Development Advice Not Taken

[Anonymous]

1. Juggle. Yes, it can be very difficult to learn. But, once mastered it will make a kid's first touch very smooth.

2. Ball Possession. Do as many drill as possible to master ball possession with both feet. The more comfortable a kid is with the ball at their feet the better player they will be.

3. Passing and First Touch. Many kids focus on striking. Passing and first touch is more important early on.

4. Using the body and arms for better positioning is another area youth players should focus on. Soccer is a contact sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Juggle. Yes, it can be very difficult to learn. But, once mastered it will make a kid's first touch very smooth.

2. Ball Possession. Do as many drill as possible to master ball possession with both feet. The more comfortable a kid is with the ball at their feet the better player they will be.

3. Passing and First Touch. Many kids focus on striking. Passing and first touch is more important early on.

4. Using the body and arms for better positioning is another area youth players should focus on. Soccer is a contact sport.

You're saying you ignored the 4 pieces of advice above for your kid?

Why do you regret your kid not focusing on passing when younger as an individual development skill?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is U13 or older, what pieces of advice did you hear more than once when they were younger, regarding skills etc development that you wish you had taken?

I have worked with a lot of college players. They to a person all say they wish they were more technical- first touch, equal with both foot, ball control, comfort in tight spaces, passing accuracy and being able to do this under pressure. All of this equaling a higher speed of play.

Unfortunately the current system does not place enough emphasis on technical training and apply it under pressure nor does it value the technical player. Technical skills should be the main focus till u13-u14. Too much time is wasted on fitness and drills not under full pressure. You can really see the difference in players by u16 who are in a technical program(that has consistent pressure) and those that spend a good chunk of time in Europe vs typical travel players.

This type of training has a side benefit of increasing your defensive skills, getting one in to game shape and having a higher speed of play.

Kick and Run dies a painful death after puberty when everyone is big and fast

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:1. Juggle. Yes, it can be very difficult to learn. But, once mastered it will make a kid's first touch very smooth.

2. Ball Possession. Do as many drill as possible to master ball possession with both feet. The more comfortable a kid is with the ball at their feet the better player they will be.

3. Passing and First Touch. Many kids focus on striking. Passing and first touch is more important early on.

4. Using the body and arms for better positioning is another area youth players should focus on. Soccer is a contact sport.

Number 4 is excellent. Most kids who play basketball from a young age get this easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Juggling was a repeated advice we didn't take seriously enough

Juggling is not something that sets you apart. Many kids can juggle, but if you don't make quick good decisions, then it doesn't matter. Also, you can get a good touch with other technical work.

Would love to task you with finding a professional player who can't juggle.
As with all other skills, being good at one thing is not enough.

Most kids won't be playing professionally. So there's that. It may come later but it doesn't mean that they won't be good if they can't juggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Juggling was a repeated advice we didn't take seriously enough

Juggling is not something that sets you apart. Many kids can juggle, but if you don't make quick good decisions, then it doesn't matter. Also, you can get a good touch with other technical work.

Would love to task you with finding a professional player who can't juggle.
As with all other skills, being good at one thing is not enough.

Most kids won't be playing professionally. So there's that. It may come later but it doesn't mean that they won't be good if they can't juggle.

You can't be good if you can't juggle

How can you be good without touch and control?

[Anonymous]

There was a old mantra one of my coaches used to have. Not everyone who can juggle is good, but everyone good can juggle.

[Anonymous]

Depends on where your kid is during their soccer journey. At U8-U12, coaches ask the kids the practice juggling at home. Kids sometimes don't, because it is hard and they loose focus. At U13 and up, when ECNL, GA, ODP, High School selections come around..the coaches usually ask the kids the juggle again, and the players who can juggle stand out and the ones who can't stand out in a negative way. Also, as someone pointed out before, it shows coaches a player has put in the 'work.' It's a small thing, but it has implications down the line.

[Anonymous]

Development advice actually taken regarding juggling... my son got frustrated quickly trying to learn to juggle, until his U9 coach told him juggle once, let the ball hit the ground, touch it up, let it hit the ground. Once he could do that several times, then he would move on to trying to juggle twice and then have it hit the ground. He was also told to forget counting which led to greater frustration. Down the road, of course he began counting, but these tidbits helped so much. He had the same theory about everyone good can juggle that someone posted above.

[Anonymous]

I followed my own instinct and didn't 'brand' chase or 'team placement' chase.

I focused on the best coaches and the best development place for my kids --each individually too. They weren't at the same club most of their youth. Different needs.

It paid off. Took a lot of crap and had to listen to a bunch of neighborhood blowhards going on and on about their kids----who for the most part--pretty much faded out by mid High School.

My U18 (senior) now has quite a few former teammates from back in the elem/MS days that were chasing development not prestige and now are all on MLSNext and higher teams. It's good to see the long game work out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There was a old mantra one of my coaches used to have. Not everyone who can juggle is good, but everyone good can juggle.

Cruyff said that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If your kid is U13 or older, what pieces of advice did you hear more than once when they were younger, regarding skills etc development that you wish you had taken?

I have worked with a lot of college players. They to a person all say they wish they were more technical- first touch, equal with both foot, ball control, comfort in tight spaces, passing accuracy and being able to do this under pressure. All of this equaling a higher speed of play.

Unfortunately the current system does not place enough emphasis on technical training and apply it under pressure nor does it value the technical player. Technical skills should be the main focus till u13-u14. Too much time is wasted on fitness and drills not under full pressure. You can really see the difference in players by u16 who are in a technical program(that has consistent pressure) and those that spend a good chunk of time in Europe vs typical travel players.

This type of training has a side benefit of increasing your defensive skills, getting one in to game shape and having a higher speed of play.

+1 I'm the pp that focused on development and finding those training opportunities and not immediate result 'brands'. Having sons that were late growers it was even more essential. They did spend time overseas each and the majority of their coaches were not American. My husband also really started them using both feet at age 5 ...and very much technical skills/juggling early. They learned the game so much from their coaches with drills designed with much taught tactically. Both have been told their game IQ is superior. Oldest will be playing in college next year and all of the coaches liked him for the for having the things you said those players wish they had, but didn't.

It's not easy to find here in the US. And it requires a lot of hard work on the parents' part---and often much club movement, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:1. Juggle. Yes, it can be very difficult to learn. But, once mastered it will make a kid's first touch very smooth.

2. Ball Possession. Do as many drill as possible to master ball possession with both feet. The more comfortable a kid is with the ball at their feet the better player they will be.

3. Passing and First Touch. Many kids focus on striking. Passing and first touch is more important early on.

4. Using the body and arms for better positioning is another area youth players should focus on. Soccer is a contact sport.

You're saying you ignored the 4 pieces of advice above for your kid?

Why do you regret your kid not focusing on passing when younger as an individual development skill?

My post was listing skills kids SHOULD FOCUS ON as a youth.

[Anonymous]

So you should not worry at young ages if your team loses to the kick and run run clubs but you should worry if after playing soccer for a few years you still can’t juggle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you should not worry at young ages if your team loses to the kick and run run clubs but you should worry if after playing soccer for a few years you still can’t juggle.

Your team winning or losing is not a reflection of your individual skills.