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TOPIC: 2 peewee teams |
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| Another worried parent
April 12, 2005
8:33:05 AM
Entry #: 795278
| I agree with the "concerned parent". I quote Anson at the AGM, "we cannot have 2 peewee teams for competitive and safety reasons". Have they now forgotten the safety issue? 2 average peewee teams means 2 teams crushed almost every game. 2 average teams is not preparing the boys for bantam level. Don't forget that every park will be gunning for St. Lazare this year. Realistically, there are 30% of the boys signed up that are not football players. This puts the others in a precarious position because the boys aren't doing their jobs. We will have another "Silver catastrophe" if this happens and are shooting ourselves in the foot. The only reason there are so many boys this year is because of the success of last. This will not be the case this 2005 season. What about qualified coaching?
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| Zbig
April 12, 2005
9:50:59 AM
Entry #: 795398
| I was at that meeting and I did take notes about the questions being asked. I need to go through them to see what was said. However, what you need to keep in mind that at the time of the AGM the expectation was that 45-50 players would sign up at the pee-wee level. With numbers like that, perhaps it was felt that it would not be a good idea to make two teams with 22-25 players on each team. I think that some of our opponents had teams with that many players and we could see how they played. On the other hand, if you have over 70 registered players, if you make two equal teams of about 35 players, with each team having a mixture of 2-nd year and 1-st year players, then you have enough for offence, defence, special teams and reserves. You can afford to 'protect' some players and put them in only for a few plays (as long as their parents understand that that's what you're doing) just to get them used to the game. You also have to remember that the league only allows you a maximum limit of 50 players that you can have officially 'contracted' on one team. That would mean that many players would get very little playing time. Many players and parents do not like that idea. So, there are different ways to look at this 'problem', which I think is a good problem to have. (Personally, I think that the biggest challenge that the association will face this year will be the availability, or lack thereof, of playing fields for practices. Remember that the city will be completely redoing the 'lower' field and it will not be available until August). In the end, I share your concerns since my son is one of the pee-wee players, but I think that these concerns are being addressed. As I mentioned in my other post, however, don't take my word for it since I'm just another pee-wee parent (I could talk with more authority about the midget team since I'm the team manager). Please address it with the coaches and with the association pres/vice-pres directly and I am sure that you will get some good answers.
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| parent
April 12, 2005
11:22:06 AM
Entry #: 795557
| Zbig, you mention numbers, it doesn't really matter if you have 25 boys or 35 boys, if the boys have never played football, quantity means nothing. They will get crushed regardless of what anyone says. It will be physically & mentally draining. The biggest boy is approx. 5 foot 5, last year we had 3 boys at 6 feet. For argument's sake, last year you could have made 2 teams because of the talent and size that existed. Not so this year. Let's be realistic and face the facts. There is nothing good about 2 teams this year, it's sad that boys could get cut but the cream will rise to the top. The Laurentides Pumas face this dilemna every year, they make 1 team. This is football.
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| Pros and Cons
April 12, 2005
11:37:06 AM
Entry #: 795587
| Honestly I understand all concerns and the excitement of those involved.
Honestly though to the concerned parents the better way to getting your voice heard is requesting the association a general meeting and laying everything out there. And not on the forums. Politics and Football shouldnt mix but always end up mixing.
Just remember. one thing. Everyone wants best for the kids and the program. Programs requires numbers and here is why
Look at things from the top for a second. You now have a Midget team you need a camp of 80 or more to then select your team of 50.
You bantam will send up on average 20-30 players. With the age splits you need more players to pool from. Eventually you will probably be looking at 2 bantams to help feed your midget.
Having an elite PEEWEE and a less competitive PEEWEE is a good thing. Look at development. If a player gets cut from an elite PEEWEE team where does that player go to play???? What if that player had that one more year of development and then all of a sudden becomes your STALLION ALLSTAR??
your concerns are valid but what you should be directing them at is not whether you have a second team or not. It should be directed at IF it is a go then HOW will it happen.
Getting all worked up over possibilities stresses everyone for no reason. Focus on what good can come out of it
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| A parent
April 12, 2005
12:30:36 PM
Entry #: 795694
| OK That makes sense to have an elite team and a second team. Let's do that.
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| another parent
April 12, 2005
12:37:16 PM
Entry #: 795721
| Who's mixing politics and football??? The parents are concerned with safety! That's the main concern. As far as bringing it to the directors, they know that all the parents are there on Sundays from 2 until 5 therefore they should plan a meeting with all the parents there.
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| Zbig
April 12, 2005
12:45:57 PM
Entry #: 795739
| It seems that we could go 3 different ways:
1. make two equal teams
2. make 1 elite and 1 development team
3. make just 1 team, cut about 25 players
Let's put this internet thing to work and get people's opinions. I'll set up a poll.
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| Zbig
April 12, 2005
2:12:07 PM
Entry #: 795926
| It just occured to me that before we start having big meetings with the association executives we should get some things cleared up. We need to play a little bit of a devil's advocate here and ask this question to all the concerned and worried parents: clearly, by showing your concern, you indicate that you have your heart in the right place. You care about your children and you want to make sure that you protect them while they go about discovering the world. Playing football, as I discovered in our own family's case, is a great experience. It is challenging, tough, demanding but ultimately very rewarding if you are willing to dedicate yourself to it. However, this game, at the level at which it is played in our association, is NOT a recreational sport. It is an elite, top level triple A, tackle football game simply because our teams belong to leagues where this is the only version of football that is played. This is NOT house league soccer (no offence to them) where it is OK (or at least it is always tolerated) that players can show up or not show up at practices, miss games etc. and where the emphasis in on keeping the kids outdoors to provide them with some physical activity and 'have some fun'. In triple A tackle football the emphasis is on competition and the fun comes from being competitive, even if the team is not always winning. The teams are only practicing once a week now but when they go outdoors they will start practicing 3 times a week, 2 hours at a time, bringing a whole bunch of dirty clothes to wash every time. It is lots of fun but the fun comes from the satisfaction of having persevered and continued not just from showing up. If you or your child is not prepared to endure this sort of fun then maybe triple A tackle football is not for them. If you did not realize this when you signed up I hope that you will realize it now. You have to go into this sport with your eyes wide open. I hope that this will help you, if for no other reason then simply to prepare for an eventual meeting with the coaches and association executives.
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| parent
April 12, 2005
2:20:52 PM
Entry #: 795952
| Zbig, you hit the nail on the head. This is a contact sport and is not a recreational sport like some coaches have treated it in the past. Having said that, you absolutely cannot make 2 teams at this level (peewee) because IT IS competitive and other teams play that way. If the o line isn't protecting the qb, then what have we got, nothing...
2 teams at atom should be encouraged to develop the boys. You simply cannot put in boys that have never played on 2 mediocre teams. It just doesn't make any sense. Sorry to the ones who get cut but that is the nature of the sport.
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| frank
April 12, 2005
3:08:46 PM
Entry #: 796052
| je suis un player de bantam et je pense quon devrait faire un equipe de ceux quyon deja jouer pis un equipe de nouveau paske les moins bon serait pas dans les jambes de ceux qui connaisent deja le football donc il pourrait mieux performer et aussi les nouveau vont apprendre la basse meme si y gagne pas toute leur game c un detail y vont avoir plus de plaisir que si y se ferais couper ou si y serait dans lequipe pis qui jouerais sur le banc. psi pour la securité ben c du football tu va pas la si ta peur de tfaire mal ..
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April 12, 2005
3:38:27 PM
Entry #: 796112
| I have a son on the peewee team. I care for his safety as well as all his teammates. I dont know that much about football (yet), but I do know that I would rather see him go down to a "B" level peewee team and learn how to develop himself and strive to be better, stronger and more disciplined as he's shooting for the "Elite" team, than to be put on one of two average teams where his safety is compromised. In the long run he will also be thankful for the principles and work ethic he will learn as he challenges himself to be a better player. And if its not worth the effort, it will free him up to find another sport that is. Contact Football at this level has no room for an inadequate team - proper team protection is definitely necessary because from what I've seen, the other team will not show up for recreation alone. If 2 teams will happen, I "vote" for one strong team and I weaker team, and I accept the chance that my son could go either way. The Silvers last year suffered very few injuries because their opposition respected who they were up against. I have a lot to learn yet, but these are just thoughts of a concerned parent.
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| another parent
April 12, 2005
3:49:55 PM
Entry #: 796127
| To the last reply, very well put!!! You say you don't know football well but you've certainly grasped that it is not recreational. The other teams were respectful of the Silvers for various reasons but at peewee level, 13 & 14 year olds want to play and play hard. If we wanted a recreational sport, we'd play soccer (no disrespect).
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| does Anson read this
April 12, 2005
10:29:57 PM
Entry #: 796819
| We can say or feel what we want to... Does the people who make choices read this?
well, I'm a concerned parent that agrees that we should have a meeting on this subject!
It's really a safety issue...The kids in Pee wee are there to play hard. And the kids that are coming out may not be ready for whats to come...
You can be assure that the teams in the West island are not having this problem.
You go to the try outs........ and you make it or you don't ..Why would we do it in St-Lazare?
I know that there are kids TRYING OUT for hockey..and won't make the team that they would like to. Its part of life.
Things they need to learn............
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| Teufel
April 14, 2005
2:10:45 AM
Entry #: 798986
| i agree.see my post on the topic name 2 teams.
Danny
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