Facebook App
With more and more schools finally realizing that soccer not only deserves but needs to have dedicated fields, should girls soccer move to the fall?
It's been a long-standing debate and two of the challenges have been lack of fields and officials. Lack of officials will always be a major issue, because you have men's and women's college soccer going on, too. The better officials do college games, because they are paid more. Stadium usage use to be a major issue with football and boys soccer going on, but that has changed with turf and more fields.
Indiana plays boys and girls soccer in the fall, as do countless other states throughout the country.
Let's admit it, the first two months of the girls soccer season are a joke weather wise - especially when the IHSA has girls soccer starting at the end of February.
Cell Phone Alerts
Either the high school soccer season should be moved to the much more temperate fall season or State Cup should. Many of the girls who played a long high school soccer season will be competing in State Cup this weekend with barely any time to practice with their club teams, and they will be playing against teams who actively encourage their players not to play high school ball. It doesn't seem fair to the girls.
No it should not be moved to fall. As much as the weather isnt helping in the early spring season. People must realize that in the fall it would be impossilble to get fields with boys soccer and FOOTBALL. Grass fields that share soccer and football are in horrible condition once football team gets a couple games in.
Stadium fields are in even worse condition in the spring, because of the weather. That's why programs need to find their own fields.
Joe:
You seem to have a problem with my very valid observation. What did I say wrong? Am I getting on your nerves?
move girls softball and boys baseball to fall, those are the sports that are most affected by weather!!!!!
Girls soccer should Not be played in the fall. It would be great as far as weather and eleminate the club/hs debate (or so we think). I see the biggest issues as fields, officials, cost, and coaches. There are many hs's out there who struggle to have enough practice area and game area for 3-4 boys teams in the fall. Most coaches work both seasons. Some are even the head coach for both teams. Most school admin want there coaches to also be teachers within their district. The official issue happens during the season where there is one maybe two refs for a lower level game. Now the cost. Where will you get enough money to purchase twice as many goals, balls, pinnies, cones, etc. The goals alone are in the thousands. The weather is bad in the spring but no one is forcing you to play in march or have the jolt cola tourny in the spring.
All very good points. Baseball and softball does it now. It's time for some new blood with the coaches. There are many people out there who believe coaches should only coach one sport. A number of athletic directors believe that, too. The cost wouldn't be much, it's more about space and officials. Other states do it, Illinois can, too. It makes no difference to me, but a number of athletic directors are looking into things.
I can understand some of the comments about having girls soccer at the same time as boys soccer. (cost, refs and fields ) However, having girls soccer in the fall has a few problems. Weather, end of the year finals! and state cup just days after HS soccer ends. The boys HS soccer programs do not have to deal with any of those issues. Most other states have girls HS soccer in the fall and manage just fine. Also it would give the girls time to heal before state cup, a great number of girls are not able to play state cup because of injuries. Really the problem is we put HS boys sports ahead of HS girls sports. My daughter's team won state and one of the security guards ask the other security guard " why is everyone screaming? Answer " they just won the state championship!" reply... " yeah so, its girls soccer " Boys sports will always be considered more important than girls sports. Even though the girls work just as hard as the boys. Its very apparent in HS basketball ! ! So I say give the girls the same consideration as the boys....or maybe move the boys to spring.....