Why do girls play in Boys Leagues???

We have several girls teams playing in our league. They cant hang with the boys so it makes for a waste of time for the boys.

warhawk wrote:We have several girls teams playing in our league. They cant hang with the boys so it makes for a waste of time for the boys.

Competition.... pure and simple. Its the same reason players play up and teams scrimmage up. Playing teams better than you is an important part of team development.

How does it help the boys??????? Should the weaker boys teams play with the girls??

warhawk wrote:How does it help the boys??????? Should the weaker boys teams play with the girls??

You can't expect every game to be competitive.... especially at the Academy level. I've seen some very good girl's teams dominate boy's teams. I've also seen many weak boys teams. You definitely want to make sure the league/tournament flight you are playing in is a challenge, but that doesn't mean every game will be competitive.

And just because you play against a team that is not on your level, that doesn't mean the boys can't get something out of the experience. If your coach has a clue, he'll handle the boys and use every game to teach and develop.

The league is competitive execpt 2 girls teams. It is just a training session. I just dont know what the girls get out of it besides hanging their heads?

warhawk wrote:The league is competitive execpt 2 girls teams. It is just a training session. I just dont know what the girls get out of it besides hanging their heads?

Think of it this way.... when that girls team takes the field against other girls teams their own age, they should be much better prepared. Of course, this depends on the coach and other factors, but they should at least have gained the experience of what its like to play against a higher level team. Over time, this could be very beneficial.... especially if their coach is gearing the team development towards qualification. Getting beat or dominated isn't necessarily a bad thing, as long as the kids and team have goals and are progressing towards them. Its definitely a delicate balance for a coach. You don't want to completely discourage the kids, but I think it can be a healthy experience if managed correctly.

There are 3 girls on our academy boys team and I can say they are hanging with the boys very well. What you may have come across is some girls that are just weak players to begin with. The 3 girls we have, have made boys cry on the sidelines because they can't get by them. So in my book if you can hang with the boys then by all means, let them play. I know it kills the dads of the boys when the girls beat them but that is just their ego geting slamed. If your coach can't find a way to make a game more competitive when you are dominating then maybe you should find a new coach/team. Every game can be made into a learning experience especially at the Acad. level.

TRUmom wrote:There are 3 girls on our academy boys team and I can say they are hanging with the boys very well. What you may have come across is some girls that are just weak players to begin with. The 3 girls we have, have made boys cry on the sidelines because they can't get by them. So in my book if you can hang with the boys then by all means, let them play. I know it kills the dads of the boys when the girls beat them but that is just their ego geting slamed. If your coach can't find a way to make a game more competitive when you are dominating then maybe you should find a new coach/team. Every game can be made into a learning experience especially at the Acad. level.

hey!!! you do know they TRIED to let this thread die over a year ago!

Looks like it's baaaaaack. lol

omega striker wrote:

TRUmom wrote:There are 3 girls on our academy boys team and I can say they are hanging with the boys very well. What you may have come across is some girls that are just weak players to begin with. The 3 girls we have, have made boys cry on the sidelines because they can't get by them. So in my book if you can hang with the boys then by all means, let them play. I know it kills the dads of the boys when the girls beat them but that is just their ego geting slamed. If your coach can't find a way to make a game more competitive when you are dominating then maybe you should find a new coach/team. Every game can be made into a learning experience especially at the Acad. level.

hey!!! you do know they TRIED to let this thread die over a year ago!

Mia Hamm played in the boy's leagues---She seemed to have turned out fine. However I would not let my own daughter play on any boys league for a variety of reasons.

In smaller markets sometimes it is the only option geographicly(no girls team in the age bracket) or it can be a transpotation issue, i.e. playing on brother's team

prohibit wrote:

omega striker wrote:

TRUmom wrote:There are 3 girls on our academy boys team and I can say they are hanging with the boys very well. What you may have come across is some girls that are just weak players to begin with. The 3 girls we have, have made boys cry on the sidelines because they can't get by them. So in my book if you can hang with the boys then by all means, let them play. I know it kills the dads of the boys when the girls beat them but that is just their ego geting slamed. If your coach can't find a way to make a game more competitive when you are dominating then maybe you should find a new coach/team. Every game can be made into a learning experience especially at the Acad. level.

hey!!! you do know they TRIED to let this thread die over a year ago!

Mia Hamm played in the boy's leagues---She seemed to have turned out fine. However I would not let my own daughter play on any boys league for a variety of reasons.

where at? probably not here in NTX!!!!

TRUmom wrote:There are 3 girls on our academy boys team and I can say they are hanging with the boys very well. What you may have come across is some girls that are just weak players to begin with. The 3 girls we have, have made boys cry on the sidelines because they can't get by them. So in my book if you can hang with the boys then by all means, let them play. I know it kills the dads of the boys when the girls beat them but that is just their ego geting slamed. If your coach can't find a way to make a game more competitive when you are dominating then maybe you should find a new coach/team. Every game can be made into a learning experience especially at the Acad. level.

There is a very talented young lady on the DFW Tejanos U11 team. She is a starter and full time player on a CL Div. 1 team. She is clearly talented enough to play with the boys. In fact is one of their top players. If a girl can play with the boys and wants to do so, there shouldn't be a rule prohibiting it. And it appears that there isn't. Are there any other young ladies playing in CL?

soccer23 wrote:

TRUmom wrote:There are 3 girls on our academy boys team and I can say they are hanging with the boys very well. What you may have come across is some girls that are just weak players to begin with. The 3 girls we have, have made boys cry on the sidelines because they can't get by them. So in my book if you can hang with the boys then by all means, let them play. I know it kills the dads of the boys when the girls beat them but that is just their ego geting slamed. If your coach can't find a way to make a game more competitive when you are dominating then maybe you should find a new coach/team. Every game can be made into a learning experience especially at the Acad. level.

There is a very talented young lady on the DFW Tejanos U11 team. She is a starter and full time player on a CL Div. 1 team. She is clearly talented enough to play with the boys. In fact is one of their top players. If a girl can play with the boys and wants to do so, there shouldn't be a rule prohibiting it. And it appears that there isn't. Are there any other young ladies playing in CL?

Than a weaker boy could play in the girls league as well?

My two cents (as a mom of DD's and BB's)...If there are no leagues or teams available for girls, they should be allowed on boys' teams, and those teams should be properly termed co-ed. Where leagues and teams are available for each, I don't think children of either sex should be allowed to choose to play on the opposite sex teams. Since we have high quality coaches, teams and leagues for boys and girls in most of NTX, there appears to be no purpose other than for girls (or their parents) to "prove themselves" against the boys. Considering that girls mature earlier, there's really little to prove. From U-7 to U-12 or so, quite a few girls are faster, stronger, more skilled, and especially more tactically aware than many boys of the same age. Of course they can compete with the boys. The girls get an additional edge because they get an "atta girl" when they play aggressively against a boy, while boys may shy away from playing aggressively against a girl or be called for very questionable fouls when a girl goes down.

95/98mom wrote:My two cents (as a mom of DD's and BB's)...If there are no leagues or teams available for girls, they should be allowed on boys' teams, and those teams should be properly termed co-ed. Where leagues and teams are available for each, I don't think children of either sex should be allowed to choose to play on the opposite sex teams. Since we have high quality coaches, teams and leagues for boys and girls in most of NTX, there appears to be no purpose other than for girls (or their parents) to "prove themselves" against the boys. Considering that girls mature earlier, there's really little to prove. From U-7 to U-12 or so, quite a few girls are faster, stronger, more skilled, and especially more tactically aware than many boys of the same age. Of course they can compete with the boys. The girls get an additional edge because they get an "atta girl" when they play aggressively against a boy, while boys may shy away from playing aggressively against a girl or be called for very questionable fouls when a girl goes down.

I have to agree with you. Even though girls do play hard they tend to get special treatment by refs when playing with all the boys. Hey if they're tough and can hang and their parents wont cry and yell on the sideline "she is just a girl" than more power to them.

It makes the parents proud to tell their friends that their daughter is to good to play in the girls league. And they must play with the boys to get any competition.

I'm on both sides of this - my bb's team was very good and we did play some girls who played down in indoor in academy. As I recall, they were much more together as a team, bigger, more physical. With that said, there is no way our coach would play younger teams or girl's teams as there is nothing to gain from it.

On my dd's side - we find boy's teams to play often. It's better competition than the girls we can find - more athletic, stronger, faster. It really does break up the monotony and more importantly, shows the girls there is something more than what they've been doing to be successful.

Totally agree on the calls - girls and small kids often benefit - my kids are usually the beneficiary!

As far as a league goes - I recall a girls team winning an indoor boy's league (age pure) - it was Inwood about 4-5 years ago (Texans won it). That's impressive - there were some decent boys teams in it. I never saw them play, but heard they were super.

I say let them play - but, don't complain if they get roughed up as we are the ones putting them into the cross hairs.

clueless wrote:I'm on both sides of this - my bb's team was very good and we did play some girls who played down in indoor in academy. As I recall, they were much more together as a team, bigger, more physical. With that said, there is no way our coach would play younger teams or girl's teams as there is nothing to gain from it.

On my dd's side - we find boy's teams to play often. It's better competition than the girls we can find - more athletic, stronger, faster. It really does break up the monotony and more importantly, shows the girls there is something more than what they've been doing to be successful.

Totally agree on the calls - girls and small kids often benefit - my kids are usually the beneficiary!

As far as a league goes - I recall a girls team winning an indoor boy's league (age pure) - it was Inwood about 4-5 years ago (Texans won it). That's impressive - there were some decent boys teams in it. I never saw them play, but heard they were super.

I say let them play - but, don't complain if they get roughed up as we are the ones putting them into the cross hairs.

I have two issues with girls when they play against boys: the special treatment girls get by the refs when they play. I almost always see the calls totally one-sided when it comes to a girl. Boy barely touches girl "foul". Girl clobbers boy sending him head over heels from a hit from behind gets a "nice tackle" from the side with no call. If the girl is after a 50/50 ball and a boy shoulder charges her, you hear screams from the sideline "she's just a girl!!". I agree with the poster above that girls mature faster - mentally and physically - so they have an advantage in that way as well.

1st, I have never heard "she is just a girl" from any sideline. I myself played with the boys until I was 3rd grade and no one ever said I was just a girl either. For some girls it is more fun to play with the boys as the girls can be more aggressive without worry that they might hurt someone (weaker girls)2nd, Calls made for girls are no different or more than calls made for smaller players. It happens, no matter what gender you are. I know several girls that played with boys that are now great players because of it. Until U12 there is no reason you can't have girls playing with boys. If anything I see the boys be a bit rougher with the girls not shy away from them because they think they can overpower them. I know Psa currently has a girl's team registered in a male league in Acad. again it's the Texans but if that helps them to be a stronger team than that is what it is all about. If boys and their daddys can't handle female compitition then maybe they should go play football or baseball but from what I hear girls are going there too.lol It's all about development of the player and gender shouldn't even be a concern.

BTW, on our team that has 3 girls on it, each of the girls have been called for fouls as they happen. No specioal treatment has been allowed for our girls.

DD 04 texans team has been playing the summer in a coed league and the only girls team to beat the boys. It's been fun but I remeber the advice I heard awhile back. It is okay for girls to play with the boys for fun and greater competition. Make sure she also plays with a girls team. Eventually they cannot play with the boys and then can have difficulty making the transition to girls soccer. I watched a girls team run laps before practice and they talked the entire time. They talked more during the laps than BB's team does for the entire practice. That would drive bb insane and I imagine that a girl who grows up only playing with boys would also find it odd or annoying.

I've coach co-ed as recent as the summer (indoor U15), the kids had a great time and they did well and yes they recieved plenty of blue cards for hard fouls.

My issue with it is:
You're telling me that this DD is so good that she is still unchallenged when playing up a year in the Girls brackets? I wasn't really impressed with the talent to be playing in boys division. In the 00's girls you have Solar Red that has an excellent set of girls or why not play for one of the top U12 girls teams.

It's more of a bragging right for the kids and parents. Also, it could be that the parents are making demands that coaches will not put up with therefore you're only option is a boys team.

Its Me wrote:My issue with it is:
You're telling me that this DD is so good that she is still unchallenged when playing up a year in the Girls brackets? I wasn't really impressed with the talent to be playing in boys division. In the 00's girls you have Solar Red that has an excellent set of girls or why not play for one of the top U12 girls teams.

It's more of a bragging right for the kids and parents. Also, it could be that the parents are making demands that coaches will not put up with therefore you're only option is a girls team.

Well said!!