I tweeted this video a few days ago but didn't get around to posting it on SBI until today.
Here's a Christmas treat for you, the most intense fans you'll ever see at a youth soccer tournament. EVER. The video comes from Poland, where Lech Poznan fans took fan support to another level (watch the whole video, guaranteed entertainment):
I think this is proof positive how “Free Beer Night” can really change the dynamic at a U-11 tournament.
Great support, wish I had something like this for my youth teams.
That was awesome. Major props to the Spurs kids, who obviously won, for going down to the Lech Poznan end and acknowledging their support.
I’m planning on sending this around to some parents so that a maybe a song could break out at our rec league games this spring.
In our little rec league we try to have at least one silent Saturday where coaches from about U9 and up and parents are not allowed to yell at the players during the game. As a coach I find it very interesting to see how much the kids know and how they react during the game without instruction or encouragement from the sideline.
Mostly it’s of great benefit for the parents who are usually the instigators of 99% of all problems in our league and a little silent PAIN for them is always a good thing.
It may not work everywhere but one game a year wouldn’t kill to many parents.
Don’t talk to me about being “civil” while spouting off about your “ugly rightwing nationalism”. You’re obviously just you’re typical liberal looking to find “ugly rightwing nationalism” everywhere you look. Speaking of being “besides the point”, you being Polish is “besides the point”. Their good fans having a good time supporting their team. You, on the other hand, are an idiot.
Cheers
I totally agree, overzealous parents can be the worst for kids trying to learn the game and have fun.
Of course there shouldn’t be a silent policy but as a kid I remember often wishing that parents would shut up. But hey, what can you do? Youth sports culture blah blah blah…
But of course this Lech Poznan situation is totally different. Great show of support for the kids and club, no matter how contrived!
I have not heard of games where the coaches have to stay silent, but I have heard that Ajax’s youth academy does not let parents cheer during games, and it is not a bad thing at all in my opinion. I played in college, and I’m currently the parent of a 6 year old and a high school and youth ref, and most of the parents do more harm than good. Why is it beneficial for another parent–even one who means well–to yell at my kid that he should hit somebody harder next time or that the ref sucks? The next time you are at a youth game, take a step back and listen to how dumb the fans are. I could do without it. On more than one occasion as a ref, I have seen kids tell their parents on the sidelines to shut up. It’s funny but sad at the same time.
Amazing. And here’s the difference between Europe and the US: I can guarantee that here in Alabama at least every single one of those fans would have been ejected from the game, and that long before the flares came out.
Thankfully they dropped the policy this year, but up until the 2010-2011 season the AYSA had a policy whereby each team was required each season to have at least one “silent game” whereby all non-players must remain silent throughout the entire game, the theory being that the players should be able to concentrate fully on communicating with each other on the field. Forget the need to learn to filter out distractions. And when I say non-players, that included coaches. Unsurprisingly, the coaches themselves – not to mention the parents paying those coaches – complained loudly every year until the dumb idea was scrapped.
Hey whoever bet on the over/under of 6 hours until some genius used this video as a platform to bash MLS, go see your bookie. It took 7 hours.
Lech does have great support from the clips I saw from the Europa League this year but isnt this way over the top? The kids are playing and learning the game and these guys are lighting flares and waving flags right behind the goal. Way too distracting for the kids playing… Had this been a polish vs polish club I may feel different but since it involves a well known team it feels way too contrived and just screams LOOK AT US LOOK AT US
Of course it’s contrived. There is no way this many supporters turn out for every U-12 match. I’m sure the supporter’s group organized it for just this one match as something cool to do for the kids.
I think it was a really nice thing to do! I wish my parents would have busted out a couple flares at my youth soccer games every now and then 😉
Very cool.
They had more people show up than the recent MLS Cup.
Dear Aristotle,
Yes. Really.
So they cheered the opposition. Lech Poznan supporters also helped in some local public works activities during recent floods. All very nice — but besides the point.
Perhaps, when you tear yourself from reading the classics, you may give some thought to the suggestion — from a Pole! — that this sort of fan culture can easily shade over into ugly rightwing nationalism.
You should consider trusting me on this. You might also consider cultivating a more generous and civil persona even in the world of the internets.
Cheers
“It is also a hop skip and a jump from the delights of thuggish ultra-nationalism?”
Really?
That seems like a pretty stupid comment considering how supportive they were of the visiting team. Not to mention the fact that they weren’t supporting Poland, they were supporting Lech Poznan.
This amazing.
It is also a hop skip and a jump from the delights of thuggish ultra-nationalism.
I wished they’d shown more of the kids playing.
as far as i know, TFC and SSFC fans have showed up to some academy games. MLS teams dont have youth squads that young though, the kids are generally in their teen years.
at first i read “this video comes from Portland” and i was like NO WAY, THIS IS AWESOME!
still awesome, but a little bummed out when i realized it wasn’t i thought it was.
Here’s another angle from U11 Cup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDpifuduiJ8
This video made me even more proud to be part Polish!!!! Does seem contrived, but still they showed up!!
The songs were great. And the kids looked pretty skilled for 11 year olds — especially the Spurs lads. But, these are 11 year olds. I think it’s seriously f*d up.
wouldn’t it seem more contrived if there WERE other people there??? the point is that they are there supporting the club, and the behavior of the supporters is for the club and the supporters themselves
i love it, it’s just too bad that MLS poo-poo’s this sort of thing and is more interested in controlling supporters groups and having some sort of sterile atmosphere
I was relieved to see the fans cheering both teams after the game. When the flares first went up I was worried that maybe they would burn one of their fans (or the Spurs players) as an offering to the Lech Poznan Soccer Gods.
That’s embarrassing crazy!
Or doing work around the house… I’m getting my wife some flares.
Some of these eastern european countries have really intense fans. Turkish fans are incredible. I watched a video of Fenerbahce fans and it was crazy.
amazing i wonder if that same fan base would help in every situation of life. imagine being in a meeting and having that many people chanting and then lighting a flare.
wow…just wow…great support..but wow..lol..Merry Christmas everybody!
ROFLMAO! Watched the whole thing like Ives said. I was like, hmmmm thats a lot of fans, then, hmmm they are chanting….next thing you know they roll out the flags, then the flares, and it get nuts!
I wonder if that is that a youth team for a pro team? I ask because I wonder if the pro teams supporter section showed up for the game? Pretty cool. I wonder if MLS supporter teams would ever get to a point where they cheer on their local youth teams for tournaments, even if i doesnt get this crazy.
My dad only brought orange wedges…
btw, the songs are fantastic.
seems a bit contrived considering there’s no one else there. Great stuff nonetheless, but I wonder if every u12 get together is like this…