Political Correctness running amok again

[Iron Woode]

link to article

In yet another nod to the protection of fledgling self-esteem, an Ottawa children’s soccer league has introduced a rule that says any team that wins a game by more than five points will lose by default.

The Gloucester Dragons Recreational Soccer league’s newly implemented edict is intended to dissuade a runaway game in favour of sportsmanship. The rule replaces its five-point mercy regulation, whereby any points scored beyond a five-point differential would not be registered.

Kevin Cappon said he first heard about the rule on May 20 — right after he had scored his team’s last allowable goal. His team then tossed the ball around for fear of losing the game.

He said if anything, the league’s new rule will coddle sore losers.

this time being the better team is bad. Its not whether you win or lose or even how you play the game; its now about possible hurt feelings. Real life works this way, right?

 

[lxskllr]

I'd rather legitimately lose by 10 points, than lose by 5, and be toyed with for the rest of the game.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

Holy shiite...

How 'bout this... team gets pounded by 12 goals... little kids in tears... coach tells kids, "you feel like shi*t? go out and practice hard and you'll never feel this way again."... practice...win

 

[Tristicus]

That's so goddamn dumb.

 

[JackBurton]

As soon as my team was 5 points up, I'd tell them to take a nap on the field until the other team scored like 3 points.

 

[Number1]

Well I would shoot the ball into my own net until the other team has enough points to lose.

 

[mfenn]

Well I would shoot the ball into my own net until the other team has enough points to lose.

Foolproof strategy!

 

[SlitheryDee]

Forced sportsmanship isn't sportsmanship.

 

[daw123]

So they are effectively penalising the better team. How is that fair and what about the hurt feelings of the better team that lost by default?

Edit: Hang on a minute; the crappest team in the league could win it by losing every game, but winning by default.

 

[biggestmuff]

Wasn't their just a thread about helicopter parenting?

 

[HardcoreRobot]

so freaking dumb! id just tell my team to score on themselves every time they get the ball. undefeated season.

 

[waggy]

I'd rather legitimately lose by 10 points, than lose by 5, and be toyed with for the rest of the game.

agreed. i would rather get my ass kicked then being toyed with. give me our best. IF you are winning by lot put in the 2nd-4th string and give them some playing time. no matter what every player needs to give 100%

 

[Bateluer]

I'd still shoot to win by as many points as possible.

Definitely would be inviting as many Press to the games as possible.

 

[waggy]

ccording to the league’s new rules, coaches of stronger teams are encouraged to deter runaway games by rotating players out of their usual positions, ensuring players pass the ball around, asking players to kick with the weaker foot, taking players off the field and encouraging players to score from farther away.



hahah i love this part. ok you guys stink. so we are going to play keep away! see if you can get the ball! if they do let them score then nail them. then do it again

all the time laughing.

 

[Firsttime]

Well I would shoot the ball into my own net until the other team has enough points to lose.

For real, this is the first thing that popped into my head too, I'm sure someone will try it. Maybe even make it look as unintentional as possible. Stupid rules like this are made to be exploited.

Or on the flip side if I was a coach of a legitimately better team I would encourage them to lose every game by the winning margin.

 

[Hacp]

Well I would shoot the ball into my own net until the other team has enough points to lose.

Win!

 

[PowerEngineer]

I'd suggest that there's plenty of room for a merciful approach to soccer for very young kids (i.e. 4-10 years old). Our local soccer leagues don't even keep scores for games played by 4-6 year olds.

I've watched too many youth soccer games where the coach on the dominating team leaves their best players on the field through the whole game just to pound their stats. IMHO it'd be much better for that team's bench warmers as well as the pummeled opponent for the coach to pull their stars once it becomes obvious who will win the game. It's sad that some coaches need a league rule to point them in this direction.

The old Ottawa rule (not counting goals beyond 5 ahead) makes more sense to me than their new "lose by default".

Forced sportsmanship isn't sportmanship -- but sportsmanship is one of the things (besides just soccer) that these kids also should be learning from their coaches and practicing.

Real life doesn't work this way (i.e. with mercy rules), but there's lots of "real world" things we shelter children from until they're mature enough to handle them.

 

[waggy]

i agree 4-6 sure dont' keep score.

but this is up to 18 yr olds.


Lol i can see games like the southpark little legue thing. where both teams are trying ot lose. but then win? hmm

 

[MotF Bane]

That's fucking stupid.

 

[lxskllr]

Score should always be kept imo. The purpose of competitive sports is to compete, not busy work to waste an hour or so on. The winning team should cycle in their weaker players, but they should be doing that anyway so everyone gets a chance to play. If they can win using their weakest players, so be it. That's how sports work.

 

[techs]

This is not "political correctness" but the application of psychological developmental theory.
You really don't get the term "political correctness"

 

[MotF Bane]

This is not "political correctness" but the application of psychological developmental theory.

lol

 

[SlitheryDee]

Forced sportsmanship isn't sportmanship -- but sportsmanship is one of the things (besides just soccer) that these kids also should be learning from their coaches and practicing.

I don't like it because it's a lie. Sportsmanship is something a person has in their character. It is tainted by making a rule that enforces it, which doesn't reflect on the character of the coach or players.

 

[Perknose]

The mercy rule was fine, this is ridiculous.

Political Correctness running amok again

Has anybody ever seen anything walking amok? :hmm:

 

[PowerEngineer]

I don't like it because it's a lie. Sportsmanship is something a person has in their character. It is tainted by making a rule that enforces it, which doesn't reflect on the character of the coach or players.

Sportsmanship (like most other traits of character) is not innate, but a learned behavior. It's one of the things we hope kids learn while participating in team sports. Most (sane) parents don't expect their kids to actually benefit from knowing how to kick a soccer ball.