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Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Time to give soccer a rest

posted by jmeagher at 14h22

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Soccer used to be a seasonal sport, like football and hockey. (Gazette)

Whatever happened to soccer’s off-season?

Soccer used to be a seasonal sport like hockey and football. Now it’s become a year-round treadmill for players, coaches and soccer moms shuttling their kids to indoor practices through the deep snow of Canadian winters.
Remember when a typical soccer season ran its course from April to October?
Some teams would get a head start by practising indoors in school gyms usually in January or February, but there was always a decent break of some kind.
Not anymore.
With the advent of indoor soccer facilities like Catalogna Soccerplexe in Lachine, it is now possible to play soccer all-year round.
Obviously, some clubs and teams see that as an opportunity to ramp up training - but the truth is playing any sport 11 or 12 months a year is a recipe for burnout.
Not only athlete’s burnout, but also coach’s burnout.
Coaches and other volunteers need a break (from whatever sport) in order to return fresh and invigorated the following season.
I’ve talked to enough of them to know. Some are considering leaving soccer because of it’s taxing time-commitment.
Soccer organizers should consider the hockey season model which runs about nine months, from August till April.
Unless your child plays “AAA” spring hockey - which is optional and a separate entity from local minor hockey - families get a decent three-month break before heading back into the arenas.
I know some parents who find that too short, but at least it allows youngsters to do other activities like swimming, tennis, and, yes, even more soccer!
But from Thanksgiving weekend until the New Year, it would be beneficial to all if organizers would give soccer coaches and players a much-needed break.
After all, even the pros get an off-season.