"SportsFan" obviously isn't.

unclehomerr..

Ever watch college football? That's how they retain their top ranking - blow out as many teams as possible(USC, Texas, Oklahoma or any top 10 team that had the opportunity). How many top 10 teams did we see blow out their opponent by 40+ points in 2008. Kept their starters in until well into the fourth quarter...

That may not be considered "sportsmanship" to some, but that's life in the top rankings...

A 9-0 win in soccer is like a 80-0 game in football. I understand the runup to keep your ranking, but enough is enough.

Ashley Amos has 6 goals for Foothill, not 5. Amador was ranked 26th in the country. It's not as if Foothill beat up on a week team.

SportsFan, I agree with you completely. Rest assured, there are many coaches in this area that would not run up a score like that. I know, because I'm a coach and I wouldn't do it. I know many other coaches who feel the same way I do. I read a story online yesterday about a girls high school basketball team in Texas that ran up a 100-0 score. No excuse.

Jerry, this isn't Big Time college football. By the way, what is it we always tell our kids? ... Just because someone else is doing something doesn't make it right. To coach well is more so much more than winning - leadership, discipline, sportsmanship still count!

Coach- thank you. I was concerned I was the only one appalled by this. Your take on what constitutes good coaching was spot on - could not have put it better.

Give me a break. Go look at the Amador Web Page under the Boys and Girls, Varsity and JV Soccer teams. Over the last 3 years there are countless 5-0, 7-0, and yes, 9-0 Amador victories. Foothill isn't playing for a "National Championship", they're just very good and probably wanted to stay sharp for Monte Vista tonite who has played them close twice and has scored the only goal on Foothill this year. Get over it.

The better question here is, how is it, that an Amador team with a fair amount of talent, gets beat 9-0?

No team with any pride and talent would get beat like that, unless they quit on the field, plain and simple. The problems with Amador start at the top with the head coach.

That team has too much going for it to go 0-3-1 over it's last four games. There needs to be a coaching change, but that's not going to happen when the Principal is also the head coach.

The Amador people need to stop their whining and take a look in the mirror. If you do, you're going to see an ugly situation staring you back in the face.

Amador has gone from being in the top 20 in the nation to no better than the sixth best team in their own league.

say what you want...AV quit, or FH just wanted to keep scoring.

Did FH leave their starters in the game way beyond the point that their lead was insurmountable? Yes is the answer. Only their coach can answer why.

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Web Link

It seems clear to me that Foothill was running up the score, BIG TIME. Perhaps huge margins are par for the course in this sport, which doesn't surprise me, since soccer is now viewed as a year-around sport.

I don't know what the Foothill coach was thinking, but I can certainly guess. #1 ranked in the nation - want to keep that ranking - want to give my girls tremendouse exposure in the college recruiting market (I've been told that at least 10 Foothill players will be playing at Division 1 colleges next year [this is the highest level of competition]) - The coach will get recognition if he/she continues to be successful this season. Perhaps the coach aspires to coach at the college level - many colleges will probably be interested in this coach if the team continues to be successful.

All this said, I think the wiser path would have been to pull the starters with 25% of the time left in the match, in order to give the second team some valuable playing time (it always helps with parent-politics!) and it eliminates the chance of the starters getting injured.

If the Amador Valley team has run up scores like this in the past, then shame on them too. National rankings and willfull pride fuel this sort of behavior.

Note the twisted thinking of the writer that says the head coach at Amador Valley - the principal of the school- needs to be replaced after having a rough patch in the season. This writer's perspective is completely screwed up.

Play with class!

Foothill did ease up. Their last goal was scored with 20 minutes left. (22% of the match)

All of this crying is shameful. You people want to live in some imaginary wonderland where everyone holds hands and sings church songs together. Those girls have spend countless hours training and learning to condition their bodies to compete at a high level...BOTH TEAMS. If one team 'put it on' the other team like that, then the losing team should hold their heads high (the ones who didn't quit during the game) and learn from it. Why should student athletes or a coach be vilified for doing their job. The coach had those girls fully motivated and ready to put on a show for the community. Those girls have to keep their grades up and keep in good standings with their parents and teachers to be able to play. They sacrifice alot to play...and when they play...they want to try their best. So, if ones teams "best" was better than the other teams, then why make villians out of them? I'm proud of them, and the coach for being fully prepared.
After this amazing season is over, and most of the girls get free rides to colleges across the country and they get started on LIFE... ask them if they think they should have "taken it easy" on a RIVAL. This season is what most student athletes dream of... and you guys are ruining it for them with your "fairy tale" world you expect. I'm also curious if they out scored an out of town school, either Dublin or Livermore, would their be so many sour grapes? Or did you guys expect them to play half speed because we are "neighbors?"...

Realsportsfan - no argument with the girls playing their hardest and getting the most out of their training. They deserve to perform at a high level. But good sportsmanship transcends this. A 9-0 trouncing of any team is not necessary, even against your cross-town rival. Did the coach empty his bench and let his 2nd team get to enjoy the victory also? The box score showed the player with 6 goals getting her last goal in the 67th minute. I guess it was important to get her 2nd hat trick.

Oh, I wasn't refering to a rough patch this season for the Amador coach, but rather say the last few years. It wasn't that long ago Amador was not allowed into postseason play because the coach scheduled too many games. He's made countless mistakes over the course of his tenure as the AV coach and should step away...

I have to agree with realsportsfan. The Amador players are not whining, it's the parents. Also the article on the Amador website notes that most of the goals came off "Set Pieces". Set pieces can be avoided by limiting your fouls and not kicking the ball over your own endline.

Yes, this was certainly a blow out. Yes, Foothill ' could ' have put in thier subs earlier. Coach's decision, and he must have had his reasons, of which no one writing these comments knows. Always easy to second guess. One writer suggested Foothill stand down when the lead was ' insurmountable ', in other words, to pass the ball around. Foothill HAS had to do this already this year. Looks real bad. Tell me what is worse, getting beat bad, by the #1 team in the nation, or having that same team take a big early lead, then pass the ball around the field for 75% of the game, like a game of ' keep away ' that big kids do to little kids ? Have you ever witnessed that happening ? ( I have ) Foothill did Amador a favor playing all out and not letting up. Do you know how humiliating that would have been to the Amador Girls if Foothill did that to them ? And Foothill did put their subs in, all played (including the girl who was thrown against the Amador bench). Let's face it, this was a College level team ( most have scholarships locked up) playing a High School level team. What did you think was going to happen ? So don't complain when it does. Just work to get better.

Amador claims that Foothill did not empty their bench. Foothill did empty their bench and a sophmore midfielder was pushed by an Amador defender into the Amador bench which broke her foot. Sounds like unsportsmanlike conduct to me. Amador fans are just looking for excuses for poor performance.

These are two highly competitive teams and cross town rivals. In this game, the Amador coach failed to adjust and put his team in a defensive mode, which others teams have done effectively to keep the score low. It appears that Amador wanted to be the first team in league to score a goal on Foothill.

The bottom line, these are rivals and foothill wants to keep their national ranking. If things were reversed, do you really think Amador would have done anything differently?

As usual the Pleasanton parents know best. No matter what your take is on this game, the fact is that if you took both coaches out of the picture and just let the kids play, the score would have been the same. Wake Up!! This is life. Do we not want to prepare our kids for the real world. This Foothill team is just better than Amador. There is always someone out there better than you. I have raised both my kids in this town, both playing high level sports, and I have always told them if they don't like getting beat, then work harder!!!!!!! Don't we have more important things to be talking about.

Quite apart from the discussion on (lack of) sportmanship the key thing for all concerned Amador girls soccer fans is to say enough is enough with the coaching. Pleasanton is full of experienced soccer coaches who would be only too pleased to take over varisty, I am sure and, for the avoidance of doubt, the current Amador situation is an embarrassment and anyone who saw the game this week would have looked at the coaching with a mixture of humor and frustration. It is that bad. Shame on you Coupe for letting it go this far.

Now that a few people in a row came to Foothills defense...watch all of the folks complaining earlier just disappear. Where are you at COACH? Even the guy who started his thread will probably run out of reasons to cry about this game.

Foothill's "subs" would have done the same thing. Dons can work hard and still get beat! Overall better team, better school, better players!

I laugh at all the postings and am appaulled by all the Amador sour grapes. I am an Amador parent and the score of the game could of been much different have all off you parents on Amador took a stand on your poor coaching.Take a stand and get rid of your lame coach. But that would take effort and make you take a look at your own program instead of blaming Foothill for beating you so badly. You have talent if I don't say 3 National pool players. You have plenty of division 1 players if they see the Varsity team before Junior year let alone, starting line up. Quit your whining about Foothill, stand up for your kids and clean up your own mess of a team. Leave Foothill alone. They seem to be the one team in the league doing things right. As the kids would say. Why Hate?

Let's get a parcel tax going to fund the Amador team.

I'm back (busy coaching and breaking down game film). If in fact the Foothill team used their second team at a reasonable point in the match, say, by the 75% mark, then I have no issue with the score.

Dons Throw Their Hats in the Ring, Pepper Newark Memorial 7-0






This is from the Amador web site. I guess if Amador peppers someone else it is OK. If it is Foothill peppering Amador it is unsportsmanlike conduct! Give me a break. I have kids that have played for both schools and both soccer coaches, and the bottom line is that Foothill just wanted it more. Foothill coach emptied his bench and made sure all girls played. When we were Amador parents, I remember games that Amador never put in a sub the entire game, the coach was just after the win. This is High school not pre-school. The kids that play at this level are serious competitors. Foothill could have passed the ball around the whole second half and made Amador chase them for the ball to keep the score down, but how humiliating would that have been. Either way the result is the same. You win some, you lose some it is all about being part of the game. When you lose bad, then that is a sign that you need to work harder to achieve your goal, not whine and degrade the team that beat you.

Amador fans and parents need wake up to the facts. The real problem is the Amador coach (principal) Bill Coupe. Many of the rage players go to Foothill to play soccer because Bill Coupe is the Amador coach. Some of the present players on Foothill's starting sqaud have siblings at Amador. One lives 2 blocks from Amador. There are a few good professional rage coaches that are ready and willing to take over the high school program at Amador. The foothill girls program is far ahead of Amador's. Amador girls and parents deserve a good coach that will work with the local club, not against it like Bill Coupe does, to help develope their daughters soccer skills. All these girls have grown up in the Rage club and learned how to play good soccer, ball control, passing , multipal formations and much more. Amador's present coahing staff is not up to this task. Amador's current team as well as past teams have had plenty of talented players. Their teams are very successful outside the EBAL. If they want to keep up in the EBAL,( one of the strongest leagues in the country) they need to hire a new head coach.




Sad but true. Good luck to all the local kids!!!!

I think that when the kids are very young all the touchy-feely talk is appropriate. You know, the ol' "it doesn't matter if you win or lose", "as long as you had fun...", etc. As the kids get older though, that message loses its appropriateness in my view. In life, do you really not want them to care about achieving or failing? Do you really want the point of life to simply be "have fun"? While I agree that being way ahead in a game is a wonderful opportunity to allow the 2nd string their chance (they need the opportunity to improve too) the rest of the complaints here about the game amaze me. Perhaps when they are 3-12 years old it's "running up the game", as they get older it's called COMPETING!

I'm going to have to agree with some of the people who are pretty much saying "get over it." The game wasn't full of 12 year old girls playing soccer but atheletes who are on a varsity team. News flash- most a good portion of who play on varsity high school teams may or will go on to play in college. Do people think that parents go walking around their childs college saying "Poor sportsmanship because the other team blew us out?" No. If these girls or anyone for that matter are playing on a varsity team and preparing them for college life, then there is nothing to worry about. Maybe on a high school varsity team the coach holds their hands when a team gets shut out but college level sports is a whole new ball game. If they can't handle this level of competition they most likely will never be able to handle college level. As for the sports programs at AV, they started going to the crapper right before I graduated in the late 90's. I know many who choose to attend FH instead of AV because their atheletic department had more success.

Coach whoever you are and whoever you "supposedly coach there is no soccer going on right now except highschool or house soccer. So if you are such a great coach and know so much about soccer and coaching I ask you why are you coaching during the winter. Your coaching expertise is lacking a little since no one wants you to coach any high comp teams or high school teams. Do not be jealous because you can't coach a quality team and bash the Foothill coach. The girls and coach did nothing wrong except play and coach with everything they had. Is it Foothills fault when Amador quit after the first goal. Also when the Foothill coach has 7 subs not including the goalie. 2 of them which started or played a majority of the second half and the rest coming in at or around the 60th minute. Obviously you have never competed at a high level or played in a cross town rivalry game or you would understand the level of the game and what it means. Stick to coaching your house team and dream about what it would be like to coach a high school that can compete in the East BAy Athletic league whether it be Foothill, Amador or whoever.

A No. 1 national ranking is maintained by how well you do against each opponent and something to be proud of by those that attain the honor...

I would hope everyone, even "Coach from Country Fair neighborhood" understands the top teams are ranked by how they fair against each opponent. They are expected to totally dominate the weaker opponent and hold their own against equal opponents. That's life in the Top 10. This isn't "T" Ball at this level and, in my opinion, any coach that would hold a team at at this level below it's peak performance - well...

Now lets suppose the No. 2 team in the nation "blew out" a weak opponent 9 - 0 while Foothill let up when they were ahead, say 4-0, because they didn't want to be accused of lack of "sportsmanship". Where do you think Foothill would be in the next poll. Say what you will, "No. 1 In The Nation" is a tremendous accomplishment/honor none of these young ladies will ever forget and I, speaking for my self, hope they continue to play to their ability. If that includes "blow outs", so be it...

If I were a member of a community that FHS totally dominated, I wouldn't complain. I would say I had the honor to see the top team in the nation play and "They put on quite a show".

It's probably time to stop any more commentary on this. I am an Amador soccer fan so let's be clear on this - I was at the game and Foothill were great to watch. Let's also be clear that this is the Foothill (and Rage) team of a generation and they will soon be gone - so enjoy it while you can. Let's also be clear that the Foothill girls' dominance of Amador is nothing compared to Amador boys' dominance of Foothill....I think it is around 7 years since Foothill won!!!! And lastly, Amador won't compete on the girls' side again until Coupe's sickening ego takes a back seat to reason. He is the problem - simple. For those of you who doubt how little he knows about soccer find a coach who you really trust and take him/her along to an Amador varsity game and ask for an objective assessment - they will be shocked!!

Coupe, I hope you are reading all of this - man up and do the right thing

It's a cross-town rival who beat us last year and messed up our season, of course we wanted revenge. We've worked so hard and have been second best the past 3 years and now our senior year, we're not letting any team stand in our way of what we want. This is ridiculous that all of these people are stressing over this one game. Don't you have anything better to do than thrive on a loss in HIGH SCHOOL sports? It's in the past and we can't change it, but if we could.. we wouldn't!

Foothill boys beat Amador 1-0 in the NCS playoffs in 2003 on a goal by Ryan Gordon so it wouldn't be 7 years since Foothill beat Amador, maybe 5 plus! Incidentally Ken Villegas (Amador) was Ryan's BUSC coach that year.

tremktb - so it's 6 years.....sorry to be out by a year. I think in trying to refute my point you simply endorse it. 6 years - now that's dominance!!!!

Amador Soccer Fan, Amador certainly has had the better of it since 2003 however the teams did tie on 2/12/2005 (2-2) and on 2/11/2006 (3-3). Not sure what happened in 2004 however your memory seems to be missing a little of what has actually happened.
Go Dons! I hope you do well in NCS!

When the game against Amador comes up Every year in our season we think one thing, Yes another easy game. when we heard foothill beat amador 9-0 the only thing we thought was, haha whats new amador sucks. I dont understand why people are bitching about this stupid game when everyone knew foothill was going to kick Amadors ass. And if you asked me foothill should have won 15-0. The dons need to wake up and stop trying to be on the same level as some of the teams in eball because they will never be as good as them and theres nothing more to it. So amador get over yourself..you wouldn't be crying if it was the other way around. Foothills going to beat you guys next time by 20 just for bitching like a lttle baby!

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Everyone needs to stop and look at the real problem. Foothill did not sub there back line which they should have. yes they have done a awesome job and not letting in any goals so far but they still should have took them out and put in the back ups. Ashlynn, Sophie, and Rachael played the whole game. They could have atleast took out one of them to give us a chance. Yeah i know you guys are trying to not get scored on the whole season, but atleast take out Ashlynn from center back to give us a chance. or Sophie from left back. Just to show you guys cared about us, the other team. Whatever tho. just wait for next time, back line..were coming for you!

P.S. GO DONS!

"They could have at least taok out one of them to give us a chance. Yeah i know you guys are trying to not get scored on the whole season, but at least take out Ashlynn from center back to give us a chance".

"E", You're kidding right? Why not just play 11 v 3 so you can score?

E I don't now who you are if your a player or parent but to make threats saying your coming for them is adding fuel to the fire. You think that being a rivalry game and senior night the next time you play them isn't enough fire you are adding to it. All you parents and coaches who are bashing this team need to realize your comments do nothing to this team except motivate them and get them fired up even more to prove a point. You are doing nothing by trying to criticize this team. They are hungry and E even if they did take Ashlyn out you guys still wouldn't have scored stop trying to make this team angrier then they already are or why don't you just keep leaving comments and show everyone your ignorance. I want to see you at the next game and show yourself instead of hiding behind a computer. GO FOOTHILL I also feel bad for all that young talent going to Amador maybe you guys should reconsider and wear the falcon colors and play for a team with womens soccer tradition.

Thanks to these rediculous complaining parents who want everyone to play nice and share. This is not how the world works. Get a life! In the meantime, thanks for the hilarious entertainment (this thread!)

By the way, "Smell the Coffee" says it all. Time to pick the daisies when one plays the Don's, I suppose.

It's all about stats. Coaches are looking out for the kids that may be recruited for colleges and scholarships. You don't think it's impressive for a recruiter to see stats of 6 goals in one game, along with goals scored, games played, playing time, or even leading scorer in the league? This is big business folks. It's not about allowing the other team to save face. It happens in every sport. Sometimes it goes Amador's way, sometimes Foothill's.

p.s. I do wonder how the Foothill subs felt sitting on the sidelines, not getting a chance to play in a blow-out game. They earned their spot on the team, go to every practice and game just like the starters, work every bit as hard and then don't get to play? That's probably a tougher assignment than playing.

All that for nothing..they ended up losing in the finals..whats new

Still - congratulations to all the Foothill girls who worked tirelessly to get where they are! We will be looking for you in the pros!

Thats a lie because my son was on THAT Amador boys soccer team and didn't play one minute.......Villegas has his favorites regardless of the score!!!!

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