Women's soccer 101

[Reb UT '70]

One of the endless debates is why don't women's sports have more of an audience. My answer generally is that they're not a much fun to watch. The men are stronger, faster, and generally more everything. It's why men don't play women in much besides fencing.

I can't think of a sport where this is more apparent that in soccer. The rules are the same, the field is the same, but the speed and strength of men is so much greater that they play is totally different.

For example any D2 college man player can send an accurate pass the width of the widest fields (75 yd.) There are women who can do it but you'd count them on your fingers and toes. Second a pass sent 25 or 30 yards from its target is still playable in a men's game. The speed and quickness allows them to get into play from those distances. I don't know of any women who can do that.

The result of these and other differences it to change some of the basic play of the game. Women do send through balls all the time, but they have to work the ball into position first. That means that you'll seem more dribbling and footwork in a women's game than in a man's. You will also see more of what is called the 'short passing game' because they can't play the long passing game.

For many people watching the women play is more fun because they use more of the basic skills and put on more a 'show' with their footwork. The women are just as aggressive, and anyone who watches a women's game will understand that this is a full contact sport. However they generally don't have as many cards as men do, I think that has to do with a generally sneaker nature. I remember that it was always the girls who started the trouble in grade school and it was always the boys who got caught!

Just some thoughts from someone who can't wait for the season.

[meanrob]

I admit I usually don't like women's sports. You couldn't pay me to watch a WNBA game. I go to quite a few NT women's basketball games but that's more because Slinker and her team deserve our support more than enjoyment of the game.

I have a blast at NT ladies soccer games. They need a better facility but there is something fun about everybody just standing on the sidelines watching the game. Unfortunately I didn't get to many games last year but I'll be at plenty this year.

The speed of play is a lot slower and you are right there are no long passes. There's something awesome about a ball just blasted at the goal but that rarely happens in the women's game.

We played BYU a couple of years ago at home and lost 4-3 in overtime but they needed a MASH unit to pick up all the players after that game. It really is a physical game.

[CAV]

Hey Rob, The athletic gap starts early. I have coached both girls and boys soccer teams for the last 4-5 years and you notice the difference between the sexes very early on.

I have coached my oldest daughter who is 10, where she has played up in the under 12 division for the last 2 years, and I have coached my son who is 7.

I have seen 7-8 year old boys play harder, run faster, and make incredible plays on the field. With the girls they play hard, play as a team and don't give up but you don't see (except in a very few players) the great athletic plays like you do when watching a boys game. The boys I coach are 3-4 years younger than the girls and their athletic ability on average is better.

This post is not meant to slam the girls, but to make the point that even at an early age the gap in even noticeable.

[Reb UT '70]

I wanted to buy into "the only difference in boys and girls before puberty is cultural" and that's just not true. At least that's my observation, and I think that whole thing was silly. Girls and boys are different, and different doesn't have to be a better/worse thing.

That's one reason I think that women's pro soccer seems to be doing pretty well, it's not just little girls who want to be Mia Hamm, it's that the game is different enough that you see totally different styles, and people like to watch it.

Certainly the college coaches treat them differently. If you are going to coach girls you might want to get a copy of Anson Dorrance's book on coaching girls. It's very insightful, and I'll stack his personal record up against anyone in any sport. He's starting his 23rd year and his teams have been in every NCAA final since they started, and they've only lost 3 or 4.

[NT80]

I think culture and training is creating a different kind of athlete, male and female. In the early 1980's college football linemen averaged 6-2, 240-250lbs and anyone around 300 was just fat, not in shape. Today 300lb in-shape linemen are common, and they are taller by a couple inches too.

Women athletes also have progressed greatly in the last couple decades. I imagine today's college women soccer players could run circles around the ones from the 70's and 80's. Women 10 years from now will be even more athletic.