What age do positions start to stick and substitutions look less like rec leagues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the right age to start specializing as a goalkeeper?

U11/U12. That's when our club welcomes them to keeper training. Need to at least be at 9v9

Why? Why 9v9?

Our club started at U9 for the top team but offered no GK training. Seems wrong on many levels.

[Anonymous]

DS is u19 and his club team trends towards fixed positions but it's not absolute. The starters vs. subs are not also absolute.

To echo others here - diversity of positions DC can play is good. DS has played every position on the field. Some more than others. He rarely plays the 8/10 because he's not a prolific dribbler.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keeping it real here. If you are in a serious travel program it starts by U-12 (sometimes U-11)…

Please big club who wins …u9!

+1000

This is our club scenario at U9 and the players rotate between 1-2 positions. They will have a new coach next year who will likely change positions again. I would not like if we kept the same coach and positions for multiple years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So what is the right age to start specializing as a goalkeeper?

Yhe problem is most TDs and coaches are all former field players and dont understand the GK position or how to develop it. I hate to say it but if you've never played the GK position at a somewhat a high level you cant develop it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the right age to start specializing as a goalkeeper?

Yhe problem is most TDs and coaches are all former field players and dont understand the GK position or how to develop it. I hate to say it but if you've never played the GK position at a somewhat a high level you cant develop it.

Many clubs have a GK trainer on the payroll. Thanks for providing no insight into PP question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the right age to start specializing as a goalkeeper?

U11/U12. That's when our club welcomes them to keeper training. Need to at least be at 9v9

Agree u11 as you go to 9v9 is where you should begin. Keepers are are a premium. If you get a decent one hold onto him/her. If you have one that wants to play the field. Thats probably not the one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the right age to start specializing as a goalkeeper?

U11/U12. That's when our club welcomes them to keeper training. Need to at least be at 9v9

Agree u11 as you go to 9v9 is where you should begin. Keepers are are a premium. If you get a decent one hold onto him/her. If you have one that wants to play the field. Thats probably not the one.

Why is 9v9 when you should begin?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the right age to start specializing as a goalkeeper?

U11/U12. That's when our club welcomes them to keeper training. Need to at least be at 9v9

Our club won't allow full time before 11 x 11. The most a U12 keeper will play in goal is a half and they also will get time in the field in the other half.

[Anonymous]

My kid is locked in for the first time at u12 - I anticipate him being able to switch in between seasons though.

DS did not enjoy being moved around into multiple positions mid-game, he likes knowing what he'll be doing going into it. It is probably good for him to be more flexible, but at U11 it was always stressful and he rarely played at the level he can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:about u14 after a year of full field you can start to see positions stabilize. The exception is GK the earlier you can start the better. GK is by far the most difficult position to learn. Its a totally different concept than any field positions and gets very little training at a normal team training. After u16 your pretty much locked in with the exception of some kids can easily interchange.

+1
U14 - for the good clubs other than the GK. A lot of the more competitive teams are looking for full time GKs by U12 and some even earlier but definitely by U13.
If your child is at a bad club the coach may try to lock the positions earlier which is helpful for absolutely no one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what is the right age to start specializing as a goalkeeper?

U11/U12. That's when our club welcomes them to keeper training. Need to at least be at 9v9

Why? Why 9v9?

Our club started at U9 for the top team but offered no GK training. Seems wrong on many levels.

LOL, this sounds like BRYC for both the PP's quoted in this thread.

[Anonymous]

You have to have a full time keeper at U13. The goal is massive now and the keeper must be able to fend a ball off at the top, otherwise, you will get many cheap goals scored against you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is u19 and his club team trends towards fixed positions but it's not absolute. The starters vs. subs are not also absolute.

To echo others here - diversity of positions DC can play is good. DS has played every position on the field. Some more than others. He rarely plays the 8/10 because he's not a prolific dribbler.

Don't think 8/10 has to be a prolific dribbler. That's more the realm of the 7/11. 8/10 need first touch, quick thinking and accurate passing, and to understand how to create space for others. 10 needs to be able to beat a man with that first touch, make space for a shot, and finish too. Dribbling is always nice, but behind those other skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DS is u19 and his club team trends towards fixed positions but it's not absolute. The starters vs. subs are not also absolute.

To echo others here - diversity of positions DC can play is good. DS has played every position on the field. Some more than others. He rarely plays the 8/10 because he's not a prolific dribbler.

Don't think 8/10 has to be a prolific dribbler. That's more the realm of the 7/11. 8/10 need first touch, quick thinking and accurate passing, and to understand how to create space for others. 10 needs to be able to beat a man with that first touch, make space for a shot, and finish too. Dribbling is always nice, but behind those other skills.

I agree with this. I have seen many good dribblers go by the wayside, because they never pick their head up. Being a good dribbler is about the best talent you could have, but if you cannot get rid of the ball at the right time then that talent is wasted.