I asked my son if the refs check player cards. After 3 games....nada.

With the plethora of age group cheating allegations, why are player credentials not being checked?

Every tournament and league game should include player cards being checked.

Anyone have any ideas?

They have them for older kids to keep track of substitutions (D1 over 15).
I don't think that would be a resolution to anything - I don't think anyone is sneaking kids into league games.

Tournaments require Medical Releases.
Cards are primarily used for out of area tournaments, some local events like State Cup/Dallas Cup/Premier League games, require cards.

I have heard of teams sneaking in players in Summer tournaments - probably due to roster fluctuations - I don't really care if they do, but there are guest releases for that sort of thing.

If anyone registers a player with a fake birth cert, from there out, everything is 'legal' so to speak and won't be picked up unless a long lost relative is at check-in (with a grudge). The cards are only as good as the initial registration documents.

Good point.

Still, with the "prestige" afforded to CL, you would think cards would be issued and checked.

Even if they are fraudulent...

Laimport wrote:Good point.

Still, with the "prestige" afforded to CL, you would think cards would be issued and checked.

Even if they are fraudulent...

And the point of checking a card backed up with a fraudulent birth certificate (which we have no way of knowing) would be what....????

HappyFeet - I am curious - why do other leagues (Premier, PreAcad) and tournaments do this and Classic League does not? Is it a funding issue due to the number of teams and players that would need to be checked?

I understand this is an enormous task, but with the fees that are charged, I would think it would be doable.

The number one issue is the lack of any value found in that solution. Most ineligible players have documentation that backs up their "alleged" age. Tournaments usually require cards, as the incidence is greater when people think they can get away with an ineligible player for just a few games. Requiring cards alleviates the blatant (i.e. no official documentation) abusers but does not keep those with fake birth certifcates away.

I'd bet Danny Almonte's card had a valid birth date during his LLWS stint, just a guess.

Ha ha - does it show my age that I know who and what you are talking about?

clueless wrote:I'd bet Danny Almonte's card had a valid birth date during his LLWS stint, just a guess.

I know of coaches that cheat in rec soccer, and its rampant in the mexican (spanish speaking leagues if anyone gets offended)non NTSA sanctioned kid soccer leagues but is nullified because both coaches are cheating with about on average 3 kids over-age.

For Classic League I do not see the point of the Big name teams cheating, just not worth it to them. On the independent front, what is the benefit, no getting relegated to Div 2 or Div 3...what else?

What glory? I am here to improve my son's soccer skill, so most parents who's kids are cheating are there ...for what exactly ? A RINGER as a kid brings what value to a team at this age ? 11/12/13/14/15...

I would like to know the value, I am missing something....

Cards should be used and checked for CL. Won't prevent a fraudulently documented player to be caught, but it would catch a non-rostered player, assuming ref looks at the photo.

clueless wrote:I'd bet Danny Almonte's card had a valid birth date during his LLWS stint, just a guess.

LOL! The CL doesn't have the money to hire private detectives to track down every suspected ineligible player, so we'll just have to go with what we have.

happyfeet wrote:

clueless wrote:I'd bet Danny Almonte's card had a valid birth date during his LLWS stint, just a guess.

LOL! The CL doesn't have the money to hire private detectives to track down every suspected ineligible player, so we'll just have to go with what we have.

I thought it was SI reporters that busted Almonte. The interesting thing is that most of the known cheaters go on to obscurity, ala Almonte.

TxHunter wrote:HappyFeet - I am curious - why do other leagues (Premier, PreAcad) and tournaments do this and Classic League does not? Is it a funding issue due to the number of teams and players that would need to be checked?

I understand this is an enormous task, but with the fees that are charged, I would think it would be doable.

It actually is not that enormous or expensive. NMSCL does it for all U9 and up teams. The coach or player or parentput the picture on the gotsoccer roster and then prints the roster out . The first year the associations then printed cards that were presented to the refs at games. Problem is they are rarely checked but it is fairly easy to do.

Expense aside, I've neheard of or been part of any league that didn't check player cards.

In the grand scheme of things it doesn't mean that much anyway.

Even 'legal' players will sometimes be more physically mature. Hispanic kids, in general, tend to peak early physically.

Being the dominant player at U14 rarely translates into success at higher levels anyway.