Our previous YouthSoccerInsider, "Preventing Lopsided Scores" by Randy Vogt, addressed the issue of how coaches should react when their team is routing an opponent. Vogt offered some excellent suggestions. But it's a tricky issue indeed.

It's the youth soccer game that I cannot wait to end. And nobody seems to be having a good time. The game that I am writing about is the one with two teams of very different abilities playing one another and the better team scores a lot of goals.

When Josh Hodges finished his college playing career at Azusa Pacific a decade ago, he started a youth club in Glendora, an inland Southern California city of 50,000. Last year, three Legends FC girls teams reached the USYS National Championships and the U-15s, under Coach Rick Young, lifted the crown.

Successful youth soccer referees had a panel discussion about whether there are any differences between officiating girls and boys. The overwhelming response was no. After all, whether girls or boys are playing soccer, the ball is round, the field is the same size and the rules are the same.

While becoming the main avenue to the national team program, the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, launched in 2007, has also sparked controversy by introducing a 10-month season that prohibits its players from participating in high school ball.

The American youth soccer landscape changed dramatically when U.S. Soccer created the Development Academy in 2007. In Part 1 of our interview with Tony Lepore we asked the Development Academy Director of Scouting to explain how he believes it has improved the youth soccer experience for the USA's elite players.

A few years ago, I asked a man with plenty of experience, and a fair amount of success, coaching both genders about whether he takes a different approach. He didn't want his quotes attributed, but after answering "Yes!" provided an example.

Chris Wondolowski's father didn't get upset with him for breaking things kicking around in the house with his brothers. Or scold him for getting chased off golf courses for practicing soccer on the links. That's because his dad, John, was playing along.

The YouthSoccerInsider continues its series on the differences between coaching boys and girls.

In search of a New Year's resolution? This is a good time to make sure you've got the first-aid kit in order.

In Part 2 of our series we speak with Minnesota coach Julie Eibensteiner, who has coached both genders at the youth and college level for more than a decade.