“The system we had before wasnt perfect but it worked. http://www.francenationalshop.com/Nabil-Fekir-France-Jersey/ .” So says the president of London United Soccer Club in a recent London Free Press article discussing why the Henderson Memorial tournament – a youth soccer tournament that has taken place in London, Ontario over the Labour Day weekend for the past 36 years – is being scrapped. In the article, the president of London United blames the demise of his tournament on the Ontario Soccer Association and the Canadian Soccer Association for the implementation of Long-Term Player Development (LTPD), suggesting, amongst other things, that kids are leaving soccer because there is no trophy for them to win. He suggests that kids are saying, “Im not going out just to kick a ball around. I want to be somewhere where its competitive and at the end of the day have something to show for it.” Rather than take his word for what ‘the kids are saying, shouldnt we go directly to the kids to hear what they have to say for themselves? That is what the Ontario Soccer Association did recently, when it conducted a Grassroots Player Survey across the province. Bobby Lennox, the Manager of Grassroots Soccer Development, travelled the province to sit down with players and find out why they play the game, why its important to them and what role they want adults to play in their soccer experience. Here is what the kids had to say when asked what was important to them about soccer: Playing well, learning new skills, playing fairly, being with friends and having fun playing soccer all rank ahead of winning trophies. If the president of London United is to be believed, surely winning trophies should be the overwhelming response as to what is important to kids, shouldnt it? When asked what role adults should play in youth soccer, here is what the kids had to say: Again, note the heavy emphasis on having fun, learning skills and improving, as well as the aversion kids have to being told what to do and being yelled at during games. Far too often winning trophies is more important to the parents than it is to the kids. Inexplicably, many reasonable, intelligent, well-intentioned adults simply lose control of themselves when they get involved in youth soccer, compromising the experience for their children along the way. The president of London United is misguided and misinformed. Not only does he not understand that LTPD creates a better soccer experience for more young players by relieving the pressure to win on players below the age of 12, he also confuses the cost of LTPD with the cost of the Ontario Player Development League (OPDL) – a high performance youth soccer league that was launched in 2014 for elite soccer players in Ontario. If the president of a soccer club cant be bothered to get his facts straight, what chance do the members of his club have of being well-informed? Canadian soccer needs sweeping change. Canadas mens national team currently ranks 118th in the FIFA world rankings - a shocking indictment on our collective ability to develop players over the years. Change needs to happen at many levels, but it starts by having intelligent, well-informed leaders in key positions, rather than people who want to bury their heads in the sand so they can maintain the status quo. http://www.francenationalshop.com/Moussa-Sissoko-France-Jersey/ . The team reported the signing on its website Thursday, but said Friday the deal was off in "a mutual parting of the ways that had to do with the language of the contract. http://www.francenationalshop.com/Morgan-Schneiderlin-France-Jersey/. - Aaron Rodgers makes tough throws that can leave fans of the Green Bay Packers speechless.In his first official practice round at Augusta National, Graham DeLaet got in a great cram session, playing 18 holes alongside Mike Weir. As they walked off the first tee, Weir opened his book of course knowledge to his fellow Canadian, telling him to ask him about anything and everything. For the next four hours, the two talked about the humps and bumps and hills and swales of the famed course, with DeLaet trying to drink in as much information as he could ahead of Thursdays opening round. "It was nice to have Mike kind of showing me around," said DeLaet. "He was giving me guidance on a few things that other players had given him, guys like Jack (Nicklaus) and Freddy (Couples) and stuff along the way. Thats one of the cool things out here that guys kind of pass things along. You go to a regular tournament and guys kind of keep things secretive. But for whatever reason, out here you just kind of pass the torch along. Any time I asked, he was more than happy to point out a few things along the way I wouldnt have known about." And few people know the course better than Mike Weir, who is making his 15th start here this week. However, the 2003 champion cautioned DeLaet that many of his references were specific for his game, not the long-bombing power style that the Weyburn, Sask., native plays. "I wasnt overloading him because our games are so different," said Weir, who thrilled fans by jarring in his tee shot on the 16th hole during the round. "He has more power, hhitting shorter irons into greens, while Im probably playing more for position. http://www.francenationalshop.com/Maxime-Gonalons-France-Jersey/. . He can be more aggressive. I told him to be mindful of that. Im telling him out how I play it because Im back there hitting a four-iron." For DeLaet, the chance to play at Augusta National with Weir was more than an exercise in local knowledge, it was also the chance to play with one of his golfing idols. In 2007, when he teed it up in the Canadian Open for the first time, DeLaet managed to get his picture taken with the lefthanded star. Its a picture he keeps hanging on his wall at home to this day. "He was the guy I looked to when I was a kid," admitted DeLaet. "Now I call him my friend. Going around here, the respect he gets from the crowd – and rightfully so – is pretty cool." Now DeLaet has to take all the information and put it to use. His caddy, Julien Trudeau – who also raved about the details Weir passed on – said he and his boss will sit down and formulate a game plan for their opening round. That game plan will also try to take into account the butterflies that will undoubtedly be in DeLaets stomach when he gets set to start his first Masters. "I know that Im going to be nervous, Im nervous at the Byron Nelson tournament," he stated. "I do have a couple of majors under my belt now which is going to help a little bit but I dont know exactly what Im going to feel like on (the first tee) on Thursday but Im looking forward to it." Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
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