First Youth Game
- Thread starter TewkesRef
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I don't do adults, but do a lot of youth games (in the US).
Keep in mind they are not adults.
At that age they mostly want to be treated as adults, but they aren't there yet. So you have to be aware of how you talk to them--what might go well with an adult may not with a young teen, especially when it is public. If you are one who speaks harshly or loudly, you might want to dial it down a bit for the game.
They are still learning body control. At that age they often think they can do things that they can't actually do. The weird play is more likely to be from an honest belief they could get there than from a willful intent to injure. That doesn't mean you should not card reckless behavior, but that you need to view it through a different lens.
There is a wide range of talent and sophistication. I don't know how levels work there, but there can be a big difference between a highly skilled U14 and a low level U14. In the former you can expect a lot from the players in terms of what they understand about the game and the skill level, in the latter, well, who knows what will happen.
They are often less predictable than older youth or adults. They have learned that they can kick the ball a long way, but they can't necessarily control it and don't always make good decisions on when to blast the ball. Your are more likely to get hit with the ball because you don't know what they will do than in older youth games or adult games.
hope something in there helps
Keep in mind they are not adults.
At that age they mostly want to be treated as adults, but they aren't there yet. So you have to be aware of how you talk to them--what might go well with an adult may not with a young teen, especially when it is public. If you are one who speaks harshly or loudly, you might want to dial it down a bit for the game.
They are still learning body control. At that age they often think they can do things that they can't actually do. The weird play is more likely to be from an honest belief they could get there than from a willful intent to injure. That doesn't mean you should not card reckless behavior, but that you need to view it through a different lens.
There is a wide range of talent and sophistication. I don't know how levels work there, but there can be a big difference between a highly skilled U14 and a low level U14. In the former you can expect a lot from the players in terms of what they understand about the game and the skill level, in the latter, well, who knows what will happen.
They are often less predictable than older youth or adults. They have learned that they can kick the ball a long way, but they can't necessarily control it and don't always make good decisions on when to blast the ball. Your are more likely to get hit with the ball because you don't know what they will do than in older youth games or adult games.
hope something in there helps
