Under 8's / 10's query

[johnneycool]

I wish we were competing in the same utopian u8 and u10 blitzes as you guys are!

Case in point - we have a team that went up through u8, u10 and are now u12. Every other year they have been very strong as they are at the normal age and not playing a year above them. Two years ago when they were a younger u10 side, we were invited to every blitz going and got walloped by the stronger teams with bigger numbers. Last year, when we would have been known to be strong, we were invited to just two u10 blitzes - not kidding you. And we were given no reason for this; the management of the team holding the blitz purposefully left us out!

And to answer, who gives a toss about the results? The kids do. And this bollix about not keeping score, the first thing the teams will ask you if you are refereeing is "who won"?

It is very tough to watch a young team at that age going through the season without a win. And we stick to the rules of age groups. That's why it winds me up when I see teams fielding older players in their age group. We field with what we have got, if we held some of them back, we would have no u10 team at all this year!

I've regularly refereed underage blitzes and of course the youngsters want to know who won and I'd always ask them to work it out as I don't keep the score, I barely blow the whistle either, but much to my annoyance I was once asked by a mentor from a team who had won and smartarsedly I told him they all won..
I was doing my best not to tell him to go and catch a grip of himself, these were eight year olds FFS.

[AZOffaly]

You could have said, "Well, the game is the real winner here".

[johnneycool]

I wish we were competing in the same utopian u8 and u10 blitzes as you guys are!

Case in point - we have a team that went up through u8, u10 and are now u12. Every other year they have been very strong as they are at the normal age and not playing a year above them. Two years ago when they were a younger u10 side, we were invited to every blitz going and got walloped by the stronger teams with bigger numbers. Last year, when we would have been known to be strong, we were invited to just two u10 blitzes - not kidding you. And we were given no reason for this; the management of the team holding the blitz purposefully left us out!

And to answer, who gives a toss about the results? The kids do. And this bollix about not keeping score, the first thing the teams will ask you if you are refereeing is "who won"?

It is very tough to watch a young team at that age going through the season without a win. And we stick to the rules of age groups. That's why it winds me up when I see teams fielding older players in their age group. We field with what we have got, if we held some of them back, we would have no u10 team at all this year!

Are you under the jurisdiction of East Down or South Down, Barry (fine hurler he was too)?

In hurling all clubs are invited AFAIK, and probably due to logistics and whatever some don't always travel. We've taken youngsters to Hilltown, Ballela and our camogs would go to Newry, Ballyholland and wherever. Warrenpoint and Laoitrim have been over at our place last year with u-8 and u-10 teams,  but I haven't heard of selective invites being sent out, I'd check that out with your board rep as that's not on.

FWIW, we'd a very good U10 camogie team and weren't getting many worthwhile games, so entered them into an U12B league to get them competition.

[BarryBreensBandage]

I wish we were competing in the same utopian u8 and u10 blitzes as you guys are!

Case in point - we have a team that went up through u8, u10 and are now u12. Every other year they have been very strong as they are at the normal age and not playing a year above them. Two years ago when they were a younger u10 side, we were invited to every blitz going and got walloped by the stronger teams with bigger numbers. Last year, when we would have been known to be strong, we were invited to just two u10 blitzes - not kidding you. And we were given no reason for this; the management of the team holding the blitz purposefully left us out!

And to answer, who gives a toss about the results? The kids do. And this bollix about not keeping score, the first thing the teams will ask you if you are refereeing is "who won"?

It is very tough to watch a young team at that age going through the season without a win. And we stick to the rules of age groups. That's why it winds me up when I see teams fielding older players in their age group. We field with what we have got, if we held some of them back, we would have no u10 team at all this year!

Maybe you should help create it BBB?

And the bit about the score not being kept being a load of oul bollix ....well.... let the kids do the maths if they want but its important that the kids learns that the adults dont get to hot and bothered about win or losing but are more interested in them learning to play and enjoy the game.

Skull, while I appreciate the sentiment, that idea is so far from the reality I have seen. I presume you have experience of coaching at this level; if so, you know what would be said to you if you asked that the teams were evened out and for a coach to coach their teams a certain way because the kids won't enjoy the game.

Case in point 2: Under 8 tournament - The host team rearranged the draw when it came to semi final stage so that their A team would face a stronger opponent, that would have beaten their B team, and win, ensuring that both A and B team made the final.

My personal opinion for this attitude is that strong teams will take in professional coaches for Minor/Senior setup, so these daddies only have a few years to prove themselves or win something for the club (or have only a few years before they are deemed clinically insane).

When Burren won the Down U14 championship last year I counted 7 (seven) mentors! And that mentality prevails all the way to U8/U10 level, win at all costs.

(Would love to win something this year btw!!)

[BarryBreensBandage]

I wish we were competing in the same utopian u8 and u10 blitzes as you guys are!

Case in point - we have a team that went up through u8, u10 and are now u12. Every other year they have been very strong as they are at the normal age and not playing a year above them. Two years ago when they were a younger u10 side, we were invited to every blitz going and got walloped by the stronger teams with bigger numbers. Last year, when we would have been known to be strong, we were invited to just two u10 blitzes - not kidding you. And we were given no reason for this; the management of the team holding the blitz purposefully left us out!

And to answer, who gives a toss about the results? The kids do. And this bollix about not keeping score, the first thing the teams will ask you if you are refereeing is "who won"?

It is very tough to watch a young team at that age going through the season without a win. And we stick to the rules of age groups. That's why it winds me up when I see teams fielding older players in their age group. We field with what we have got, if we held some of them back, we would have no u10 team at all this year!

Are you under the jurisdiction of East Down or South Down, Barry (fine hurler he was too)?

In hurling all clubs are invited AFAIK, and probably due to logistics and whatever some don't always travel. We've taken youngsters to Hilltown, Ballela and our camogs would go to Newry, Ballyholland and wherever. Warrenpoint and Laoitrim have been over at our place last year with u-8 and u-10 teams,  but I haven't heard of selective invites being sent out, I'd check that out with your board rep as that's not on.

FWIW, we'd a very good U10 camogie team and weren't getting many worthwhile games, so entered them into an U12B league to get them competition.

It's not on Johnney and I could go on whingeing - ok I will.

The Go Games scenario is supposed to be U8 one week, u10 the next, therefore two games a month for the kids - from April to September, that is twelve rounds of Go Games. In 2012, there were TWO organised for our u8 team and for our area!

I brought this up at the county convention, and asked for a reason/improvement for the following year. Mumbled re-assurances given.

Last year, you know how many blitzes were officially organised by the county board youth development for u10 teams in our area?
TWO again!

The Go Games are invaluable in that they pit teams of equal ability against each other, with no-one having to make up scores or take better players off. Instead we have to make do with invites to blitzes (which I'm sure will be plenty as we have a weak side this year!)

Time to stop givin off

[Sportacus]

How do you transition between the P5/6 squad and u12?  Do your u12's take priority?  In other words which team do your stronger P6's train/play for?

[BarryBreensBandage]

How do you transition between the P5/6 squad and u12?  Do your u12's take priority?  In other words which team do your stronger P6's train/play for?

Both the P6/U10.5 and u12s

[theskull1]

Both sets of mentors should be communicating. On the very rare occasion there's a clash they play U10.5

No hassle what so ever