Win By Five, Lose The Game, Says Absurd Youth Soccer Rule

Old hotness: lead by five goals, game is called via slaughter (or "mercy") rule. New hotness: lead by five goals, other team automatically wins. The pussification of youth sports continues apace.

An Ottawa youth soccer league has implemented the new rule in fear that their precious little flowers will have their feelings hurt if they lose a blowout game. So now no one will ever lose by five goals or more, because if that happens, the other team gets the victory.

It's all about self-esteem, and fostering a "non-competitive" environment, says the league, which has 3,000 kids ranging in age from 4 to 18. If it's non-competitive, why bother to keep score at all? Moreso, if it's non-competitive, why punish teams by taking away their W? I thought wins didn't matter?

It's a rule that's supported by, apparently, nobody.

Kevin Cappon said he first heard about the rule on May 20 - right after he had scored his team's last allowable goal. His team then tossed the ball around for fear of losing the game.

He said if anything, the league's new rule will coddle sore losers.

...

Kevin's father, Bruce Cappon, called the rule ludicrous.

"I couldn't find anywhere in the world, even in a communist country, where that rule is enforced," he said.

No, but maybe a socialist nanny state!

Win a soccer game by more than five points and you lose, Ottawa league says [National Post]