Dear Editor,

I coach my 8-year old son.  Though I am bound to be biased, he is the best player on the team by far.  We play 6-on-6 and when he gets the ball he usually dribbles though the opposition defense and scores.

At times, I keep him off the field so we won’t run up the score.  What should I do?

Frank Esposito.

Frank. 

This is a difficult one.  You should not restrict his enjoyment, but I know what you mean about running up the score.  Try this.  Have a chat with your son and see if he willing to play with an additional rule for certain period of times (only because he is a very good player).  The condition is he can only score after he’s made a pass.  That will increase his awareness of other teammates and limit his scoring opportunities.

Don’t keep the restriction on him for too long because the ability to dribble and score is a great quality that must be encouraged.  Make him aware that later in soccer, when he graduates to the bigger fields of 11-a-side, he won’t be able to dribble from the back to the front too often.  Passing the ball will be the main way for his team to get into the final part of the field where dribbling and shooting are very special and much admired skills.

Hope that helps, but don’t force the situation on him.

Tony

Dear Editor,

It seems that a lot of teenage girls suffer knee injuries – ACL’s and the like.  Is there anything we can do as a coach to alleviate the incidence of these injuries?

-Allison Bounty

Allison,

I’m not an expert in these matters, but our new contributors, Rick Celebrini and P2 Soccer, are.

Have a look at the article in the injury section and click on to their website.  Rick has just gone back to university part-time to take his masters where his area of specialized study will center on the prevention of knee injuries in soccer (and in particular, the female soccer player).

P2 have agreed to do an on-going series on injury prevention and rehabilitation.  It is a real plus for Down-the-Line and our readers.

Tony

Dear Tony,

I am always happy to see another edition of "Down-the-Line".

Please continue your efforts.  The continuation of the "Down-the-Line" is a very important element for the Game of Football that all we love so much.

Please, accept my best wishes for success and health.

If you are visiting Montreal give me a call. Probably I can help you in someway.

I retired as an active FIFA Referee Instructor -October 5^th 2001- after 56 consecutive and extremely successful years of services to our beautiful GAME as a player, referee, referee administrator, referee instructor and the more important role as a referee assessor-coach (in Greece, in Canada and as a FIFA Referee & FIFA Referee Instructor in many countries worldwide).

However, I am now continuing helping the Game as a referee Assessor-Coach, Worldwide. 

-CONSTANTINOS (Dino) SOUPLIOTIS

Former FIFA Referee & FIFA Referee Instructor

Email: dinosoupliotis

Dino:  Great to hear from you.  Please be our guest and tell us of some of your worldwide exploits in the refereeing section in a future edition of DTL.