Advice to your younger soccer parent self

[Anonymous]

For those who have kids who have gone on to play in college, those who have leaned back and enjoyed club, those who have always had a 2nd or 3rd, rec or lower team kid, what advice would you give to your U8-U10 self to better parent this journey?

[Anonymous]

Accept the journey as your kids. Check yourself whenever you get too emotionally involved in their journey.

Accept that FOMO is real and don’t follow the Joneses.

[Anonymous]

My oldest is only U17, so I may not qualify but we are approaching the first end of this thing, but i would add, go with best technical training at the youngest age. Do not stress about team name, clout or rank, find a coach who makes your 8-9 year old badly juggle for the first 15 minutes of training.

Turn off any soccer instagram requests for you, suggested follows, or follows for any kid U13. All it does is heighten the FOMO.

At a young age, find at least some kind of futsal program in the off season for technical heightening.

Avoid any program that does not let you pass until U11. Dribbling is important but its not the whole game.

Let your not college bound player live and thrive and love with their high school team.

Let your girl play with the boys as long as possible.

Move your girl who is able to and would like to play in college to an ECNL/GA program by U13. It is close to impossible to catch up to the speed of play otherwise. The college exposure follows.

[Anonymous]

Enjoy watching your kid have fun, if they love soccer they have a better chance to excel at a higher level. If you love soccer join an adult league

[Anonymous]

ADHD and soccer don’t work. That’s what I learned.
My child can’t learn soccer (and my other child who was also diagnosed, isn’t hyperactive but has another specific type of adhd). Meds for evening practice isn’t the priority either.

I coached as well. My worst parent experience was sadly for a completely off the rails adhd child. Like actively kicking our scrimmage ball FAR FAR away.

In addition, I had a young team 2 years ago and it boggles my mind. Almost every kid was unfocused. The best player at that age, technically and team-wise was a very smart Indian child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ADHD and soccer don’t work. That’s what I learned.
My child can’t learn soccer (and my other child who was also diagnosed, isn’t hyperactive but has another specific type of adhd). Meds for evening practice isn’t the priority either.

I coached as well. My worst parent experience was sadly for a completely off the rails adhd child. Like actively kicking our scrimmage ball FAR FAR away.

In addition, I had a young team 2 years ago and it boggles my mind. Almost every kid was unfocused. The best player at that age, technically and team-wise was a very smart Indian child.

I think I’ve coached 5+ seasons (rec) because parents didn’t stand up, and because I was just about the only soccer-playing parent. I didnt hesitate because I teach another sport as well. (My only hesitation was time concerns, and having my own child on the team). The ability to focus has gotten markedly worse. Same thing teachers are seeing. I’m not talking about children having fun and goofing off.

If your child has the tiniest bit of focus, tenacity, enjoys kicking it around instead of begging to come back inside and watch tv, they will go far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Avoid any program that does not let you pass until U11. Dribbling is important but its not the whole game.

.

Interesting because I feel dribbling at a young age will improve technical and give the confidence

Passing can be taught later and

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My oldest is only U17, so I may not qualify but we are approaching the first end of this thing, but i would add, go with best technical training at the youngest age. Do not stress about team name, clout or rank, find a coach who makes your 8-9 year old badly juggle for the first 15 minutes of training.

Turn off any soccer instagram requests for you, suggested follows, or follows for any kid U13. All it does is heighten the FOMO.

At a young age, find at least some kind of futsal program in the off season for technical heightening.

Avoid any program that does not let you pass until U11. Dribbling is important but its not the whole game.

Let your not college bound player live and thrive and love with their high school team.

Let your girl play with the boys as long as possible.

Move your girl who is able to and would like to play in college to an ECNL/GA program by U13. It is close to impossible to catch up to the speed of play otherwise. The college exposure follows.

This is the post of the day. Mine is U16 and no one cares how good they are. It’s too late to break into a top team. Spent too long with poor coaches.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ADHD and soccer don’t work. That’s what I learned.
My child can’t learn soccer (and my other child who was also diagnosed, isn’t hyperactive but has another specific type of adhd). Meds for evening practice isn’t the priority either.

I coached as well. My worst parent experience was sadly for a completely off the rails adhd child. Like actively kicking our scrimmage ball FAR FAR away.

In addition, I had a young team 2 years ago and it boggles my mind. Almost every kid was unfocused. The best player at that age, technically and team-wise was a very smart Indian child.

Disagree with this. It depends on the child.
My U14 DD thrives on the soccer field. Her focus is totally different to academics because she enjoys it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ADHD and soccer don’t work. That’s what I learned.
My child can’t learn soccer (and my other child who was also diagnosed, isn’t hyperactive but has another specific type of adhd). Meds for evening practice isn’t the priority either.

I coached as well. My worst parent experience was sadly for a completely off the rails adhd child. Like actively kicking our scrimmage ball FAR FAR away.

In addition, I had a young team 2 years ago and it boggles my mind. Almost every kid was unfocused. The best player at that age, technically and team-wise was a very smart Indian child.

At what age did you stop the adhd child and soccer experiment?

[Anonymous]

Never ever volunteer to be team manager

[Anonymous]

If your kid wants to play in college....

Get private technical training
Find a weight lifting plan and lift heavy
Engage often with your club coach
Drive wherever you need to for the best club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ADHD and soccer don’t work. That’s what I learned.
My child can’t learn soccer (and my other child who was also diagnosed, isn’t hyperactive but has another specific type of adhd). Meds for evening practice isn’t the priority either.

I coached as well. My worst parent experience was sadly for a completely off the rails adhd child. Like actively kicking our scrimmage ball FAR FAR away.

In addition, I had a young team 2 years ago and it boggles my mind. Almost every kid was unfocused. The best player at that age, technically and team-wise was a very smart Indian child.

Disagree with this. It depends on the child.
My U14 DD thrives on the soccer field. Her focus is totally different to academics because she enjoys it.

I’m glad for you. For us, especially for our younger adhd, learning any sport has been too difficult in a team setting, or a home parent-child setting. Our next step for any sport he wants, is a private coach, to help with focus.
I wanted to clarify that my “worst parent experience” was in regard to my coaching, and the other parent being very angry with me, approaching the rec director. I gave a sideline consequence to the child who repeatedly kicked our scrimmage ball far away. He derailed the practice multiple times, and this parent was very mad that I needed him to sit aside. I didn’t know what else to do, and neither did she, so I wasn’t even mad at her.
I’ve read articles about adhd and soccer, and I think it’s possible. Such as for your dd, but in some cases, they can’t learn the sport in the team environment.

[Anonymous]

And to define far away, I mean purposely into trees that were off the property of the park/fields. About 3-4x in 5 minutes. Great punter if he can channel it.

Thanks, back to the main thread. I’m enjoying reading the other answers.

[Anonymous]

Don't take advice from anonymous people on the internet