Young junior footballers in the Black Country have been left in tears over a bizarre FA ruling which bans them from competing in summer tournaments.
One team of six year-olds won a recent tournament – only to be fined a few days later for taking part.
Parents of players from Wordsley Wasps Football Club today branded the move “crazy”. Stourbridge and District Youth Football League sent a letter to clubs warning that new FA rules brought in this summer prohibited competitions for under-eights.
The aim is to reduce the pressure on youngsters by removing the competitive element and allowing them to concentrate on improving their skills.
Some clubs have tried to get round the regulations by holding tournaments with no winners or runners-up – just a trophy for “the team that got the furthest” and “the team that got the next furthest”.
But Martin Hawthorne, whose six-year-old son Lucas plays with the Wasps, said the crackdown was a prime case of “political correctness gone mad”.
“It upset the kids when we had to tell them they weren’t allowed to compete any more, they were devastated and were crying,” he said.
“Everyone knew who had won and the kids are not idiots. Telling them a sport like football is not competitive is ridiculous.”
Fellow dad Brett Carter, whose five-year-old son Chad has attracted interest from West Bromwich Albion, said the ruling had left parents furious.
“Trying to stop kids playing in leagues and cups is just going to stop them developing,” he said.
Pensnett Panthers club secretary Alan Cartwright, who doubles as the league’s referees secretary, also hit out at the ban.
“There are a lot of clubs cancelling tournaments for under-sixes and sevens and I think it is stupid,” he said.
League committee member Ian Jeffs-Watts posted a comment on its website saying the ruling came directly from the FA.
“To deny both Under 7s and Under 8s the enjoyment of a cup competition, in my opinion, beggars belief, but that’s the ruling,” he said.
37 Comments
bloody typical!!!
“whose five-year-old son Chad has attracted interest from West Bromwich Albion,”
What kind of a father welcomes any sort of professional interest for a 5 year old boy, it’s disgusting and morally repugnant.
This is exactly the sort of ignorant “pushy parent” that the rules are made to protect against.
Typical if this was down the big smoke nothing would be said but because it’s the midlands they put a block on it.Come on kids fight against it we are all behind you.
The FA is right to do this. I am a qualified Youth Coach and these kids should just be playing for fun at their age, keeping healthy and learning the basics. It’s usually the parents who push the “competitive edge” anyway as they live their sport through their unfortunate offspring. And SBBully is right - what are the parents of a 5 year old (and the Baggies) even thinking about?!
I also totally agree with the FA ruling. What these parents really want to do is to compete through their children. In Brazil they don’t play competitive football until children are 12. Young children need to practice skills and technique not winning some mindless competition. England has a dearth of skilled players- ever wondered why?
the f.a is totally wrong thats we got so much foriegn players they start youung and play tournaments, and our own uk players just aint good enough to be picked out to play by the time there 17-18 , if kids want the tournys let um play.let them do what they enjoy and sbbully and andy c obviously ur dingles , least albion have recognised some kid with talent , give the young kid a chance and let him progress with a team with good training if he gets on albions books.
the f.a is right! this is the reason why we aint got enough englkish players! the kids are being pushed to compete before they are ready! in holland and many foireign countries they dont start competing until about 12 and dont play 11 aside until they are 15! for a 5 year old to play for baggies is a disgrace!
As a coach and parent of a player who was playing competative league and tournement football since the age of 7. I can say from my experience the problem is not with the kids it’s the parents. Kids will forget within weeks and get on with the fun of footy. It’s the parents that live through their kids need banning.How many times have you heard “Our Little Johnny wonderful and should be playing for Wolves/Albion/Villa or blues.”.
It’s O.K. for kids to play competative matches but it’s the education of the parents that we really need. Let’s let the kids play for fun and not to massage the parents egos. So FA deal with the real problem stop the pretending to deal with it.
this seems to be the British mentality, quite happy to be the runners up, with this mentality were always going to be second best
Our new PW (Gordon Brown) has just been quoted as saying;
“I reject the once fashionable idea that competitive team sports are not the right way for our children”
“I want every school to have teams playing in local leagues - encouraging a healthy rivalry with other schools”
These idiots at Stourbridge and District Youth Football League and the FA should take note!
I am from Wolvo, but now live in Kent so it’s not a matter of geography “rog” - here we play not competitive mini soccer up to U11 and even that is too young to step up to 11-a-side.Wolves faithful is spot on. Holland and Germany don’t play 11-a-side until U16. They have a continuum up to then and increase team, pitch and goal size as the players get older (much as our own Rugby Union does. That’s why they have better ball skills than us. Parents “pot-hunting” is also a scourge of volunteer coaches - andit’s time the FA invetsed in and managed football from grasss roots to the top - at least the FA in the story is trying.
I think sportsmanship is a better lesson for the players of the future at this age, the AGGRESSION required to win should be encouraged when the child is mature enough?
I am one of the parents who’s child is a member of Wordsley Wasps and i feel angry, that stuck up do gooders on this page think we are pushy parents. In this day and age all we hear is about obese kids sitting on their bums playing on playstations, computers and watching too much TV, these kids are making new friends, getting exercise and enjoying doing something they hear,see and do everyday. What in this world is not competitive schools compete for the best exam results, sports day is competitive and so on, everything is competitive. Also, it isn’t the parents who want the kids to compete it’s the kids themselves and a good parent will always put their child’s interest and enjoyment before their own.
I think that the F.A is wrong to stop competetive football at this age because a little competativeness pushes kids to become better footballers. e.g. Kid always push themselves to get good results just like in football they always want to push themselves a little further to win a match. You can’t stop competativeness or you might aswell stop schools
Some years ago I used to run youth football teams and I have to say that I agree with the FA.Injuries and stress on joints can have an effect later in life as I have seen with many youngsters.I also agree with Andy C about parents pot hunting,some of them appear to fill there own fantasies through there children.Giving the kids a ball and concentrating on there skills can be and will be better for them they will benefit and so will the game.
I am secretary of a club of several junior teams and have been involved in junior football many years. whilst I support junior football 100% I must agree that Age 6 years is too early for tournaments. These usually go on all day and can be very physically demanding even for older children. Competition should be encouraged but this can be done through ‘friendly’ matches. As for all the comments regarding parents; I can only add that I have seen more issues caused through parents than players but these are generally rare and it is important for parents to support their team, encouraging all the players not just their own. Junior football is thriving and these sort of negative headlines do not help anyone.
This age is for FUNdamental development of both skills and awareness of the game(any sport). Totally agree with Gordon Brown regarding ‘Competive Sports’ Life itself is competetive, wether be a que for a bargain, a job etc… but a fine line has to be drawn to make sure these talented and untalented youngsters have a future within sport and in particular lefelong participation! We in UK are decades behind other countries with development of our sports policies and only need to look at the burnout factors of our countries elite(Johnny Wilkinson, Micheal Owen to name 2) we rush them through because they show promise. Its no good one county FA doing this, then another FA adopting opposite approach - this should be an NGB decision not local dispute.
In case of Mr B Carter, fancy letting his son be scouted by West Bromwich…. Get him down WOlves if hes any good m8!
totslly agree with julie,h and tom.
Don’t be so silly as to think it is just West Brom who are after kids at the age of 5 years old. Blues, Villa and Dingles all have scouts looking for kids of that age at tournaments across the midlands. Don’t blame the parents!!
IM A PARENT OF A 6YR OLD FOOTIE PLAYER AND HE COMPETES BECAUSE HE WANTS TO NOT BECAUSE WE “PUSH” HIM . Whats the point of learning skills if you can’t use them. Playing against other teams is building their skills and they make new friends from other clubs.THESE COULD BE OUR NEXT BECKHAMS!
we are breeding a nation of wimps
What a load of rubbish ! How can you stop youngsters competing in the sport they love ? Would we be better off sitting them in front of a x-box or the tv all day ? My son plays competetive football because he enjoys it. What a great way of teaching our children team work !
Im the coach of this team and i think its pathetic that they arent allowed to play to win. If theres no competition for the game then its just a waste of time. If the FA want English players player for English clubs then when better to start than at the age of 6? I play for an under 14s team at div 2 level just about to go to a div 1 team and with out the challenge it is boring and waste of time. Under 6s tornaments have been going on for years so why change the rule now?
this is proposterous and i think if it wasn’t in this country it would be fyn it should be allowed, the kids are fyn it is the parents . Totally and utterly a digrace to footy to ban kids.
As the parent of one of these Wordsley Wasp players I am very proud of my childs commitment to his team and fellow players. I don’t push him to play, he can think for himself and chooses to compete in tournments because he WANTS to.I am sad that the FA cannot see past their political correctness. My son will compete at his school sports day, spelling tests and for the best school place but football he plays for ENJOYMENT!
i too am a mother of a child who attends the wordsey wasps and has also been picked to train at wba. what gives you the right to say its the parents……. do you think we enjoy giving up our weekends and time in the week watching our kids play in all weathers? we do it for our kids because they want to do it and get alot of enjoyment out of it what good parent would stop that! its not about compition its about playing together as a team and working together what the hell is wrong with that.
CARRY ON REGARDLESS KIDS! One day one of you will be a beckham i hope you prove the F A wrong !
This is a joke. The FA have even come out and said that U6’s can’t play friendlies until September.
Kids want to play in tournaments, and the younger they learn about winning and losing the better - that’s life!
WHO ARE THESE IDIOTS AT THE FA?
DON’T THEY REALISE FOOTBALLERS ARE BORN IN THE CRADLE? THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO COMPETE AS SOON AS THEY CAN WALK. AT THE RATE THIS COUNTRY IS GOING , WE WON’T HAVE ANY SPORTSMEN or WOMEN, JUST A PILE OF PEN PUSHERS AND ACCOUNTANTS! OH, AND THE ODD NUTTER WHO LIKES TO SHOOT AT PEOPLE.
OMG!!! wat idiot thought of this stupid ban this time.
Hi - I’m an FA Qualified outfield and goal keeping coach. These kids should be playing football and it will by its nature be competitive there is not way to stop it being competitive competitive - however the FA is trying to take the emphasis off results as young kids a so worried about losing and being shouted at by coaches and parents that they would rather get rid of the ball or lump it forward , that be skillfull, take players and run the risk of losing the ball. Tournaments at this age should be about fun and skill development- the football will be competitive but the RESULTS DON’T MATTER.
We have heard lots of positive feed back thanks! I notice nobody from the FA has commented,are they having second thoughts, and now realise that this is what the MAJORITY want including the P.M.We will continue to promote healthy sport for our children, like in the adverts sent out to all primary children in the termly mag offering places in the holidays to play football and win medals.
im the parant of chad who loves and enjoys playing football if he said tomorrow that he didnt want to play i would pull him straight out IM NOT A PUSHY PARENT i have an older child of 12 who started to play when he was 5 and is now playing at man u and for what he has experanced i would wish that for any child if they have the skill WHY STOP THEM…………
So have the Brazilians got it wrong? Who dont start playing league competitions until the kids are teens.
R hit the nail on the head. Children compete in whatever they do from Speeling tests to Sport. The problem is the pressure that some adults place on kids when you put them on a football pitch.
“Everything I have achieved in football is due to playing football in the streets with my friends” Zidane
“The World Cup wasn’t won (in 1966) on the playing fields of England. It was won on the streets”
Bobby Charlton
The Dad who claims that its ’stupid’ for 6 year olds not to be able to compete in Leagues and Cups should wish that the Baggies don’t actually invite his Son to play at their Academy because like all other Professional Football Clubs the 9 to 16 year Schoolboy Football program compete for no points and their is no cup competition throughout the season.
No doubt he and his fellow supporters of his views will claim that this lack of ‘COMPETIVENESS’ contributes to England’s lack of International success.
However, if as a Nation and as adults we concentrated on helping children have their own fun without imposing our own values of winning then you never know we might find a few more young creative, imageantive Footballers not constrained by outside factors that leads to far too much un necessary pressure. All it helps is to increase drop out rates of young people that is already unmatched by any other Sport in this Country.
Is it pure co-incidence that the last time we won a World Cup it was with the last generation of Street Footballers who were able to work out the game for themselves.
Keep screaming for your sons or daughters if you are so desperate to win those pots and pans, however i know who the real losers are.
The FA introduced Mini-Soccer for Under 7 to Under 10 players a few years ago. This has proved to be a marvellous idea for the enjoyment of young players, their introduction to football and the development of their skills. Small pitches, small goals, fewer players on the pitch mean more touches of the ball for each player and with roll-on/roll-off substitutions all players get greater participation in each game.
Before Mini-soccer, players were not allowed to play in FA affiliated football until they were Under 10, and then they played 11-a-side on whatever pitches were available, often adult-sized pitches. So the introduction of Mini-Soccer was a giant step forward for the development of our game. This saw the additon of leagues for mini-soccer and the death of the ‘illegal’ underage leagues that had sprung up to cater for the desire of young lads to play football.
At the time Mini-soccer was started a number of people expressed the view that Under 7 and Under 8 was too young to start, however the FA decision then was that boys and girls of those ages could play 4 and 5 a-side games under Mini-soccer rules. Thus leagues and cup competitions were developed to cater, in a structured and organised format, for what soon became an obvious need.
Mini-soccer for the Under 7 to Under 10 age groups is now a successful and beneficial format, with referees appointed, qualified coaches with most teams, and usually played in the correct, sporting, encouraging, appreciative environment. Yes there are league and cup winners and runners up, and the presentation evenings and cup finals that go with recognising the achievements of the players, which the kids thoroughly enjoy.
Now the FA have tinkered with the successful format and structure of Mini-soccer, what have they done? Denied the opportunity for Under 7 and Under 8 players to participate in any affiliated, FA approved cup competition (or summer tournament)and for Under 7s to play in organised league games. Why? The stated reason is to help the players concentrate upon the development of their skills and their enjoyment of the game without the pressures associated with winning. What will happen? Teams will play ‘friendly’ games and players will play to win each game anyway. Teams will keep their own league tables and will know which teams are winning most games, it just won’t be ‘organised’ as before.
The introduction of Mini-soccer brought about the virtual death of leagues and competitions that were not approved by the FA, this ruling gives teams the opportunity to organise their own, non FA approved, cup competitions for these age groups.
Mini-soccer is the training ground for players and referees of the future. Newly-qualified referees tend to start their refereeing career with Mini-soccer and gain much-needed experience in a (mostly) friendly, welcoming environment. I can see this latest ruling having a detrimental affect upon the opportunities for both player and referee development and enjoyment.
Why change something that was working? Anyone who has been involved with Mini-soccer knows that 10 minutes after a game most players are fine, enjoying themselves kicking a ball about, win, lose or draw. A small number of parents / coaches may be affected by a defeat, this will change very little by removing the competitive, organised structure of leagues and replacing this with a season of friendlies.
I have 12yr old son that plays for a professional club and as done since he was 7 he also competes at karate at international level again since the age of 10 not once have I ever told him that he has to do better. Like B Carter I will always be there for my son if that’s the way he wants to live “HIS” life, how many kids today have the discipline to go to bed a night before the game/fight knowing that he as to travel to the event with out being forced to?
This dedication also shows in his school work which will always comes first, as we both know that to be a professional in any sport or walk of life is hard work and only a few get the chance so education is priority. By going to a club at the early age my son has gained valuable education both on the field and off. This is checked by the club he plays for by regular reports to his school where, they enquire about his school work and general behaviour. The amount of games he plays are limited thus preventing the strains and injuries that happens when youngsters are growing.
The professional clubs do not compete for cups, leagues but every kid wants to win, its been human nature since time began, the dogooders are slowly taking away all forms of competition away from our kids, leagues are banned from sports yet schools award merit points is it the same?
Not all kids are good at sport if someone has talent let them compete, and don’t have a go at the parents who are willing to give up their time & money for their children. In my experience it is the less gifted kids “ who are the core of most teams” who’s parents rant and rave at their children to do better. These are the parents that are pushy and should be criticised for not having the knowledge to see, that all children develop at different levels and have different abilities.
The trouble is kids football is all to serious,the parents get all hyped up as if there kids are being paid thousands of pound’s. its supposed to be for fun. i stopped my kid playing becuase of others attitude’s. he’s followed my sport ever since which is motocross,he loves it,a much better sport for him where the people are very much non aggressive.