Canadian Soccer League Institutes Policy to Limit Blowouts

A blowout victory is marked down as a loss in a recreational soccer league in Ottawa, Canada.

The Gloucester Dragons recreational soccer league has placed a five-goal limit on leads, CBC News reports. The move is meant to encourage coaches to employ strategies that even the playing field after going up by a few. According to the league, these strategies include playing shorthanded, kicking with your weaker foot and playing out of position.

A failure to temper your attack means an automatic loss.

The rule — which applies to 3,000 kids ages 5 to 18 in the 200-team league — has been protested by participants who say it takes away from the competitive nature of the game.

Teams have resorted to playing keep-away to waste away the final minutes of a mismatch.

"I felt like I was mocking them sort of when I really didn't want to … I didn't feel good doing it, and I don't think they felt good receiving it," 17-year-old Kevin Cappon told the CBC.

At this point, the league has no plans to change the policy.