Is This Still Soccer?

By the way I notice that many of the people on this forum who like the lockdown idea and masks leave our state to go to AZ to have their kids play soccer. Why is that? Advocating one thing here, but going somewhere else to do what you cannot here. A state it seems many of the same people on this forum think got it wrong.
Responding to why lockdown advocates are going to NV/AZ-

You’re assuming that someone who is favor of closing some activities must be in favor of a more complete lockdown.

I am in favor of closing bars, restaurants, casinos, indoor nail salons, churches, theaters, amusement parks, indoor malls, and tournaments. I am also opposed to opening high schools on a traditional schedule. To you, I’m sure this sounds like I am a complete lockdown advocate.

However, I am also in favor of opening parks, playgrounds, retail, outdoor nail salons, outdoor church services, outdoor league sports, restaurant delivery, manufacturing and construction, provided we use masks and distance. I favor opening schools with stable cohorts of less than 25.

In short, I prefer a course that is half open, but fully masked. I would not be going to AZ or NV if the state allowed two league games a month.

But it’s not about me and I don’t get to make that choice. None of us do. So we all pick the best available option, from those that are possible to us as individuals. And none of us are all that happy with what we get.
 
Health dept and CA has reportedly been working on a youth sports guidance update and there some of this MA stuff contained within some drafts I would told by someone that works with CIF. That and Tier restrictions that could spell trouble for places like LA county.

Changes seem to coming to the youth sports guidance with a Nov 'ish effective start date so hopefully some of the organizations get a chance to provide feedback "suggestions" so we get something workable.

For my own personal reasons hoping the LA county C19 tier classification don't get in the way so I urged my local reps to see what we can do about it.
 
Alrighty so if things come down to this would your player still participate?

Not saying I support or what to see this happen but if the choice was between just practicing no scrimmages, games as is status quo or some modifications and changes so games could start again soon would you support the change or not?


"You’re still not allowed to touch the ball with your hands.

But in many other important ways, the soccer being played by Massachusetts high schools this fall differs significantly in shape and form from the soccer known and played around the rest of the world.

No physical contact. No slide tackles. No headers. No throw-ins. Six feet of distance between players is required whenever play is restarted — in other words, no walls or close marking on free kicks. And to top things off, everyone on the field must wear a mask at all times.

Sports leagues across the country, from youth leagues to the pros, are implementing safety protocols this fall to try to play games amid the coronavirus pandemic. Some guidelines, on things like sharing water bottles or high-fiving or locker room use, are common sense in the coronavirus era. Others are more extreme: In Vermont, for example, high schools are playing seven-on-seven football this year, and volleyball matches are moving from indoor gyms to outdoor courts.

But few have taken things as far as the state of Massachusetts, which unveiled its unusual rules for soccer on the eve of what is shaping up to be one of the strangest high school sports seasons in memory.

It’s crazy,” said Francesca Yanchuk, a senior forward for the girls’ team at Bishop Feehan High School in Attleboro, Mass., who has had to unlearn some of the skills that helped her secure a scholarship to play at Villanova next year.

I might go for a header, and I’ll go, ‘Wait, I can’t do that,’” she said. “You have to take a step back and reset your mind.”

The rules caused a statewide stir when they were announced in late August by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, which oversees sports for almost 400 high schools in the state. They were not produced in haste: Rough drafts were shuttled from sports committees to medical committees and back again as the rules were being completed. But as the season neared, an M.I.A.A. official said, the organization was ultimately handcuffed in terms of what it could allow.

The fateful moment came in August, when the state agency in charge of the latest phase of reopenings released its guidelines. Sports officials noticed almost immediately that they included a prohibition on “deliberate contact.”

“I don’t know if you’ve seen soccer,” said Tara Bennett, a spokeswoman for the athletic association, “but that’s how you play soccer.”

Not anymore. The rules sent coaches to their drawing boards to figure out how to play what is essentially a new game.

It was a weird hybrid between soccer and girls’ field hockey,” Zach Siano, the coach of the boys’ soccer team at Belchertown High School, said about his team’s first game on Wednesday. (Two of the team’s first three games were postponed because of coronavirus precautions.) “It was a little difficult to watch.”

Siano, whose team won a state championship last year, said the opposing team scored easily on a free kick from 20 yards because it largely went undefended; under the new rules, defensive walls are not allowed. And he said defenders were already cynically stopping dangerous attacks by triggering one of the new coronavirus contact fouls.

For the most part, states resuming high school sports were doing so with basic safety rules, though a few, including California, have postponed fall seasons altogether.

Niehoff said that while consistency in sports across the country was typically an important goal, associations were being given a “hall pass” this year, given the complicated challenge of adhering to state health and safety protocols that vary widely.

“But I think if this were a normal year, we absolutely would scratch our heads a little bit and reach out and say, What’s your rationale for this level of alteration?” Niehoff said about the modified soccer rules in Massachusetts.

Many are scratching their heads anyway.

“I don’t think it’s made the game more socially distant,” said Silva, the Bishop Feehan girls’ coach, noting that players were still bunching up on the field. “To me, putting masks on but keeping the rules the same would have been a much easier way to create a safe environment while still playing the game as it’s supposed to be played.”

But Silva said the biggest problem for him so far was the sheer number of stoppages in games. On top of all the new fouls, throw-in situations have now become indirect free kicks (which must be played on the ground) and referees regularly stop play to enforce proper spacing.

“It’s really slowing down the game,” Silva said.

Referees, too, are having to adjust. Several said communication and patience were more important than ever as everyone gets on the same page.

Like players and coaches, referees will have to break old habits to enforce reimagined game protocols. Among the changes:

The new infractions will be termed “Covid fouls,” Quinn said, and trigger an indirect kick.

Games will be divided into quarters instead of halves to give players additional rest.

Goalkeepers cannot throw or punt a ball in the air across the midfield line.

A player stepping within six feet of a referee to argue a call will be given a straight red card and ejected.

Postgame handshake lines will be replaced by waving and nodding lines.
So, the state of MA told the football leagues or high school programs they can not tackle, throw the football, and can do air guitars to stop a player because flags can also not be used?
 
So, the state of MA told the football leagues or high school programs they can not tackle, throw the football, and can do air guitars to stop a player because flags can also not be used?

Did they? I only know about the MA high school soccer changes from this article.
 
This part is key.

It is amazing how fast people are willing to do what gov tells them. And then when they get crumbs, they tell others we should be thankful.

Our own gov stats at CDC show very clearly that kids (under 19) have no risk of this disease. Those stats show that if a million kids get the virus 30 may die. And yet we willingly keep kids out of schools, have them wear masks playing soccer outside, etc. Wake up.

We also see more and more information coming out how they are not spreaders either.

We should stand up and say enough of this BS.

By the way I notice that many of the people on this forum who like the lockdown idea and masks leave our state to go to AZ to have their kids play soccer. Why is that? Advocating one thing here, but going somewhere else to do what you cannot here. A state it seems many of the same people on this forum think got it wrong.
Welcome to the Socal Soccer Forum Mad hatter. Great avatar. I look forward to hearing your takes brah!!!
 
I was being sarcastic. ;) To change how soccer is played to that is awful. But, I am sure if football is being played there nothing has been changed.
So Lastman is sarcastic sometimes, that's great to hear bro. I'm so sarcastic those who dont know me take me way to serious. Hope soccer and all sports for kids can open up asap.
 
Didn't I see you post earlier you are coming out for Surf Cup or some other tournament?
I think we should applaud Dad4's evolution regarding Covid activities regardless of his rationale. He is willing to put his own fears aside to have his child play soccer in AZ, kudos.

We're going to AZ to scrimmage next weekend. I'd personally rather scrimmage locally on the DL and risk the consequences than drive to AZ. It's admittedly a little absurd, but unusual times call for unusual measures. I do admit I'm kind of looking to stepping up to the bar and having a cocktail.
 
I think we should applaud Dad4's evolution regarding Covid activities regardless of his rationale. He is willing to put his own fears aside to have his child play soccer in AZ, kudos.

We're going to AZ to scrimmage next weekend. I'd personally rather scrimmage locally on the DL and risk the consequences than drive to AZ. It's admittedly a little absurd, but unusual times call for unusual measures. I do admit I'm kind of looking to stepping up to the bar and having a cocktail.
I don’t think the dude has evolved, I think he’s loosing his mind. 8 months of quarantine with 4 kids will drive anybody crazy
 
I don’t think the dude has evolved, I think he’s loosing his mind. 8 months of quarantine with 4 kids will drive anybody crazy
It's just proof that even the most staunch "lockdowners" get to a point where enough is enough and can see through the fallacy of certain restrictions. Better late than never.

We're all losing our minds.
 
It's just proof that even the most staunch "lockdowners" get to a point where enough is enough and can see through the fallacy of certain restrictions. Better late than never.

We're all losing our minds.
I was just pointing out the disconnect with dad. Just above or in another thread about less than an hour ago he indicated he would shut down tournaments. And yet he is coming out with his kid for one.

I am glad he is evolving however. He has looked at the risk and realized that yeah we can do a tournament.

As you say. Better late than never.
 
I was just pointing out the disconnect with dad. Just above or in another thread about less than an hour ago he indicated he would shut down tournaments. And yet he is coming out with his kid for one.

I am glad he is evolving however. He has looked at the risk and realized that yeah we can do a tournament.

As you say. Better late than never.
I hear ya, I was trying to be positive since its Friday :)

It's a perfect example of "the shoe being on the other foot" and why you, I and others have objected to others telling us what is best for us, and why we have been proponents of choice all along, because the reality is that your risk of Covid is overwhelmingly dependent on your own choices and not the choices of others.
 
I don’t think the dude has evolved, I think he’s loosing his mind. 8 months of quarantine with 4 kids will drive anybody crazy
This is what one of my nice adopted Gramps told my dear mama what a huge mistake it was to adopt me. I was a little devil so I dont blame him and I sure did need a spanking. My adopted dad had Parkinson's and when I need that tough love discipline, he couldnt catch me and I was left in the wild to be crazy and boy, was I. Not bragging at all and I truly wish i had a dad like dad 4 to help protect me and give me boundaries.

 
It's just proof that even the most staunch "lockdowners" get to a point where enough is enough and can see through the fallacy of certain restrictions. Better late than never.

We're all losing our minds.
It’s more that the data has changed. In March, growth was exponential, we didn’t know much about how to control or treat it, and we thought fatality was 3%.

Not one of those is true any more. Growth these days looks linear, we know to avoid indoor areas, we know to wear masks, IFR is far lower, and we actually have a clue about treatment.

The right policy based on March data looks a lot different from the right policy based on October data. That’s all. You still won‘t find me inside a restaurant for a long time.

And, as MacDre pointed out, I lost my marbles a while ago.
 
In March, growth was exponential, we didn’t know much about how to control or treat it, and we thought fatality was 3%.
I'd just like to point out (since I'm so desperate to be right on a public soccer forum) that I called BS on exponential growth continuing, assuming it even was happening, from the beginning. Ouch, I think I just pulled a shoulder muscle.
 
I'd just like to point out (since I'm so desperate to be right on a public soccer forum) that I called BS on exponential growth continuing, assuming it even was happening, from the beginning. Ouch, I think I just pulled a shoulder muscle.
But, at the time you were saying it, you were dead wrong. The growth curve then was exponential.

Try ibuprofen for that shoulder muscle. Works better than HDQ.
 
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