I thoroughly enjoy receiving your email newsletters.  Some have activities just right for the age that I coach, while others do not, but I read each one from top to bottom and find a way to tweak to fit my needs.

You published one back in April 2011 that bothered me greatly.  The topic was the The Great Wall.

Your directions on defending against a free kick in a dangerous area for the defending team included having the nearest player stand in front of the ball.  Egad.  That's cheating.  And, it's very unsporting behavior.  Law 12 of the FIFA's Laws of the Game are very specific about cautioning players for delaying the restart of play and for their failure to respect the required distance when play is being restarted with a corner kick, goal kick, throw-in and free kick.  It's unsporting behavior of the highest degree.  When I'm a referee, my prematch discussion to players/captains includes their one warning to impeding play on free kicks.  I caution players immediately for this violation.  No mercy so to speak.

In my opinion, it's cheating.  So not only did a defender cause a foul in a "dangerous area" and possibly stop a goal from being scored, but you also suggest that they further cheat by stopping the attacking team's efforts to capitalize on a quick free kick where maybe they have numerical advantage.  I do not coach my players (boys or girls) to partake in this tactic of the game that is unfortunately becoming so common place worldwide that refs don't even bother to enforce the Laws of the Game related to this tactic.  It's cheating.  Short and simple.

This is the first time that I've replied to one of your newsletters.  Promoting cheating isn't something that I think you should be promoting in your newsletter to youth coaches.

Thanks,

Lance

California, USA

Merced United FC