SOCCER SCUTTTLEBUTT: 

WOMEN'S SOCCER NEWS AND VIEWS, BITS AND PIECES

The word "Scuttlebutt" originates from reference to a keg of water on board ship, around which sailors would gossip. Hence it has come to mean gossip, rumour or idle chatter. News coverage of the women's international soccer scene has grown and ranges from fan views on soccer forums to newspaper reports to press releases and articles. These Scuttlebutt pages," give a quick overview of the gossip, trends, changes and ideas that are out there.

The ideas and reports written here no way reflect Rhian's opinions and thoughts. They are merely stories found on the web and the world's press; some may be true, some may be idle chatter. 

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3rd January 2012

2012 PROHIBITED LIST NOW IN EFFECT (CCES)
The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) would like to remind the Canadian sport community that changes to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List came into effect on January 1, 2012. A November advisory note summarized the changes to the list of banned substances and methods (www.cces.ca/en/advisories-38).
http://www.cces.ca/en/advisories-39-2012-prohibited-list-now-in-effect

1st September 2011

"NICE TRY AND FAILURE" Globe and Mail

 On an Ottawa soccer field in late June, Lothar Wulf was watching his son’s competitive team lose badly. With few exceptions, they weren’t exactly hustling. On the sidelines, the parents tried to be encouraging. “Good try,” a few shouted when yet another scoring opportunity passed by. Finally, Mr. Wulf threw up his hands: Enough with the “nice tries,” he said. Why can’t parents be more honest with their kids? Better to be realistic and tell them: “Try harder.”

How many parents, though, are willing to do that? From the soccer field to the homework table, many parents, seeking to build self-esteem, are piling on the praise. With all the worry about rising anxiety and stress in kids, it’s easy to see why so many resort to the loving “good try” lie.

But are all these compliments constructive? And do they really make kids happy?

Topping out the parenting praise meter may not be the best move, according to parenting experts. Parents probably wouldn’t be so obsessed with praising their kids if they weren’t so terrified their children might actually be – dare we say it? – average, says psychologist Wendy Mogel. Much of our praise is really about our own expectations and wish fulfilment, suggests Dr. Mogel, author of The Blessings of a B-minus, and The Blessing of A Skinned Knee. Every child is gifted, or soon to emerge as gifted, or hampered by a learning disability that hides their giftedness from the teacher, who just doesn’t understand them, she notes. So every crayon mark is simply “extra-ordinary, honey!” (Otherwise, tragically, it would just be ordinary.)

To help parents regain a healthier perspective, Elona Hartjes often asks them this question: “Do your kids flush the toilet?” (The usual answer is no) “We are so busy worshipping at the altar of their achievements that we are letting them off the hook on everything else.” Is failing really so scary? Being less-than-amazing at an activity can teach resilience and perseverance, a more accurate assessment of what’s needed to be better, and help shape interests and identify talents.

The kids aren’t fooled anyway, she points out. They know when praise is platitude, she says, and when their success is undermined by a rescue from mom. False praise can also be interpreted as “this is the best my parents think I can do.” “Our society is so much ‘good try, good try, good try,’ ” Ms. Hartjes says. “But I don’t think kids are always trying, because they have learned they don’t have to.”

23 June 2011

DIFFERENCES IN MEN'S AND WOMEN'S SOCCER

by AFP Marika Domanski-Lyfors

The author believes that “As you get higher into the elite category, there are nearly no differences in terms of attitude from the players." "They know what is needed to become an elite athlete and so their attitude is very professional. In some areas I would say that female players can sometimes be too serious. Occasionally it is good to relax and just enjoy the moment.

"Another thing is that women always seem to want to know why they are being asked to do something, while men just get on with it. That’s not to say one attitude is better than the other - sometimes it is good just to act and not overthink, and at other times it is good to ask.

"Emotionally I think that you can find as many differences from one man to another, or from one woman to another, as there are between men and women in general. What’s important is to get to know the players you are working with. After that you can ascertain their strengths and find a way of playing that suits the type of players you have.

"Obviously there are physical differences between men and women. There are differences of strength, which you see in particular when it comes to tackling. Speed is a difference too, but there is not so much difference in the relative changes of speed."

"Theoretically, this means female players should not have any problem dictating the speed of matches in the same way as the men do. But in practice, my own experience has shown that this is still a problem for many women’s teams. Germany are a notable exception - I think they are the best women’s team in the world in this aspect.

"When it comes to tactical understanding, I think male and female players are pretty even off the field, but when it comes to making decisions in the middle of a game, the men still seem to have the edge. Technically, I think there are many top women players who are just as skilful as the men. But there are more players with those good technical abilities in the men’s game, which is why it’s perceived – wrongly – that men are naturally more gifted at football.

"I think that you see the on-field scenarios more clearly in the women’s game because there is less tackling than in the men’s version. Clearly you can enjoy both: appreciating the men’s matches with their high levels of intensity and good technical skills, and the women’s matches with technical and tactical skills that you can recognise more clearly.”

Women are far more receptive to coaching.

Carolina Morace, the former international striker told FIFA World that, in her experience, the variations between national footballing cultures are often more pronounced than the differences between male and female players. “I found much bigger variations between Italian women and Canadian women than I found between men and women in the same country," she said. "For example, in Italy, the women players are speaking all the time, whereas the Canadians hardly ever do. When I first came to Canada, we explained to the players the importance of nutrition and a properly thought-out training regime. They had to learn that a rest day is in fact a necessary component of training, that it is about quality rather than quantity. Over here, a lot of the players still labour under the misconception that more is better - it is very much part of the mentality that exists on this side of the world.

"One clear difference that does exist between male and female players across the world is that the males usually start to play football in a serious way much earlier than the females. Even at the age of four or five, boys are often attending football schools and learning the technical and tactical aspects of the game. They are therefore much more prepared than women for the demands of the elite game. "Men are also faster, of course, and you can see in men’s matches that they have a much higher rate of ball possession. Their running is also more rational because they have that much more experience in the game.

Hope Powell, the English coach says “Off the field, there is definitely more of a family atmosphere in women’s football, and women are also far more receptive to coaching. They recognise that they can always learn more, while men tend to think initially that they already know it all - it takes them a little bit more time to realise that they don't!  "I think men also show very little emotion in training, perhaps because they would see that as a sign of weakness. Women can go too far the other way, being too sensitive at times and often taking things personally.

Tom Sermanni of Australia says that for him, "the key differences concern communication, team focus and self-responsibility. As far as communication is concerned, the manner, content and frequency with which a coach speaks to the team plays a much bigger role in the women’s game. Female players want feedback on a regular basis. They especially want information in relation to performance; areas in need of improvement and reinforcement on the positive aspects of their game. They also require reassurance at times when confidence is low. Female players will be more inclined to dwell on their weaknesses, while male players will confidently expound upon their strengths - even if these are only perceived.

"In terms of team focus, women tend to be more team-orientated and supportive of the team as a whole, whereas male players are primarily concerned about their own performances. In the right environment there is a far greater degree of genuine loyalty among female athletes. "I would say that many of the elite female players also take on more self-responsibility than their male counterparts, perhaps because they are not usually full-time professionals or, even if they are, they are still only modestly paid. This means they have to juggle their other commitments outside of football, so they are often more responsible, with better organisational skills.

"Aside from those differences, however, there is little separating the men’s and women’s game. In relation to on field physical, tactical and technical requirements, I don’t alter my demands or expectations depending upon the gender of my players. The expectations these days for elite female players are no different to male professional players. In fact the lack of financial rewards in women’s football tends to produce an attitude that, ironically, can often be more professional.

"Overall I believe that the quality and entertainment value displayed in the women’s game has brought great credibility and acceptance of the sport among the whole football community.

10th June 2011

TOBACCO PRODUCTS MAY CONTAIN METHYLHEXANEAMINE

9th March 2011

BATTLES CONTINUE FOR WOMEN IN SPORT

From John MacKinnon, Postmedia News ·

Marking the centennial of International Women's Day, some sports heavyweights from the International Olympic Committee to soccer czar Sepp Blatter, voiced laudable support for women's place in sport. "We have always believed that the future of football is feminine," said Blatter who, as president of FIFA, his sport's governing body, has gained notoriety for serial political incorrectness rather than for championing women's rights. Still, the future of women's soccer in Canada certainly seems bright, what with the women's World Cup coming to Canada in 2015, and the 2014 under-20 women's World Cup coming, too, as a test event for the big show one year later.

That happy announcement, though, came in the wake of a nasty squabble (now partially resolved) between Canada's national women's team and the Canadian Soccer Association over players' compensation and the future of head coach Carolina Morace.

"We're still seeing only between 25-28% of board members of national or multisports organizations who are women. "That would be skewed in the sense that some boards [CAAWS, for example] are all women, and there a few sports that have no women [directors]. In that area, the culture hasn't changed a ton." So, for example, the CSA has an six-man executive board, and just one of their 11 directors is female.

Lofstrom says sports organizations, from the community level on up, need to develop female coaches, officials and administrators. "That idea that we're seeing from the corporate world is that the big businesses that are doing well are the ones with the most diverse boards, not only women, but diversity in ethnicity and age and all those [categories] to get more vibrant discussions," Lofstrom said. "In sport, it isn't [happening]."

7th December 2010 

ALCOHOL AND ATHLETES (American Athletic Institute)

Traditionally many athletes consume alcohol after games or competitions to relax and celebrate. What they may not know is that alcohol can negatively affect physical and mental performance.

Alcohol affects all major body systems. Here’s how alcohol can negatively affect your body, and your ability to perform at your personal best.

1.) Alcohol can impair athletic performance*

 ·  Reduces performance potential by up to 11% in elite athletes and       perhaps by as much as 15-30% in high school athletes.

·    Impairs the athlete’s reaction time for up to 12 hours after consumption.

·   Delays exercise recovery. Alcohol impairs blood glucose for up to 36 hours, which affects  energy production and optimum physical/mental performance.

·   Decreases protein synthesis for repair of muscle tissue during post-exercise and recovery

·   Reduces HGH release up to 70% during sleeping hours when (normal) release is at peak levels – negating the ability to efficiently build/maintain muscle mass.

·   Greatly increases release of stress hormone cortisol – negating the training effect.

·   Depresses immune system. Statistics show athletes who “drink” get sick more often.

·   “Drinkers” are twice as likely to become injured as non-drinkers.

·    Heavy episodic drinking (binge drinking) results in projected losses of up to 14 days of training effect.

2.) Did you know?

Contrary to popular belief alcohol is mot a stimulant, but CNS depressant. Alcohol works against the athlete in coping with stress of training and competition. If you are already depressed, drinking more alcohol may be a real downer.

·   It takes 1 hour to metabolize 1 regular alcoholic drink: 12 oz beer, 4 oz wine, 1.5 oz distilled spirits (gin, vodka, rum, whiskey) (1 oz = 30 ml)

·   Drinking “doubles” affects you sooner and lasts longer due to alcohol metabolizing at a fixed rate by the liver.

·   “Holding your alcohol” is not a sign of maturity and could be a sign of dependency.

·   Carbonated alcoholic drinks may speed intoxication as they pass through the stomach to the intestine faster when alcohol is absorbed.

·   Black coffee or a cold shower will not sober you up or improve your judgment skills.

·   Eating special foods or taking vitamins will not reduce the severity of a hangover. The main symptoms of a hangover are due to dehydration.

·   Energy drinks with caffeine (e.g. Red Bull) when combined with alcohol are potentially dangerous, increasing athlete’s risk of injury, especially when driving.

·   Excess alcohol (7 kcal per gram) can increase body weight and will delay the use of fat as a metabolic fuel during exercise.

3.) Nutrition Tips

·   Athletes should always hydrate with water, sport drinks, juices and/or milk post-exercise to fully hydrate before consuming any alcohol.

·   Assure adequate carbohydrates, a major source of B vitamins, for post-exercise recovery.

·   Serious athletes in training say “NO” to alcohol.

4.) Alcohol and Weight

Want to get rid of that “Beer belly”? To lose one lb/wk (3500 Kcal) you need to decrease 500 Kcal/day. Cutting out three beers/day = 450 kcal. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, almost as much as fat (9 calories per gram).

5.) Canadian Recommendations

If you consume > 7-14 drinks/week (i.e. > 2 drinks/day) then you are exceeding the recommendations of Canadian Physicians:

Men: no more than 2 units/day   Women: 1 unit/day or less

1 unit = 10 oz can beer, 4 oz. wine, 1.5 oz distilled spirits (gin, rum, whiskey, vodka) ATHLETES AND ALCOHOL DON’T MIX!

6th December 2010

● Kids Not Getting Enough Exercise at Sports Practice (CBC)

More than 75 per cent of children in organized sports such as baseball or soccer do not reach the U.S. government's recommended amount of physical activity during their practices, a study suggests.

National guidelines recommend that children and teens perform 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day, but fewer than half of children and 10 per cent of teens meet these guidelines.

 Players spent an average of 30 minutes being inactive during each practice, researchers found. Overall, only 24 per cent of participants met the 60-minute physical activity recommendation during practice, with rates differing by sport and age group.

"Based on current findings, it appears that youth sports practices are making a less-than-optimal contribution to the public health goals of increasing physical activity and preventing childhood obesity."

Fewer than two per cent of girl softball players reached the guideline. The players spent an average of 30 minutes being inactive during each practice, which ranged in length from 40 to 130 minutes for soccer and 35 to 217 minutes for baseball or softball.

During soccer practices, the participants gained 44 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity compared with 41 minutes for baseball and softball practices. Girls got less of this type of physical activity than boys during sports practices.

The researchers suggested ways to increase physical activity during practices, including:

·    Emphasizing participation over competition.

·    Sponsoring teams for all skill levels across all ages.

·    Ensuring access by lower-income youth with sliding scales for fees.

·    Increasing practice frequency.

·    Extending short seasons.

Canada recommends children age 1 to 5 get at least two hours a day — through play, games, recreation and active transportation like cycling. For children older than five, it's 90 minutes a day.

5th December 2010

● Swedish Football Questions Impact of Active Recovery Training

Swedish Football Association physiologist Helena Andersson concludes that active recovery training has "neither a positive nor a negative impact on the efficiency of recovery."   She has shown that active recovery training between games does not have any significant physiological benefits for elite female players.

The study was conducted on women from two elite teams who played two 90-minute games, 72 hours apart. Between the matches, one group performed active recovery training while the other group rested. Tests were carried out throughout the process and the players' physiological markers were analyzed.

"Contrary to my initial belief, we could not identify differences between the groups," said Andersson. "The active recovery training had neither a positive nor a negative impact on the efficiency of recovery. "Of course it should not be underestimated that players like some physical activity after games. It's possible that other measurements than those we used could prove benefits. But the fact is there is as yet limited research to show that active recovery really does have an effect."

 19th October 2010

 SPECIALIZING IN SPORTS WHEN YOUNG, CAN  PUT KIDS AT RISK

From an article by Yvonne Zacharias, Province