[mcrowder]

I think I posted this earlier, but it may have been on eteams.

There are many ways in which a young kids game is harder than a varsity, NCAA, or pro game. You will see your rules knowledge tested on a regular basis on a youth field - possibly every game. Plays which most people call Third World will happen to you. Bizarre combinations of different rules come into play at the same time. However, you can usually get by with just adequate mechanics, as you are (hopefully) much faster than the participants and can recover from a mechanics error. Also, most (not all, but most) coaches are not in this for life and death - and almost all are not paid. This is double edged, as the youth coaches, being volunteers, often know far less about the rules than they should, but they also are easier to talk down, for the most part.

The higher you go, however, the less frequently the bizarre play happens. Rules knowledge is not critical as often (it's still crucial, but it may only come into play once every few weeks, instead of constantly). Mechanics, however, become critical, as do your game or coach management skills. These coaches are relying on the results of these games to put food on their tables and take it much more personally. They do have a firmer grasp of the rules than their volunteer counterparts, which can be both good and bad - sometimes they only know enough to be problematical.