Young Owls U13's

[OhForAnotherShez]

I thought the Young Owls (and Ladies teams) got a rough deal yesterday.

In the past they would jog round the pitch and the DJ would give full info and a plug for the sponsors. Followed by a BIG group photo in the corner.

Yesterday the first group were behind the LL goal with 40yds to go before the crowd knew what was going off.

A sad brush off in my opinion. Years gone by the crowd used to give a great reception AND the away fans, but yesterdays walk round the track ought to be a lesson for next year.

There were probably about 200 yesterday in all the male / female teams. Just think how adults are pleased to pay £5 for a stadium visit these last few weeks. This was a BIG highlight for the kids which needs improving.

[Guest bigbo]

I thought the Young Owls (and Ladies teams) got a rough deal yesterday.

In the past they would jog round the pitch and the DJ would give full info and a plug for the sponsors. Followed by a BIG group photo in the corner.

Yesterday the first group were behind the LL goal with 40yds to go before the crowd knew what was going off.

A sad brush off in my opinion. Years gone by the crowd used to give a great reception AND the away fans, but yesterdays walk round the track ought to be a lesson for next year.

There were probably about 200 yesterday in all the male / female teams. Just think how adults are pleased to pay £5 for a stadium visit these last few weeks. This was a BIG highlight for the kids which needs improving.

spot on,

once again i think certain members of the community programme would have rather that they didnt have to bother with the young owls, this was proven yesterday with the amount of or lack of effort that was put in to what IS a big day for the youngsters. i was also told that one of the managers wasnt allowed to walk past the away fans to meet up with his team on the walk round after he had been given a ticket for a different stand...........

[SWFCLee]

For those interested the U13's won 8-2 today making it 100% record in the league.

Well done to all the lads and coaches.

[feather]

Well done to all concerned, a big pat on the back to the players and coaches.

Enjoy the break, then to next season.... BRING IT ON.

[Guest john sheridan]

For those interested the U13's won 8-2 today making it 100% record in the league.

Well done to all the lads and coaches.

Well done to the boys today made there weekend, going back to the young owls going round the pitch at the end of the season, to get it into real prospective all they are is a club that is affiliated to wednesday as a development centre as are least 10 junior football clubs in South Yorkshire. It seems sometimes very unfair that other Junior Football Clubs are not invited to the same recognition as Young Owls, at the end of the day they all turn out on a Saturday & Sunday morning giving their all & wanting to do their best. Having been involved with Junior Football for a good few years and talking & listening to parents it appears that if your son either plays for Young Owls or Junior Blades then they play for Sheff Wed or United, which is so far from the mark. I think that this stems from the parents as a big ego trip. Lots of other clubs do provide players who do move on to academy, apprentince & professional level, who sometimes get lost in the big picture.

[SWFCLee]

Young Owls are officially part of SWFC Football in the community initiative, as the website states.

http://www.swfc.co.uk/page/RepresentativeT...1024987,00.html

Other clubs may be linked as referral clubs but not in the way Young Owls are.

My son has played for both Young Owls and Junior Blades and at neither time did i ever refer to him as playing for the Owls or the Blades. I am not aware of any parent that would say they do either.

The view you have (or have heard) is usually from parents/officials of other clubs to be honest. To say they are not meant to be linked it is amazing how many opposing sides appear to want to raise their game against these teams.

UTO

[Guest john sheridan]

Young Owls are officially part of SWFC Football in the community initiative, as the website states.

http://www.swfc.co.uk/page/RepresentativeT...1024987,00.html

Other clubs may be linked as referral clubs but not in the way Young Owls are.

My son has played for both Young Owls and Junior Blades and at neither time did i ever refer to him as playing for the Owls or the Blades. I am not aware of any parent that would say they do either.

The view you have (or have heard) is usually from parents/officials of other clubs to be honest. To say they are not meant to be linked it is amazing how many opposing sides appear to want to raise their game against these teams.

UTO

[Guest john sheridan]

Young Owls are officially part of SWFC Football in the community initiative, as the website states.

http://www.swfc.co.uk/page/RepresentativeT...1024987,00.html

Other clubs may be linked as referral clubs but not in the way Young Owls are.

My son has played for both Young Owls and Junior Blades and at neither time did i ever refer to him as playing for the Owls or the Blades. I am not aware of any parent that would say they do either.

The view you have (or have heard) is usually from parents/officials of other clubs to be honest. To say they are not meant to be linked it is amazing how many opposing sides appear to want to raise their game against these teams.

UTO

The view I have is based around being involved in Junior Football & the point is, that I really dont think its fair that 1 Junior Football Club should get preferential treatment just because their name is associated with Sheff Wed when lots of other Junior Clubs provide a worthwhile service to Sheff Wednesday Football Club.

You must be a ' one off' parent who doesnt refer to 'my lad plays for Weds or United'. I just think that its unfair that other Football Clubs dont get the same recognition when at the end of the day they are ALL young lads trying their hardest on a Sat & Sun mornings. Gone are the days when Junior Football Clubs used to be the feeder teams for the professional games, now professional clubs are satalited with so many Junior Clubs the chance for youngsters to progress in the game has so much improved.

[OhForAnotherShez]

Shez, at the end of the day SWYO were set up by the club about 25 years ago, not the Academy or Centre of Excellence as it was in those days. It was the responsibility of a full time worker who naturally had other responsibilities.

Naturally the Academy would want the best players from whatever source, but the SWYO would I'm sure want the Owls to have first pick, and through their own loyalty want to wear the B&W shirts.

I'm sure the Academy staff appreciate loyalty from other clubs also, but remember that SWYO were set up at the club and just did not pinch the name.

I myself would like other clubs to be welcomed and encouraged to become Owls like the club are doing with SchoolChildren at the moment. Maybe clubs can be targetted to fill the west one day like they were once in the early nineties.

SWYO did have 3 lads who have played for the first team this season.

[Guest boro owl]

Thanks

You'll probably notice i don't patronise like you as you have done to me - but anyway....

The reason results and leagues were removed from official stats in youth football was because when you have rankings it shifts the emphasis - and sadly it is often the parents that drive this.

For every team that remains unbeaten there are teams that get thrashed every week - so it's swings and roundabouts

You are the 2nd persona that has mentioned playing "in the right way" - what does that mean?

Are you like the previous posted that doesn't seem to think playing the "right way" includes individual expression of talent?

For me youth football is all about individual talent - you can learn tactics in 5 minutes at 16+ - if at that age you can't control a ball then you've no chance - which is why the emphasis should be on the individual and not the team in youth football.

That's why official, recorded rankings aren't helpful.

Let me give you another example - week before last i was talking to a guy who's lad had been offered a trial with an academy - he is 10

His dad runs a local team - i said to him that it was late in the season for a trial with so little of it left etc - he actually said - and i still can't believe it - that he had been invited to trial a couple of months earlier but the team he runs was in a cup semi-final and his lad is the star striker so he wouldn't let him take up his trial til the semi-final had been played.

Unreal!

It's the mentality that prevails though i'm afraid - i've seen it for years and years and was delighted when the FA switched to small-sided games, appropriate pitch/goal sizes for age groups - emphasis on fun and skill as opposed to tactics, rules and winning

I was also ery pleased when the FA started to do away with league tables for younger ages - but the parents have won out and many counties have reintroduced them - or never complied in the first place.

As i said - it's easy to win youth football matches - and there doesn't really need to be talented players in the team - because physical attributes will often rule at that age.

That's why the emphasis should be on the individual and not the team.

Just to let you know scram the under 13s team in question we,re the smallest team in the division by a country mile. Not a great deal of physical attributes but very talented players. You should give these lads the credit they deserve for there achievement. Perhaps you would like an invite to watch them play next season and then you can give us your opinion on what you think.

[Guest Ratty-owl]

As i said - it's easy to win youth football matches - and there doesn't really need to be talented players in the team - because physical attributes will often rule at that age.

That's why the emphasis should be on the individual and not the team.

Scram my lad is probably the smallest goalie in the division yet he has only let in 17 goals this season he does not have much physical presence but he makes up for it in heart, speed and commitment.

[SWFCLee]

The view I have is based around being involved in Junior Football & the point is, that I really dont think its fair that 1 Junior Football Club should get preferential treatment just because their name is associated with Sheff Wed when lots of other Junior Clubs provide a worthwhile service to Sheff Wednesday Football Club.

You must be a ' one off' parent who doesnt refer to 'my lad plays for Weds or United'. I just think that its unfair that other Football Clubs dont get the same recognition when at the end of the day they are ALL young lads trying their hardest on a Sat & Sun mornings. Gone are the days when Junior Football Clubs used to be the feeder teams for the professional games, now professional clubs are satalited with so many Junior Clubs the chance for youngsters to progress in the game has so much improved.

I can see where you are coming from. I just don't think it would be workable to be honest. I think the set up in Sheffield of Young Owls and Junior Blades is probably a one off when compared to other citys. Others probably just have the Academy teams and then feeder clubs like you refer to.

At the end of the day the football structure as it is now should see most kids with the potential being picked up (to be more than likely dumped by the relevant academy after building up their hopes). Lets hope it is the Owls that pick out the starlets.

[SWFCLee]

Scram my lad is probably the smallest goalie in the division yet he has only let in 17 goals this season he does not have much physical presence but he makes up for it in heart, speed and commitment.

Is that the same keeper that kept 7 clean sheets - not bad for one of the smallest players on the pitch

[Guest john sheridan]

I can see where you are coming from. I just don't think it would be workable to be honest. I think the set up in Sheffield of Young Owls and Junior Blades is probably a one off when compared to other citys. Others probably just have the Academy teams and then feeder clubs like you refer to.

At the end of the day the football structure as it is now should see most kids with the potential being picked up (to be more than likely dumped by the relevant academy after building up their hopes). Lets hope it is the Owls that pick out the starlets.

think you are prob right right about end of season walk around of pitch but think they could invite teams for home games who are development centres free tickets for west stand etc , as for kids being dumped by academy,s this is most parent,s view when there son has been released what parent,s have to understand and accept when there lad goes to a profesional football club they have left the comfort of junior football and are put into the cut and thrust world of structured football where thank god parent,s are taken out of the loop shouting and screaming from the touchline what parent,s have to understand academy football is is based on the talent and future development on the individual a very harsh enviroment for young lad,s and when it comes to the end of the season to renew contract,s and lad,s are not kept on dumped, heartbroke, never want,s to play football again parent,s should look back to who signed the forms in the first place that took them out of the comfort of junior football

[OhForAnotherShez]

I think the problem with Academies occurred about 15 years ago. Some clubs were having more centres which meant overall there would be more kids not making it eventually.

But what could the other Pro clubs do? They had to compete as well and have a smaller mesh to their nets - or they could miss the eventual diamond.

It seemed as though some clubs were waiting outside Jessops.

* For those of you not from Sheffield - Jessops was the Maternity Hospital *

From my last reply......."I myself would like other clubs to be welcomed and encouraged to become Owls like the club are doing with School Children at the moment. Maybe clubs can be targetted to fill the west one day like they were once in the early nineties" If the club continue targetting the same groups they will start to take tickets for granted.

[Guest Ratty-owl]

Is that the same keeper that kept 7 clean sheets - not bad for one of the smallest players on the pitch

The very same Lee mate the same keeper that is really competetive (you know we can wind him up like you've never known) but at the same time he's one of the funniest members of the squad. Who says competition and fun can't go hand in hand.

[scram]

I always thought football was a team game. I am obviously mistaken.

And teams are made up of????

Just to let you know scram the under 13s team in question we,re the smallest team in the division by a country mile. Not a great deal of physical attributes but very talented players. You should give these lads the credit they deserve for there achievement. Perhaps you would like an invite to watch them play next season and then you can give us your opinion on what you think.

I'm glad to hear they are a team of talented young footballers - you'll see at no point have i inferred otherwise - that'd be impossible cos i have no idea what they are like as individuals or a team!

My point is.....and i know this doesn't get well received by parents of the lads in these leagues - that there shouldn't be league tables for young football teams because it shifts the emphasis onto winning - which is exactly why professional academies have never had leagues for the age groups below 16 - and now 18 - to take the stigma away from losing, to take the emphasis away from winning - so the focus becomes on player development and not winning matches.

[Tyto Alba]

Isn't this the reason why a lot of European players are technically better than ours? They don't have to bomb down the line, or pass the ball straight away etc. Give the youngsters time to learn how to control a ball, express themselves and find their limits.

On a related subject, a friend of mine has just had their 11 year old 'released' from Crystal Palace. They had a cut a couple of weeks ago. The lad was under so much pressure, his game suffered. You're supposed to enjoy the game at that age. They've said they might take him back if he gets back on track. I just find this a bit depressing, putting young lads under pressure like that.

[aeroswfc]

Well done and congratulations Under 13's.