Slide Tackling in High School

[chindit]

Thank you, now I can read this, and as I said, I appreciate your opinion... Heaven knows I give mine often enough.

 

No, I don't coach my daughter. I watch her play, and, for instance, 2 years ago at State in Memphis she was going around in the semi's with a Real Madrid player; and finally hit her from the side and clocked her. She was appropriatly cautioned for that, but the tackle was excessive. Thats what I mean by paying for sins...

 

Don't change the game, ever. It exists, if we change it in TN HS, how will the players play with the Ghanans, the Japanese, the Figi Islanders?

 

As referee's, we bear the responsibility to correct bad slide tackles. If it is slide, no ball, from behind, it is an ejection; fines and wailing of coaches and fans aside. How many letters does an AD have to get before he calls the coach in and says, "teach this correctly, tell your players not to do it or YOU PAY THE FINE."

 

That's all I'm saying.

 

I'm a little bitter today, the coast of slide tackles cuts deep in my house (and my pocket).

[Barbi20]

From what I have seen the Players with lesser soccer skills get beat then after they see they cant stop these girls they start slide tackling from behind or any thing they can do to stop them. Most of the coaches do not no very much about soccer apparently to teach their girls the right way to play soccer. So like I told my girls a clean tackle is good but if they are doing it to hurt you, and the Ref is not going to call anything they see it coming jump up in the air and land on them this may not be right but the other individuals will learn not to do it. Any thoughts about this

 

 

 

A good slide tackle is one of the best and last defenses a defender often has. I think when done properly they are great. In no way should they be taken out of the game or should a ref because of personal feelings call it differently than the rules state. If it is dirty call it and give a card when necessary but don't penalize the ones doing it right. What surprised me most was to hear a coach and/or parent say that he told his players to try and hurt an opposing player they should be removed from the game permanently. If you are a coach I am glad I don't have a child that plays for you and I hope your administrators see this.

 

As I said, I never want to see someone hurt or to look the other way if it is a foul. But to tell a player to try and hurt another player is wrong!!!

[cchssoccer]

As a coach, I rely on the officials to enforce the laws of the game. I also feel like the referees should prevent dangerous play from progressing. I also understand that referees are not doing any of the "fouling". If you are a referee, please do not act as "a blade of grass" on the field when a player fouls or attempts to foul.

I thought hitting, kicking, pushing, and tripping....or...ATTEMPTING to do these things is a foul. A slide tackle from behind is always a foul..NO QUESTION. Do not allow a player to govern the game by not standing up for the laws. BLOW the Whistle...and blow it earlier in the match if you see the spirit of the game being lost. If more referees would give cards to the BLACK AND WHITE cautionable/ejectable offenses early, the girls could play real soccer.

[laban]

As a coach, I rely on the officials to enforce the laws of the game. I also feel like the referees should prevent dangerous play from progressing. I also understand that referees are not doing any of the "fouling". If you are a referee, please do not act as "a blade of grass" on the field when a player fouls or attempts to foul.

I thought hitting, kicking, pushing, and tripping....or...ATTEMPTING to do these things is a foul. A slide tackle from behind is always a foul..NO QUESTION. Do not allow a player to govern the game by not standing up for the laws. BLOW the Whistle...and blow it earlier in the match if you see the spirit of the game being lost. If more referees would give cards to the BLACK AND WHITE cautionable/ejectable offenses early, the girls could play real soccer.

 

 

Do we really need slide tackling? Cant the defenders and anyone challenging for a ball just stay on your feet. Sometimes a goal is saved by someone running along a forward and at the last second slide down and toe poke the ball away, but is it really needed in order to play the beautiful game. Soccer should be about skill with the ball and tough aggressive 1v1 defending. You can defend hard and tough without having to slide. If it was outlawed tommorrow in all of soccer. The diving, the acting, the rolling on the ground like your leg is broke (but up playing 1 minute later at full speed), the injuries even at the pro level would be less. I really believe that.

 

A tough slide tackle is great if its your team, but when your player gets tacked, you hate it. We all cry foul even if its a good slide tackle against our player. If our player does it, we claim all ball. Its silly. Just stay on your feet and play soccer.

 

Injuries would go down. Theyd have to. Slide tacking from behind would not even be an option if you knew it was 100% against the rules (which it is now pedning referre interpretation of "from behind" or not), but if slide tackling "leaving your feet period" was illegal, no one would do it from behind for sure. Now you do it and hope you get away with it. Its up to the referree. But if the rule says you cant leave your feet, then there is no argument about "all ball" or "from behind". Its did you leave your feet, yes or no. If yes, then you have fouled and carded with a yellow at minumum and red most likely (leave the punishment debate for anther time.)

 

Id do away with it tommorrow in girls and boys soccer. The game is great and about the skill and tactical decisions of players and teams. Slide tackling is a license to mug and whack players and act like you didnt mean to. In boys soccer, its much more intent to whack and get somebody back than in girls, but lets get rid of it and enjoy the game and injuries down.

[nizolek]

I'd like to see the slide tackle outlawed by the TSSAA.

 

While some high school girls have the skill, body control, and discipline to perform the technique correctly and safely, far too many don't know what they're doing, and they just end up hurting themselves or someone else.

 

Giving someone a yellow or red card is great, but what does it do for the poor girl writhing on the ground or the family stuck with medical bills?

 

The view's not worth the climb as far as I'm concerned when it comes to slide tackles.

[BigG]

Wow... outlawing slide tackles. How about outlawing coaches that don't teach the right technique instead? That is like saying outlawing blocking or tackling in football because some people chop block or tackle with their helmets first. It is all about proper instruction. Just like the whole thread on weight training. If you are instructed correctly to slide tackle or to weight train, then both are a good asset to the sport.

 

If a coach doesn't know how to instruct how to slide tackle, bring in an instructor that does. I am sure that there are plenty of ex college players or current college players that would help demonstrate. Or if not, go through the NSCAA coaching license course and get educated.

 

The last thing we need is more rules and regulations coming from the TSSAA or FIFA. Good refs can get a handle of the game very early and very quickly.

[wbcsoccerstud11]

i agree with G completely but i think the problem ultimately is that the girls and boys are held to different standards the girls can get away with murder most of the time and the guys get cards for ticky tack fouls but i think the refs think because it is girls that they do not play reckless or if they do it is because they are girls so they should not be punished as an official it is your job to take care of the players on the field and alot of the refs fail to do so just like hand balls girls can hand ball a ball all game long with no calls they are all accidents i am sorry but a handball for boys is a handball for girls and refs don't hold these standards for both but outlawing slode tackles is not the answer but haveing referees be stricter on the girls would solve alot of the injury problems we are seeing becuase lack of officials officiating

[easttnref]

i agree with G completely but i think the problem ultimately is that the girls and boys are held to different standards the girls can get away with murder most of the time and the guys get cards for ticky tack fouls but i think the refs think because it is girls that they do not play reckless or if they do it is because they are girls so they should not be punished as an official it is your job to take care of the players on the field and alot of the refs fail to do so just like hand balls girls can hand ball a ball all game long with no calls they are all accidents i am sorry but a handball for boys is a handball for girls and refs don't hold these standards for both but outlawing slode tackles is not the answer but haveing referees be stricter on the girls would solve alot of the injury problems we are seeing becuase lack of officials officiating

 

 

 

AMEN that is a perfect comment

[nizolek]

Wow... outlawing slide tackles. How about outlawing coaches that don't teach the right technique instead? That is like saying outlawing blocking or tackling in football because some people chop block or tackle with their helmets first. It is all about proper instruction. Just like the whole thread on weight training. If you are instructed correctly to slide tackle or to weight train, then both are a good asset to the sport.

 

If a coach doesn't know how to instruct how to slide tackle, bring in an instructor that does. I am sure that there are plenty of ex college players or current college players that would help demonstrate. Or if not, go through the NSCAA coaching license course and get educated.

 

The last thing we need is more rules and regulations coming from the TSSAA or FIFA. Good refs can get a handle of the game very early and very quickly.

 

 

G--Your sentiments are noble, as usual, but the problem is that coaches don't teach and referees don't enforce. Sure they should, but they don't. Your response is based on the premise that people will take affirmative actions--"instruct correctly", "bring an instructor", "refs can get a handle". Coaches and ref's don't take these affirmative actions because it is hard to do, and, being human, it's easier not to do these things. I know referees and, especially, coaches care, but let's face it, it's not the coach or referee that gets to deal with the injured girl. It's the player and the parent that get to miss school, make the hospital visits, and write the checks.

 

G, you've probably watched many more games than I have, but I struggle to remember a well executed slide tackle in girls high school soccer.

 

Some alternatives to outright banning of slide tackles that will require coaches and referees to put some skin in the game, so to speak:

--Make referees and and coaches prepare a report to the TSSAA if an injury occurs that is serious enough that a player has to leave a game.

--Mandate safety training for coaches and for referees.

--Mandate that coaches spend a certain amount of time addressing player safety in practice.

--Others?

 

Before you just say no to these things, think of all the girls you know in your school and others who cannot play or will not play because they've been seriously injured or they fear serious injury. I'd would suggest that taking safety measures such as the ones I list above would improve participation and also improve the game.

 

Let the debate begin.

[kickgrass]

Yes I think we should do away with slide tackles because too many don't know how to tackle properly or they are too mean. Then let's establish a rule that the keeper can not come out past the 6 yard box and attackers can't go in that box, because I've seen a lot of players injured because of an attacker and keeper both being aggressive players and getting to the ball simultaneously, the keeper going to the ground with good technique and someone gets hurt. Then let's set a too big size limit because those big girls are too rough on the smaller ones. Better yet let's just completely change the game and allow no contact at all and let them play in prom gowns.

 

Or the game could remain as it is and we require that High School coaches have a license (which means that at least they have some training) so they can properly train technique in tackling to keep both themselves and the other player from getting hurt, how to go up into the air properly for balls, proper technique for keepers to protect themselves, how players can protect themselves, keep their bodies under control. I've seen more players injured by sticking a leg out at the ball as a player goes past than by slide tackles (that is poor training). Then last but everyone's favorite, have a system that evaluates referees and holds them accountable, helps them correct deficencies (which doesn't mean yelling at them, fineing them and that type of thing), but actually go over the mistakes or interpretations with them as a means of improvement.

 

We have to have faith in and trust the beautiful game that it is and the referees.

 

Whew I'll get down off this soapbox now, getting tired up here.

[TennTarpon]

Wow... outlawing slide tackles. How about outlawing coaches that don't teach the right technique instead? That is like saying outlawing blocking or tackling in football because some people chop block or tackle with their helmets first. It is all about proper instruction. Just like the whole thread on weight training. If you are instructed correctly to slide tackle or to weight train, then both are a good asset to the sport.

 

If a coach doesn't know how to instruct how to slide tackle, bring in an instructor that does. I am sure that there are plenty of ex college players or current college players that would help demonstrate. Or if not, go through the NSCAA coaching license course and get educated.

 

The last thing we need is more rules and regulations coming from the TSSAA or FIFA. Good refs can get a handle of the game very early and very quickly.

 

I agree with you wholeheartedly. Slide tackling is simply part of soccer. I believe good refs can keep "bad" slide tackling in check with pre-match "warnings" concerning bad technique and by flipping those little colored cards from their pockets. We assume only "good" refs call matches, however.

 

Near the end of the season, I can honestly say that I have been impressed with the level of officiating - for the most part. For illustration purposes only, the Greeneville - Elizabethton match last night featured a sorry excuse for an official in the middle. One team was up by several goals near the end of the match and he (the sorry excuse) consistently allowed dangerous slide tackling from behind even after a player went out with an injury. This official in particular has consistently lost control of each match I have seen him call to the detriment of several players. Again, I have been impressed with the level of officiating this year (win.lose or tie)but what do you do about the occasional rogue official who is ignorant of proper slide tackling techniques (in my opinion) and fails to protect players?

[chindit]

Kickgrass- excellent!! Thanks for clearing the soapbox, I'll get up here, and if I might say, I intend to use the "Prom dress" line, and will credit you appropriatly.

 

I said last night, this is an officials issue, the rules exist and can be enforced. But hey folks, the halls are empty where the lines of young, healthy, qualified men and women should be lined up to put in their applications to become the referees everyone wants. I say, certify referees to a higher standard...but...pay...them.