Go Games until U12 Good or Bad idea..

This is how underage games are going to be played up to u12 this year. Non competitive and small sided. In my opinion there are good and bad points eg it should get rid of the win at all cost attitude of some mentors and parents, but how are we going to tell a kid who has been playing for 5 years that now it doesn't matter who wins.
Im interested in others views and how clubs are gonna implement this.

Reasons for:

1. It allows for skill development as players must play in different positions and get used to the different requirements of different positions.
2. One player doesn't dominate the match and deprive others of improvement.
3. The coaches actually concentrate on developing the players skills as opposed to "give the ball to Big Paddy and he'll do the rest"
4. More fun for all players as no-one is on the line for too long and late developers are kept interested even if they are not as skilful as others. This maintains interest and player numbers. Nothing as soul-destroying for a kid as being continuously left on the line.

Reasons against:
1. We are competitive by nature and that won't change
2. We love batin' them Bally' boys.
3. Kids love the praise and free coke and crisps thast come with winning.
Edit: 4. We still love batin' them Bally' boys.

rgb, I hope your referring to the teague's and the more's, cause I know our u 6's would kick the shit outta your lot any day

rgb wrote:

Reasons for:

1. It allows for skill development as players must play in different positions and get used to the different requirements of different positions.
2. One player doesn't dominate the match and deprive others of improvement.
3. The coaches actually concentrate on developing the players skills as opposed to "give the ball to Big Paddy and he'll do the rest"
4. More fun for all players as no-one is on the line for too long and late developers are kept interested even if they are not as skilful as others. This maintains interest and player numbers. Nothing as soul-destroying for a kid as being continuously left on the line.

Reasons against:
1. We are competitive by nature and that won't change
2. We love batin' them Bally' boys.
3. Kids love the praise and free coke and crisps thast come with winning.Edit:
4. We still love batin' them Bally' boys.

RGB, thats whats wrong right there!!!...your club only gives out coke and crisps when you win!!.....I always suspected yis were tight feckers out there. Now its confirmed

Ballyboy- I wouldn't crow too loud if I was you. i recall one evening down there when we won the match and the row. An achievement in itself! Just the one evening, mind....

Sam- I have lots of Moorefield jokes. Believe me. Dignity prevents me though....

When I was a lad I used to hate playing or going to any match within 10 miles of Prosperous, intimidation big Dinny style, he terrorised subs, mentors & players.

Apologies just off topic a wee bit, but RGB started it.

Stonecold wrote:

When I was a lad I used to hate playing or going to any match within 10 miles of Prosperous, intimidation big Dinny style, he terrorised subs, mentors & players.

Apologies just off topic a wee bit, but RGB started it.

Dinnys Gonna Get Ya

from a small clubs perspective the go games have been excellent. They work well for bringing on players, because of the small sided games, rotation of positions, attacking and defending zones and only one or two plays of the ball allowed, It means more participation for all players and consequently more enjoyment and development for more players., (play is not just dominated by a couple of strong players who run the field) . I think this is the more important aspect of the go games, they are still competitive and everyone still tries to win every match so that has not changed so much.

rgb, ye need to lighten up a bit, taking the character off our u6's is uncalled for, but you made my point for me, straight away you took offence to a casual remark about kids football as a slight towards your club. I can't count the the number off times I have seen an underage game finish and all the kids from both teams go to the ref and ask who won, he tells them its a draw only for them to go to the sideline and be told the ref was wrong they really won. The biggest problem with underage football is there is to many adults ego's involved, too many people want there Johnny or Mary to win medals when all they want to do is play games.

Hahahh this is funny, I love satire but who is being the more satirical rgb or ballyboy...............

Huh? You kidding me ballyboy? I was only joining in with what I thought was a jokey comment from you! Relax there a little bit.

My first comment was an analysis of the rights and wrongs of the go games as I saw them . You replied with a witty comment and I joined in the fun! What happened?

I like the Go Games have a son who plays with u9 not best footballer in world (yet) all parents must hope he seems to really enjoy the Go games they are his Leinster or All Ireland finals each time he PLAYS think that is Key WORD people are missing, not sure why people are so worried about the games not be competitive why is it so important, we had a birthday party last week and I saw a 3v 3 game with a goalie and both teams wanted to win, so when you let boys or girls play against each other they seem to be able to make it competitive, which got me to look at other sports who are now adapting small sided games (soccer doing it for Years 11 aside ) i came on this people might find it interesting.
Using small-sided games games gives a number benefits:
1. More player participation
2. More touches of the ball
3. More passes attempted
4. More 1v1s attempted
5. More goals scored
6. More goalkeeper participation
7. Different games mean different problems to solve and skills to use

Square Ball wrote:

I like the Go Games have a son who plays with u9 not best footballer in world (yet) all parents must hope he seems to really enjoy the Go games they are his Leinster or All Ireland finals each time he PLAYS think that is Key WORD people are missing, not sure why people are so worried about the games not be competitive why is it so important, we had a birthday party last week and I saw a 3v 3 game with a goalie and both teams wanted to win, so when you let boys or girls play against each other they seem to be able to make it competitive, which got me to look at other sports who are now adapting small sided games (soccer doing it for Years 11 aside ) i came on this people might find it interesting.
Using small-sided games games gives a number benefits:
1. More player participation
2. More touches of the ball
3. More passes attempted
4. More 1v1s attempted
5. More goals scored
6. More goalkeeper participation
7. Different games mean different problems to solve and skills to use

Good post. Smaller games are great for the kids and the benefits are obvious. I think the only issue is where we draw the line to move onto a more competititive level as per the original post on this thread.
I think from u-12 is fine.

rgb,I would disagree with you analysis of your own post, your use of the word ''crow'' and your reference to a ''row'' when commenting on U6's would imply a lack of humour. Do you realy think it matters who ''WON'' the nursey game !!!

stonecold I'm glad YOU can see the satire

Ballyboy, I have never actually played Ballykelly u6 team as a player or coach. Honestly lad, you're way off on this. Anyway it was you that mentioned the u6 teams, not me!

Do you seriously think I want to have a cut at your u.6 team? Have you ever seen a fight at an u6 match? I haven't, so I thought that might have been a clue that I wasn't being entirely serious.

Sam had a cut at me. No big deal. It was a joke.

I took offence at nothing you said. I knew you were having the craic. My response was also in the same tone - lighthearted.

You also take exception to my use of the word "crow", yet I found nothing offensive in you saying that your u6s would "kick the shit" out of our lot any day because it was a joke.

Your choice of words are okay but mine are not.

I honestly think you are way too sensitive on this.

Have you any thoughts on the topic, by the way?

the claws are coming out

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

School boy bullies... Are there U-12's on the forum now

Ah no rgb I don't believe for one minute you want to have a go at our u6's after all this thread is about u12 football.

We have been playing go games for a number of years now and have found it to be very good for devloping players and look forward to bringing it to u12 level. We would not like to see it go any higher but the use of smaller sided games would be a help to the smaller clubs. With regard to my last point, at a Board na Og meeting last Tuesday a club from the south of the county having been promoted from div 3 to 2 requested that they be allowed play 13 a side ( this is all they have ) which is the norm in the lower divisions where the came from, there was no ruling and was left to the discretion of the other clubs in the division, hardly an ideal seniaro. I also heard from that meeting that Lexlip will not field an u 16 team this year, this is something that should sound alarm bells somewhere if true

I find the go games are a good idea. Although kids love cups and trophies all they really want is a game. I don't know about Kildare but here its seems a bit dis-jointed at times.

I can only write for what I've experienced but I reckon teams should be divided into divisions, and instead of the present scenario of a round robin blitz, you could play a different team each week.

I missed the fun earlier. I'm afraid I was too busy fighting with someone else on another thread. I think we all just need anger management classes.

Was at a coaching thing a few years back, a guy by the name of John Morrison asked the following

An u10/12 team wins a league / championship, at the presentation there are 3 tables set up

1 with sweets and minerals, 1 with medals and 1 with the trophy

the kids, the parents and the coaches are told to go up and and pick what they want

What do you think each group would go for ??

I don't know who went where ballyboy but I'm lurking around all the tables to see where all the Milfs are heading that's my port of call anyways.

I think so many young players drift away from the GAA through lack of game time and being/feeling involved. The way things have been at under 9,10 & 12, young players who may not have developed skills as quickly or be physically as strong as some of their underage teammates don't get much or any game time. A five minute runout here and there is all they have to look forward to at best, I feel Gaelic Games at this young age should be more inclusive for everybody who turns up for their club. A young player no matter how bad, WILL become a better player if they get game time and are coached on learning basic skills and how to become a TEAM player. Sitting on the bench forever won't help in their development or encourage them to keep involved with their club, bench warming is hard at the best of times, but at under 12 grade it kills of many potential players interest.
Gaelic games at this age should be about enjoyment for ALL players, Competitive fixtures will come in other grades as these boys/girls get older if i not mistaken in our club some U12 players are playing on U14 team and some U12 player are getting no game time just seem unfair and I would hate see my little lad giving up the game at that age.