Some coaches say that the 8 and 9 year-old players are beginning to "turn the corner" and starting to look like real soccer players. However, games are still frantically paced and unpredictable for the most part. These players are starting to find out how much fun it is to play the game skillfully, but they will still stop and laugh if the referee gets hit in the backside with the ball during a game. Some other things that we can expect when working with this aged player are:

• They will really beat up on each other during practice... especially boy's teams.
• During a game, the parents will scream out "HAND BALL" or "COME ON REF, CALL IT BOTH WAYS" at least fifteen times.
• They might cry after the game if they loose, but will forget it if you ask them if you want to go out for burgers and fries.
• You might actually catch them practicing on their own without you telling them to do so.
• Their parents are telling them to do one thing during the game, you are telling them another thing, but what they end up doing might be what their friend is telling them to do.
• You will see a pass that is deliberate. You might even see a "back pass".
• You will see your first $100 pair of cleats during practice. They will call the other team bad names... really bad names.