coop's,

Given that you are an experienced coach, I would like your opinion on the following:   do you think that it is a good thing or bad thing ( and the  gradations in between)  that some youths (10-14) play football year round?  After all it is a huge time commitment for those involved.  And does it make a difference if we are talking about an average player or a potentially decent/good player? 

[Coop's]

s,

Given that you are an experienced coach, I would like your opinion on the following:   do you think that it is a good thing or bad thing ( and the  gradations in between)  that some youths (10-14) play football year round?  After all it is a huge time commitment for those involved.  And does it make a difference if we are talking about an average player or a potentially decent/good player? 

I personally don't think it's a good thing for Youths (10-14)to play Football year round.

At those ages Youths are deciding what direction they want to go and have a lot of different things going on in their life,other sports,social and otherwise,they need breaks to fulfill and experience what they really want.

Another thing is you may have seen or heard of a lot of good young players giving up the game,when players are young they get burnt out quite easily so you find they need that break to recuperate,younger players even play less minutes,get more breaks during games etc.

If you have been involved out hear,you will observe that parents play a big part in Football it's the only way the kids can participate,it's very time consuming for them so they and all need that break.

Average or decent i don't think it makes a difference,they are kids and we have to respect that.If kids start useing weights before a certain age it affects their growth,there are certain things you just have to be carefull off when it comes to kids.   

[vibetrini]

I think this could be a good idea if implemented correctly.

Lets say each team gets a maximum 3 'water breaks' (each 2 minutes long) per 90 minutes of legal play (injury time inclusive) where the coaches can dish out instructions and tactics if desired. Worth experimenting with i think.

[Coop's]

One thing i can say too is that in the US they try to encourage everybody to play the game and that's why every where you go there is something different going on to facilitate the players.

Always remember it's all about business,the more kids playing the game is more money involved,how kids play does not matter to some of these ppl at the field all you hear is (kick the ball)and that's a lot of fun for them,they paying money for that.In T&T it's free a whole different mentality.

[Cantona007]

Football is very age appropriate out here,what you do with 9/10 yr olds you don't with 5/6 and 7/8 yr olds,that's why i said they are very organized and have plans.

When ever you go to one of those lisenced courses in the US it's more paper work and classroom sessions than anything else,they have studied and make this thing a science,just knowing how to play Football is one thing but knowing how to deal with players is even more important,when a player gets hurt you better know what to do else somebody going to pay.If a player fall down on a field from heat exhaustion especially if that player asked for water and did not get it,you in big trouble.

Almost every day you hear players dieing on Football fields out here ,either goals fall on them,heart problems,clashes with other players etc.At home we take a lot of things for granted,you see how that guy from Malick died, up here the Colleges league or some body would be paying his parents some good money.     

And that  was that; the real reason... this is such a litigation-obsessed society, if you don't give water breaks and something happens to somebody's child... well Johnny Cochrane dead, so dog eat yuh supper.
Also, if  you don't have unlimied subs and Little Johnny doesn't play and his "feelings" are  hurt, fire in yuh ass! 

[scarface]

american bullshit again!! y dem fell dem hadda change d rules of d game? if dey cyah play by international rules den DOH PLAY!!

[Coop's]

american bullshit again!! y dem fell dem hadda change d rules of d game? if dey cyah play by international rules den DOH PLAY!!

They are not changeing the rules of the game,is just that when they play in their domestic leagues they do their thing,when ever they play internationally they play by what ever international rules there are and i think that's fine.

In T&T every age play with a size five ball,in the US it's mandated U5/6/7/8 play with size 3 balls,9/10/11/12 play with size 4 balls,upwards of these ages play with size 5 balls,the same thing with fields every age group plays on different size fields.

Goalkeeping starts at certain age,heading the ball starts at a certain age and you must be insured to play.

[Baygo Boy]

I would not want the breaks at the pro level, or even high school, but it is necessary at the U-12 level, especially in FL.  Let's not count out the insurance factor.

[oconnorg]

american bullshit again!! y dem fell dem hadda change d rules of d game? if dey cyah play by international rules den DOH PLAY!!

They are not changeing the rules of the game,is just that when they play in their domestic leagues they do their thing,when ever they play internationally they play by what ever international rules there are and i think that's fine.

In T&T every age play with a size five ball,in the US it's mandated U5/6/7/8 play with size 3 balls,9/10/11/12 play with size 4 balls,upwards of these ages play with size 5 balls,the same thing with fields every age group plays on different size fields.

Goalkeeping starts at certain age,heading the ball starts at a certain age and you must be insured to play.

I actually agree with those stipulations.... When dealing with kids you gotta be careful...

[StoreBayLimer]

I personally don't think it's a good thing for Youths (10-14)to play Football year round.

At those ages Youths are deciding what direction they want to go and have a lot of different things going on in their life,other sports,social and otherwise,they need breaks to fulfill and experience what they really want.

Another thing is you may have seen or heard of a lot of good young players giving up the game,when players are young they get burnt out quite easily so you find they need that break to recuperate,younger players even play less minutes,get more breaks during games etc.

If you have been involved out hear,you will observe that parents play a big part in Football it's the only way the kids can participate,it's very time consuming for them so they and all need that break.

Average or decent i don't think it makes a difference,they are kids and we have to respect that.If kids start useing weights before a certain age it affects their growth,there are certain things you just have to be carefull off when it comes to kids.   

I agree with you. Thanks very much  and given your experience your opinion is even more valuable.

[RGarcia]

Remember that its u16 and the parents maybe the one that requested that buit as for por. football there should not be no break for water if yuh bon come off de field and let a man who can play the full ninty come on fuh yuh an dstart de next game too.

[Coop's]

Remember that its u16 and the parents maybe the one that requested that buit as for por. football there should not be no break for water if yuh bon come off de field and let a man who can play the full ninty come on fuh yuh an dstart de next game too.

Excuse me sir i think you are talking about something else here,you are talking about senior players or adults and we are talking about Youths,i see you mention MAN if that's what you talking about fine,there are a lot of differences when dealing with both levels,remember Football must not be hard work, it must be something we all enjoy weather you are a player or spectator.

There is something i say to all players "if you not enjoying the game forget it" from my experiences that's when players drop out and we ask ourselves why they did.