FA bans all U8 leagues and competetive competitions!

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BBC NEWS | UK | Football leagues ban for under-8s

I agree 100% with this, although I do hope that this doesn't affect summer tournaments which are great fun. But running league tables and playing for results every week rather than developing players technque is one of our biggest problems in the UK.

It might also lead to improved spectator behaviour when the results don't matter!

I think U9, or even U10, is the right age to start playing in leagues.

[Jerzy]

I agree with the banning of leagues/standings etc. Really, leagues only make parents feel good. Kids don't care.

There's an anecdote floating around American circles about the parents who watch their kid playing Monopoly cheering: buy the hotel, the hotel!!! Oh no, not just a house, you were supposed to get a hotel, dammit.!!!

What is it about our kids playing sports that makes us want to cheer? My son is learning to play the piano. When he's done with a recital, I just clap and go tell him I'm proud of him. When he plays soccer, I'm calling out encouragent, where he ought to be lining up, etc.

One question, though, can the FA do this, on a practical matter? Here in the states, there's just too many leagues/states/etc to be able to to do this. My state, Maryland, has declared that all under 12 play will be small sided (either 8v8 or 9v9), but the Washington DC beltway league is stronger than the Maryland state organization and they still ran a U12 11v11 league (though their U11 league was 9v9). Talking to Val, I know he's in Maryland, but the league he played in was in Delaware, so his league team was different than his tournament teams, which I understand caused some problems...