Player conditioning (Desert Cup observation)

[NickName]

Kid played 4 games total: 1 Friday, 2 Saturday, 1 Sunday (final).

Our team has been practicing most of the lockdown when allowed by the club (private field).

The first 2 games vs AZ teams (no lockdown, full season) weren’t too bad but by the final, our kids were almost limping up and down the field.

These were the first games played on a full field in a year (as a club team).

Curious as to other observations.

 

[Desert Hound]

Kid played 4 games total: 1 Friday, 2 Saturday, 1 Sunday (final).

Our team has been practicing most of the lockdown when allowed by the club (private field).

The first 2 games vs AZ teams (no lockdown, full season) weren’t too bad but by the final, our kids were almost limping up and down the field.

These were the first games played on a full field in a year (as a club team).

Curious as to other observations.

The reality is most kids do not do much of any type of working out, outside of soccer practice. Yes I know many do private instruction. What I refer to is physical training...ie being in shape.

Not the same tournament, but a few weeks ago at the ECNL showcase in Phx I noticed a lot of girls from the Cal teams were breathing hard early on during the games. Out of shape. Rusty obviously due to a lack of team practice as well.

 

[Soccermom18]

The reality is most kids do not do much of any type of working out, outside of soccer practice. Yes I know many do private instruction. What I refer to is physical training...ie being in shape.

Not the same tournament, but a few weeks ago at the ECNL showcase in Phx I noticed a lot of girls from the Cal teams were breathing hard early on during the games. Out of shape. Rusty obviously due to a lack of team practice as well.

Just as a general observation, our district has an option for in-person learning and the PE teacher reported back that many students came back very out of shape since the last time he saw them in March....

If the children that are in-person learning are that out of shape, it's sad to see the kids that are doing 100% distance learning when they come back. I imagine that most that are online learning withdrew their children from their soccer teams as well.

 

[ToonArmy]

Kid played 4 games total: 1 Friday, 2 Saturday, 1 Sunday (final).

Our team has been practicing most of the lockdown when allowed by the club (private field).

The first 2 games vs AZ teams (no lockdown, full season) weren’t too bad but by the final, our kids were almost limping up and down the field.

These were the first games played on a full field in a year (as a club team).

Curious as to other observations.

Sounds exactly like our team except only 3 games we bowed out before the final. The 3rd game was vs the other unbeaten in our bracket so winner goes to finals loser goes home. We had 2 subs all weekend and only 1 for that 3rd game because a player picked up an injury and we got smoked by another good team that was first to every ball and mids were able to run box to box the entire game to give them the numbers in the final thirds. We looked dead from the start. But they were a norcal team i think that they haven't been able to play and scrimmage either. They did have pretty much a fresh 11 on the bench. Good scrappy team.

 

[socalkdg]

We had 3 games over two days with only 13 players and had no issues this past weekend. Was actually a bit surprised. We had played a couple games in Area 51. For the most part the girls held up really well.

 

[timbuck]

Practice shape is different than game shape.
Even if your team has super intense practices and players are conditioning on their own - I think you need 3 games (over 3 weekends) to get into shape to play a full game.
Throw in the fact that players drove 6.5 hours, slept in a hotel bed and probably did some sort of team fun at the hotel- Not an ideal way to play your first game in nearly a year.

 

[SoccerFan4Life]

Fitness for kids is only going to get worse now that we are in full lockdown and fewer tournaments are available.

 

[TigresFan]

Our last Ecrl League game in Arizona a few weeks ago 1 of our players tore her ACL. It was our 3rd game played in back to back weekends in Arizona since last March.

 

[Eagle33]

Kid played 4 games total: 1 Friday, 2 Saturday, 1 Sunday (final).

Our team has been practicing most of the lockdown when allowed by the club (private field).

The first 2 games vs AZ teams (no lockdown, full season) weren’t too bad but by the final, our kids were almost limping up and down the field.

These were the first games played on a full field in a year (as a club team).

Curious as to other observations.

No kids should be allowed to play 2 games a day or multiple games on a weekend. Period.
Multiple studies have been done to show that human body needs certain time to recover after a game, otherwise injury risk is way too high. Every kid is different of course and some will be lucky not to get injured, and some will recover quicker than others.
One think I loved about DA, they would not allow 2 games a day or more than 2 games during 3 days period.
Why you think you hear Jurgen Klopp constantly complaining lately about too many games on their schedule and all they playing is 2 games a week?

 

[crush]

The reality is most kids do not do much of any type of working out, outside of soccer practice. Yes I know many do private instruction. What I refer to is physical training...ie being in shape.

Not the same tournament, but a few weeks ago at the ECNL showcase in Phx I noticed a lot of girls from the Cal teams were breathing hard early on during the games. Out of shape. Rusty obviously due to a lack of team practice as well.

I saw my goat gasping for air, that's for sure. 100% not enough fuel in the tank to compete at full optimal potential.

 

[NickName]

No kids should be allowed to play 2 games a day or multiple games on a weekend. Period.

I’m ok with multiple games on a weekend. Prefer not but it was a bit much after no real world conditioning for some time.

Saturday games were spread out pretty well. ~8am and ~8pm
Sunday was noon

 

[timbuck]

I’m ok with multiple games on a weekend. Prefer not but it was a bit much after no real world conditioning for some time.

Saturday games were spread out pretty well. ~8am and ~8pm
Sunday was noon

I agree with Eagle regarding playing 2 games in a day / 4 over a weekend being a really bad idea. But we all do it. Until the people that run clubs and tournaments put common sense at the top of their list of priorities - we won't see it stop.

Now- you can definitely play 2 games in a day. But you won't get "optimum" performance out of both games.

If you are a runner - Go run a 5k or 10k at 8 am- at your race pace (Which should be the hardest you can run for 20-50 minutes). And then go run it again at 8pm. Then get up and do it again the next morning at 11 am.
You'll either see a significant drop off in your finish times. Or hurt yourself (not major damage- but will need at least 2-3 days to walk normal again). Or both.

 

[notintheface]

Until the people that run clubs and tournaments put common sense at the top of their list of priorities - we won't see it stop.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[GT45]

The kids enjoy it. That is why they do this. These are not world cup games ffs. If you carry a roster of 18, you should have no problem playing two games in a day at a tournament. They are rarely if ever full minute games anyway. Most of them are shortened by 20 minutes.

 

[keepr]

Our team had been conditioning all through the shut down and leading up to Desert Super Cup, but yes, practice conditioning and game conditioning are two completely different levels.

What we didn't factor in was injuries, first game we had about four injuries to key players that affected our team.

 

[46n2]

Our team had been conditioning all through the shut down and leading up to Desert Super Cup, but yes, practice conditioning and game conditioning are two completely different levels.

What we didn't factor in was injuries, first game we had about four injuries to key players that affected our team.

very true , even with a stacked bench as all good teams have, you get 3-4 injuries , and its a different game. Not playing up to game speed and having your team play 4 games in a weekend is ridiculous , especially with these coaches that don't stretch them out properly.

 

[NickName]

very true , even with a stacked bench as all good teams have, you get 3-4 injuries , and its a different game. Not playing up to game speed and having your team play 4 games in a weekend is ridiculous , especially with these coaches that don't stretch them out properly.

we were lucky. 2 subs through the tournament and the injuries we received were relatively minor. Kids were able to come back later in the game or next game.

*note: Go Tool