Water Breaks....Really?

Water Breaks may be the worst thing for soccer. I get it if the kids are playing in 100+ weather and you can see they are about to pass out. Under 100 degrees it totally ruins the momentum of the game. Part of the game is fitness of the team and substitution management. Stopage of play totally ruins it. Back in the day you just sub out of your were out of wind or need water.

flounder wrote:Water Breaks may be the worst thing for soccer.  I get it if the kids are playing in 100+ weather and you can see they are about to pass out.  Under 100 degrees it totally ruins the momentum of the game.  Part of the game is fitness of the team and substitution management.  Stopage of play totally ruins it.    Back in the day you just sub out of your were out of wind or need water.

Liability and negligence, it is in the best interest to the player, leagues, and tournaments to error on the side of safety over a serious situation and harm to a young player.

chill out dude. These kids aren't strong enough to fight through that. Maybe some of them are, but majority of them are just out here to have fun and play soccer. Nothing wrong with a darn water break. My goodness. We aren't even talking middle school age yet and you are wanting these kids to suffer.

flounder wrote:Water Breaks may be the worst thing for soccer.  I get it if the kids are playing in 100+ weather and you can see they are about to pass out.  Under 100 degrees it totally ruins the momentum of the game.  Part of the game is fitness of the team and substitution management.  Stopage of play totally ruins it.    Back in the day you just sub out of your were out of wind or need water.

The assistant referee running the line on the spectator side of your game today should send you packing if he sees you take a sip during the match. And leave the umbrella in the car.  

I do see the point of the OP, you basically are giving an advantage to the team that is less conditioned. It should be on the coach to rest and rehydrate is own team during the match per the lenient substitution rules of youth soccer. Playing quarters is for rec.

While i appreciate your desire to coddle your kids, realize they do roster 16 and play 11. Sub your player to get water. I am not saying deprive them of water, just don't stop the game. Stopping the entire game for a 2 minute water break when it is 80 degrees at 7pm or 8am kills momentum. At 100+ degrees it is a different story.

Bundesliga hit the nail on the head, it is more about liability then anything else.

I might be wrong, but I believe high humidity also plays a role in heat exhaustion, not just the temperature and the humidity was at 70% this morning. If the humidity is high, sweat doesn't evaporate and the body cannot cool itself. Added to the equation is the fact these kids have played multiple games in a short period of time and aren't as hydrated as need be AND children dehydrate faster than adults.

Water breaks aren't that big of deal. It's not about evening the playing field. It's a safety issue. No child's health is worth the risk.

At the end of the day they're just little girls.

Be cool to have water on the side lines up and down like they do in Pro.
If someone needs a swig.. just jump out and get one

Now I like that idea keeperdad.. Why isn't that available?

flounder wrote:Water Breaks may be the worst thing for soccer.  I get it if the kids are playing in 100+ weather and you can see they are about to pass out.  Under 100 degrees it totally ruins the momentum of the game.  Part of the game is fitness of the team and substitution management.  Stopage of play totally ruins it.    Back in the day you just sub out of your were out of wind or need water.

I would give one month pay to see you on the the field for 30-40 minutes in 90-100 degrees with no break for an entire game. And the girls from your team yelling at you to pick it up and get involved in the play.

skulker wrote:

flounder wrote:Water Breaks may be the worst thing for soccer.  I get it if the kids are playing in 100+ weather and you can see they are about to pass out.  Under 100 degrees it totally ruins the momentum of the game.  Part of the game is fitness of the team and substitution management.  Stopage of play totally ruins it.    Back in the day you just sub out of your were out of wind or need water.

I would give one month pay to see you on the the field for 30-40 minutes in 90-100 degrees with no break for an entire game.  And the girls from your team yelling at you to pick it up and get involved in the play.  

I'll take that offer. Two months for a full 90 minutes.

You would take any offer.  Or do you feel that it is just another opportunity to post to add to your total?  You give me tired head!

At this age the majority of the teams don't need more flow to the game they need more time with the coach. Basically with the water breaks games are basically broken ini quarters and gives coaches a chance to make some quick fixes. Plus the not having a kid go to the ER due to heat exhaustion is also a nice bonus. The only thing I'd suggest is stopping the clock during them, other than that I'm fine with them.

GrandTXSoccer wrote:At this age the majority of the teams don't need more flow to the game they need more time with the coach. Basically with the water breaks games are basically broken ini quarters and gives coaches a chance to make some quick fixes. Plus the not having a kid go to the ER due to heat exhaustion is also a nice bonus.  The only thing I'd suggest is stopping the clock during them, other than that I'm fine with them.

Tut referees were instructed to stop the clock. Had a player go leave the field with heat symptoms at a 5:00 game today.

Brainstorming me a dumb one here. But playing with a cold rag and a baseball cap? Blocking out sun , running , and heat ? You just can't take away the running in the heat or the running in the sun. Either way it's a running sport. Shrink down the field 8v8 reduce the field size thus reducing the running amount forcing sun and heat less a problem with additional substitutions. There you go keep the same game legth as 11v11 and may the best team win.

flounder wrote:While i appreciate your desire to coddle your kids, realize they do roster 16 and play 11.  Sub your player to get water.  I am not saying deprive them of water, just don't stop the game.  Stopping the entire game for a 2 minute water break when it is 80 degrees at 7pm or 8am kills momentum.  At 100+ degrees it is a different story.

Bundesliga hit the nail on the head, it is more about liability then anything else.

you are all that is wrong in youth sports, this is a friendly tournament, with kids, not pros with nothing on the line and you think its coddling to let children take a break in 95 degree hot humid weather? sad, really sad...

silentparent wrote:

flounder wrote:While i appreciate your desire to coddle your kids, realize they do roster 16 and play 11.  Sub your player to get water.  I am not saying deprive them of water, just don't stop the game.  Stopping the entire game for a 2 minute water break when it is 80 degrees at 7pm or 8am kills momentum.  At 100+ degrees it is a different story.

Bundesliga hit the nail on the head, it is more about liability then anything else.

you are all that is wrong in youth sports, this is a friendly tournament, with kids, not pros with nothing on the line and you think its coddling to let children take a break in 95 degree hot humid weather? sad, really sad...

Stupidity should be dealt with accordingly. Whack a flounder...

Multivitamin wrote:Brainstorming me a dumb one here. But playing with a cold rag and a baseball cap?  Blocking out sun , running , and heat ? You just can't take away the running in the heat or the running in the sun. Either way it's a running sport. Shrink down the field 8v8 reduce the field size thus reducing the running amount forcing sun and heat less a problem with additional substitutions.  There you go keep the same game legth as 11v11 and may the best team win.

Exactly. 11v11 is still ok, it's the field size these girls play on. We all know it's wrong to put them on an NFL-sized field for any number of reasons, but we do it anyway. I watched a player take a breakaway from midfield and it lasted about five minutes.

Water breaks are there to supplement bad parenting. A kid that is properly hydrated before the game should be able to make it to the half. And if you are dehydrated at the water break and taking on water at that point it is really too late. But the reality is there is no way they can count on parents to make sure that their kid has been drinking not only regular fluids but extra to account for the additional activity.

go99 wrote:Water breaks are there to supplement bad parenting.  A kid that is properly hydrated before the game should be able to make it to the half.  And if you are dehydrated at the water break and taking on water at that point it is really too late.  But the reality is there is no way they can count on parents to make sure that their kid has been drinking not only regular fluids but extra to account for the additional activity.

There was a hydration study done years ago where they set up doctors to test the hydration levels of kids before their games. I wish I could find it again, but I can't seem to. From what I remember, well over half the kids were already at dehydrated levels going into their game. They were already at such a disadvantage going into their matches, and it was all because of their parent's ignorance.

And if my kid's team loses a competitive advantage over another team because safety is being administered, so be it. I'll take the health of these kids over competitive edge any day. And being that this is in an 03 forum, really?!?! These games mean very little. Come back to me when your kid is in college and tell me how important the grade school game results were.

MoveYourFeet wrote:

go99 wrote:Water breaks are there to supplement bad parenting.  A kid that is properly hydrated before the game should be able to make it to the half.  And if you are dehydrated at the water break and taking on water at that point it is really too late.  But the reality is there is no way they can count on parents to make sure that their kid has been drinking not only regular fluids but extra to account for the additional activity.

There was a hydration study done years ago where they set up doctors to test the hydration levels of kids before their games. I wish I could find it again, but I can't seem to. From what I remember, well over half the kids were already at dehydrated levels going into their game. They were already at such a disadvantage going into their matches, and it was all because of their parent's ignorance.

And if my kid's team loses a competitive advantage over another team because safety is being administered, so be it. I'll take the health of these kids over competitive edge any day. And being that this is in an 03 forum, really?!?! These games mean very little. Come back to me when your kid is in college and tell me how important the grade school game results were.

So very true. I have a pretty good study related to this item somewhere as well. (Again a lot of reading so won't post it) But no doubt becasue people don't really gully appreciate the importance on water and performance.

MoveYourFeet wrote:And being that this is in an 03 forum, really?!?! These games mean very little. Come back to me when your kid is in college and tell me how important the grade school game results were.

AMEN!!!!

MoveYourFeet wrote:There was a hydration study done years ago where they set up doctors to test the hydration levels of kids before their games. I wish I could find it again, but I can't seem to. From what I remember, well over half the kids were already at dehydrated levels going into their game. They were already at such a disadvantage going into their matches, and it was all because of their parent's ignorance.

think this is what you are looking for / talking about....

The three-year research project also showed that nearly two-thirds of male and female youth soccer players are dehydrated before they even take the field and the average hydration routine observed by parents and coaches isn't preventing the problem.

http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/news/us_soccer_federation_issues_new_hydration_guidelines_to_prevent_dangerous_heat_illness_in_young_players/


and here is a link to the US Youth Soccer guidelines they developed after the study.
http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/assets/1/15/Heat_Hydration_GuidelinesUSSF.pdf

I hate it when a 3rd party mandates something for the safety and welfare of my players.

Apparently the trend of competitive soccer becoming rec soccer continues..... get out the participation trophies and make sure all players, regardless of skill or condition get equal time.