Slide Tackles...don't let them slide any longer

[h2odog]

Well water dog, you've got me scared to come out of my room now. It's easy to stretch a simple subject into the risks of drinking out of the water hose, or swimming in the lake, or the risks of running into BigFoot while camping. I would also imagine that anyone playing in college, and the exceptional few at any higher level, play club soccer, at least in TN. There generally are more licensed and qualified coaches in club, which have the kids for more more than 3 months to teach the necessary skills. I think it is reasonable to at least consider the subject on its own merits, just as one may consider the merits of headgear, etc. But I doubt that any player will be overlooked by a college because they didn't slide tackle in HS. If nothing else, hopefully this thread will draw enough attention to the problem and increase awareness of coaches, refs, and players. In turn maybe that will result in less exposure to risk of improper play.

 

 

I didn't say that. I said that if you learn a skill, you should use it and not limit it to some games, some times. Either no way/no how on slide tackles for girls soccer in any venue or teach proper techniques and knowledgeable officiating. The same injury story is true with football, wrestling or high diving and the last two don't wear protective gear either. I don't want anybody hurt, but the only sliding injuries I have seen or heard about were self-inflicted or mean in nature. You can come out of your room now.

[Golazo10]

I see several issues tied into this subject. I would start off by saying that one cannot take a skill from the game. Slide tackling is a skill, just as heading, passing, receiving, shooting, ect. If it is not done properly, then injury is possible, as with any other skill. Even if done properly, injury is possible, just with any other skill. I would highly doubt that you could find one person that has played the game at a high level that would advocate for removing slide tackling.

 

As an analogy, a technique in American Football is tackling. The game has changed from what it started off as, essentially rugby and tackling is permitted below the waist. You have players that intentionally try to tackle to cause injuries to the knee. You also have players try to put their helmet on the ball. Both of these ways of tackling are cause injury, paralysis, and death. I don't see a call to end tackling below the waist or seriously penalizing or ejecting players who use their helmet to tackle.

 

One aspect that nobody has mentioned is the skill of avoiding injury and protecting oneself. If a player is coming in for a slide tackle, the player should know that they should not have leave their leg planted and bearing weight, upon contact. As a coach, you must also instruct your players how to avoid injury from players that are intentionally try to foul, or in some cases injure.

 

I have also read some very sexist post about how girls cannot slide tackle and removing it from the game at younger ages and for females. Gender does not affect the level of technique in slide tackling. I have seen a number of 10 and 11 year old girls execute great slide tackles.

 

Additionally, the referee ranks are not strong across the board. There are some very good referees and others that do a fine job. It is mainly at the scholastic level that you see an even greater drop in the level. I would seriously question the number of referees that watch professional soccer on a regular basis. I would also question how many take the time to improve by obtaining higher level badges or do something for continued education. The same applies for coaches. The game changes to a degree over a period of time. There are some good high school programs with coaches that haven't bothered to improve themselves and are stuck playing the game as it was played more than 20 years ago.

[Bean0007]

You mention that one "cannot take a skill from the game". The problem in HS is that some don't bring a lot of skill. Not that they're not passionate about the game, but they only play 3 or 4 months of the year. And yes, one can see very good technique at various ages, does that mean we give a driver's license to all 12 year olds because you know one that races go-carts? Your example of football is well taken, that is why crack back blocks, leading with the head, and no blocking below the waist on kicks, all skills that were learned, have been made illegal. I see these injuries on a daily basis. I also see devastating injuries, some of which can be life changing. I don't want it to be your daughter or mine if by simply eliminating one small component of play in HS would help.

[goaliefan]

the potential damage to my daughter's knees far exceeds any benefit to any game or any skill set a slide tackle might provide. seen a lot of games and i can't say a slide tackle has affected the outcome of any of them.

[ws6transam30]

Interesting perspectives from all sides, and I have to say, I for one do not want to see my daughter with a life changing injury. However, are we going to outlaw Heading the ball also, as it can cause a concussion? In playing the game when I was in HS, and College, I have seen far more injuries caused from players not performing or knowing how to properly performing these skills than I have ever seen from the skill being performed.

 

I have seen instances where if a player had done a slide tackle they wouldn't have collided head to head and end up with a concussion. I have seen instances where a slide tackle would have prevented a player from abruptly stopping and blowing out a knee. I have seen instances where a slide tackle would have prevented a collision that caused a broken leg.

 

I am not saying a slide tackle cannot be dangerous, however when performed properly it can actually be a safer play than an abrupt change of direction or collision. My opinion is training can cure alot of the issues, and physical conditioning is really lacking in HS and even some Competitive Soccer. If you don't build the strength around the knee, around the ankle, and in the hips, all that thigh and calf muscle can create weakness in the ankle, knee and hip joints due to the weight and strain of these larger muscles. Now grant it I am not a doctor, just giving my observation from playing, coaching and observing my daughter and son play the game.

[Bean0007]

.... I have seen far more injuries caused from players not performing or knowing how to properly performing these skills than I have ever seen from the skill being performed.... Now grant it I am not a doctor, just giving my observation from playing, coaching and observing my daughter and son play the game.

 

My point exactly I apologize for continuing to harp on this subject. Obviously injuries are a part of any sport. One can see 4 headers in a row, and frequently throughout a game, and yes there is risk. We had a girl miss a couple of weeks secondary to a concussion. Potentially serious, yes, but not to the point of consideration of restricting its use. Plus, as a player, you can avoid being the victim of a head to head collision a lot more easily than being victimized by a slide tackle. I quess the 'take home' here is that we will still see slide tackles, I just hope we all can stress the importance of it being coached better, executed properly, and carefully monitored by the officials.

[ws6transam30]

.... I have seen far more injuries caused from players not performing or knowing how to properly performing these skills than I have ever seen from the skill being performed.... Now grant it I am not a doctor, just giving my observation from playing, coaching and observing my daughter and son play the game.

 

My point exactly I apologize for continuing to harp on this subject. Obviously injuries are a part of any sport. One can see 4 headers in a row, and frequently throughout a game, and yes there is risk. We had a girl miss a couple of weeks secondary to a concussion. Potentially serious, yes, but not to the point of consideration of restricting its use. Plus, as a player, you can avoid being the victim of a head to head collision a lot more easily than being victimized by a slide tackle. I quess the 'take home' here is that we will still see slide tackles, I just hope we all can stress the importance of it being coached better, executed properly, and carefully monitored by the officials.

 

 

I agree Bean, and always enjoy reading your comments. I am glad you put that in about the officials monitoring, because in a game last week they really blew a call on a slide tackle my daughter made. Either that or it was so perfect, lol, because they called a foul on the girl she slide tackled, said she pushed my daughter down, lol. I do need to work on her acting abilities though as there have been alot of teams we have played this year that do a better acting job than her.

 

On another note, is good to see West season turning around.

[Golazo10]

As has been stated previously, the game doesn't need to change, it is the players that need to play at higher levels if they can make a team, they need better coaching and parents that understand what better coaching would look like, better referees and fields. I don't think it's a coincidence that the people that have played at a certain level have a certain opinion, while those that have not, have another opinion. I believe the reason is that often people come into the sport with the misconception that it is not a physical game. Many spectators and players have no background in the sport besides watching their children play and have never been to a professional game in person, watch it in person, or on television on a consistent basis to know the physicality of the sport.

[Bean0007]

Well there you go, we can certainly change that 'over-night' I'm sure everyone walking on crutches feel a lot better now. HS and professional soccer players.....great comparison.

[Golazo10]

Is it that some here are concerned about slide tackling in general, or slide tackling that isn't done properly? As I indicated before, players must be taught how to protect themselves, too. It is the coach’s responsibility to instruct the players, and the referee responsibility to look out for the safety of the players, and the player’s responsibility to learn.

 

It is a physical game and injuries happen. If someone gets injured, it is unfortunate but it's part of the risk involved in the sport and I could not support anything to remove a skill from of the game, which slide tackling is one of many. People get injured, legs broken, and ligaments torn in many other ways. Girls and Women have a higher incidence for torn ACL's. Do we just stop them from playing basketball and soccer due to the high number of torn ACL's? I am not sure why we have such low expectations of players that some believe that can't slide tackle or that your gender affects your ability to slide tackle. Are we aware that the top high school age players in other countries would not be playing high school soccer? They would be in the youth team of a professional club, the reserve team, or the full professional team.

[Bean0007]

Golazo...this is only about girls HS soccer. And my reason is due to the wide range of skill, or lack of it encountered in HS soccer. In fact, many club players consider NOT playing HS because of the more unskilled physical play encountered, and therefore increase risk of injury. Several DO NOT play for that reason. If it were not for the friendship, school loyalty etc, I'm sure more club girls would consider not playing HS. I hate to see any of these girls injured. It is gut-wrenching for the player and the parents. Although a severe injury, ACL reconstruction is light-years better now, and can successfully return players to the court, or field, in 3 to 4 months in some cases. I'm more concerned about the more serious ankle fractures, many the result of unskilled, or risky slide tackles. I am not talking about D1 or D2 club where the coaching is more likely to be at a different level and over a longer period of time.

[hogdan53]

I have been blowing the whistle for 20 years, The Slide tackel is one of the hardest things to call right, you need to see if definder got all ball, was cleats high, was the definder late, and do all of this in less than a second. We get it right most of the time, and sometimes we get wrong, And the other thing to consider. Setting in the stands you have a different view, plus sometimes we are partially block from view by other players. All we can do is call what we see.