speed or technical ability? Age 11.
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Anonymous
Every time this topic comes up I wish my kids were playing anywhere but in the US. My approach has been to get them on teams coached by non-Americans and pray US soccer changes by the time they are ready for college. |
Anonymous
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If you project that your child will need skills to play more serious soccer in the future, teach technical ability all day long. It’s hard to teach players technical ability later in their career.
Now, we do have who coaches who keep speed demons on their teams and sub them in as impact players, so they are valuable too. But at a recent YNT regional ID camp, they cut all players who could not juggle a ball across the field. —Buy buy, speedy kids w no technical ability. But in some settings, like high school, speedy kids playing kick and run are preferred. |
Anonymous
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Big/fast players play in MLS/NWSL. Technical athletic players play in European leagues.
Even past his prime now, Messi still dominates in MLS due to his incredible technical skills. |
Anonymous
lol hello high school soccer coach for Everytown, USA |
Anonymous
Yes, and also due to him being big (stocky) and fast. |
Anonymous
love how folks go to messi. Hes got strength and speed to go with insane skill.. |
Anonymous
thats more because as they get older coaches dont want to develop the 2-3 kids that need technical. At that point its time for outside training.. scene numerous kids with technical lack become studs in college. You just can teach size and speed. |
Anonymous
| The people saying size and speed you are what’s wrong with US soccer and why it will never succeed. |
Anonymous
Which one did he develop first? |
Anonymous
+100000 |
Anonymous
Yes but he’s small, and American coaches (and Americans in general) confuse lack of strength/speed with size. |
Anonymous
Real Madrid on verge of winning champions league with a squad that has 8 players between 5’ 7” and 5’ 9”. |
Anonymous
Not sure if this is meant to be a rhetorical question, but wouldn’t it be skill? He famously had a childhood growth disorder and when you’re THAT young, like 9 and under, size does correlate more strongly with strength and speed. The problem with US soccer is that they never really get out of this mindset. |
Anonymous
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If we are including girls in this discussion, watch ECNL or collegiate soccer. The girls are all over each other, it’s a wrestling match. My DD is super technical and fast, but small (not stocky) and has a hard time with girls who are nearly twice her weight and also speedy. Her feet get her out of trouble but no one would say she dominates.
Now if you watch Arsenal, they aren’t usually shoving each other off the ball. It’s much nicer to watch. I wish women’s soccer were closer to that! But it isn’t, at least in the US. |
Anonymous
Maybe the problem with US soccer is that, even if they wanted to, they can’t get out of this mindset because most US coaches don’t have and can’t teach technical skills. |