can you teach a kid to hustle more in travel soccer?

[Anonymous]

My Nov. DD was the 2nd shortest in her picture, but has a goal a game, plays double shifts and was picked for all stars.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a PP stated, it is unclear what the actual issue is - physical speed, playing speed, endurance, or aggression. A defender has to be more cautious and not commit until they know they will win the ball - so they delay, contain, and stay between the ball and the goal until the attacker makes a mistake or they get help. Now, if this is in situations like a loose ball then maybe it is a different decision. A defender has to be patient, disciplined, and make good decisions.

If it is a question of hustle or competitiveness - sometimes kids come into this in their own time, no amount of yelling will do it.

Might be worth having a talk with the coach to see what the problem is (if there is one) and then sit down with the player and the coach and talk through it.

op here.
I'm not sure i know what the problem is. I have to think about this a bit and will watch the coming games in this light.
We have about 8 games coming up over the next 3 weeks (due to rescheduled rain-outs, a tournament, etc). I'm going to see how these go and then maybe talk to the coach. however, i don't want to put a "problem" on his/her radar if there isn't one. I'm going to tread very lightly and carefully.
But i appreciate all of the above thoughts. There are excellent and interesting points raised.
Pls, keep them coming!

Some defenders look like they are working at 110% of their capacity -- moving all out all the time -- while others seem to apply just enough speed and force to get the job done. It is ok if your kid is on the latter category as it may reflect a better understanding of the game.
For example a good defender knows that he doesn't necessarily need to be first to the ball to win a 50/50 ball, he just needs to assess the angles and get himself/herself in between the attacker and the ball and thereby win possession. Assuming you have the minimum physicial prerequisites, defending is more about positioning than it is aggression.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a PP stated, it is unclear what the actual issue is - physical speed, playing speed, endurance, or aggression. A defender has to be more cautious and not commit until they know they will win the ball - so they delay, contain, and stay between the ball and the goal until the attacker makes a mistake or they get help. Now, if this is in situations like a loose ball then maybe it is a different decision. A defender has to be patient, disciplined, and make good decisions.

If it is a question of hustle or competitiveness - sometimes kids come into this in their own time, no amount of yelling will do it.

Might be worth having a talk with the coach to see what the problem is (if there is one) and then sit down with the player and the coach and talk through it.

op here.
I'm not sure i know what the problem is. I have to think about this a bit and will watch the coming games in this light.
We have about 8 games coming up over the next 3 weeks (due to rescheduled rain-outs, a tournament, etc). I'm going to see how these go and then maybe talk to the coach. however, i don't want to put a "problem" on his/her radar if there isn't one. I'm going to tread very lightly and carefully.
But i appreciate all of the above thoughts. There are excellent and interesting points raised.
Pls, keep them coming!

Some defenders look like they are working at 110% of their capacity -- moving all out all the time -- while others seem to apply just enough speed and force to get the job done. It is ok if your kid is on the latter category as it may reflect a better understanding of the game.
For example a good defender knows that he doesn't necessarily need to be first to the ball to win a 50/50 ball, he just needs to assess the angles and get himself/herself in between the attacker and the ball and thereby win possession. Assuming you have the minimum physicial prerequisites, defending is more about positioning than it is aggression.

Yep. Many coaches have the inability to distinguish 'activity from efficiency". I've seen Clubs/teams love a player running around like a chicken with their head cutoff as a "real hustler", but it's all wasted energy. The calculated, directed player is much better.

[Anonymous]

Johann Cruyff famously stated that he developed his incredible ball skills and playing style because he was not the fastest, most physically gifted growing up. Messi was much the same way.

I've seen my late Fall bday player's ball skills improve dramatically this season as he has to outwit and outmaneuver boys that have already hit puberty and gained the physical advantage over him for now.

Time. You should not be focusing on mere physical attribute training in the below 13 years. Always have a ball at the feet. Focus on those ball skills.

The thinking, smart player is often overlooked at some clubs in the early tryout years because they are just picking out the young players running around like maniacs no matter the ineffectiveness of it.

Your daughter sounds like she is developing fine. Don't get caught up in the arguments on this thread about having to play in X league or for X club. It really means nothing until about age 16.

I wouldn't want to win if it meant just having players run down the long ball. It teaches them nothing about the game, nor does it develop their skill. Parents get way too hung up on winning seasons in the early years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Johann Cruyff famously stated that he developed his incredible ball skills and playing style because he was not the fastest, most physically gifted growing up. Messi was much the same way.

I've seen my late Fall bday player's ball skills improve dramatically this season as he has to outwit and outmaneuver boys that have already hit puberty and gained the physical advantage over him for now.

Time. You should not be focusing on mere physical attribute training in the below 13 years. Always have a ball at the feet. Focus on those ball skills.

The thinking, smart player is often overlooked at some clubs in the early tryout years because they are just picking out the young players running around like maniacs no matter the ineffectiveness of it.

Your daughter sounds like she is developing fine. Don't get caught up in the arguments on this thread about having to play in X league or for X club. It really means nothing until about age 16.

I wouldn't want to win if it meant just having players run down the long ball. It teaches them nothing about the game, nor does it develop their skill. Parents get way too hung up on winning seasons in the early years.

+players relying on physical advantage in the early years usually do not develop into string technical players. Those that learn to use both feet equally and good ball skills will surpass them when things equalize after puberty.

[Anonymous]

Jesus Christ, reading a lot of these comments how is American soccer so shitty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ, reading a lot of these comments how is American soccer so shitty?

yep all they care about is speed and height.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Speed may be important but positional awareness even more. If you are well positioned and technically sound defending, aggression is over rated. You don't need to barge everyone over like some of the "big" clubs try to do versus actually playing the game. If your kid is "smart" he'll figure out the best way to stop the opposition. Slide tackling is a factor of bad positioning and desperation.

yep

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ, reading a lot of these comments how is American soccer so shitty?

Not sure what you mean. American soccer is so shitty because of the culture in our country. The pay-to-play system. The reliance on physical attributes over ball skill/possession.

I think this is exactly what many of the pps are commenting on. The vast majority of American parents just want their kids to win and dominate from 5-years old on. They think a good Club or coach is one that mows down all the competition through physical play in the younger years and wins. If club isn't winning at 8, 9, 10---they must be bad. They don't even know what metrics to look at when choosing a club to develop their kids. They just want to buy anything that has 'elite' in the name.

Also, American kids don't go out and 'play' soccer. They just go to a few structured practice a week. Period.

American soccer relies purely on the physical. We treat it like American Football. Just go through the travel soccer thread and reading the bragging/boasting of parents about little kids blowing out the competition and you'll see what I mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ, reading a lot of these comments how is American soccer so shitty?

Not sure what you mean. American soccer is so shitty because of the culture in our country. The pay-to-play system. The reliance on physical attributes over ball skill/possession.

I think this is exactly what many of the pps are commenting on. The vast majority of American parents just want their kids to win and dominate from 5-years old on. They think a good Club or coach is one that mows down all the competition through physical play in the younger years and wins. If club isn't winning at 8, 9, 10---they must be bad. They don't even know what metrics to look at when choosing a club to develop their kids. They just want to buy anything that has 'elite' in the name.

Also, American kids don't go out and 'play' soccer. They just go to a few structured practice a week. Period.

American soccer relies purely on the physical. We treat it like American Football. Just go through the travel soccer thread and reading the bragging/boasting of parents about little kids blowing out the competition and you'll see what I mean.

one more yep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ, reading a lot of these comments how is American soccer so shitty?

Not sure what you mean. American soccer is so shitty because of the culture in our country. The pay-to-play system. The reliance on physical attributes over ball skill/possession.

I think this is exactly what many of the pps are commenting on. The vast majority of American parents just want their kids to win and dominate from 5-years old on. They think a good Club or coach is one that mows down all the competition through physical play in the younger years and wins. If club isn't winning at 8, 9, 10---they must be bad. They don't even know what metrics to look at when choosing a club to develop their kids. They just want to buy anything that has 'elite' in the name.

Also, American kids don't go out and 'play' soccer. They just go to a few structured practice a week. Period.

American soccer relies purely on the physical. We treat it like American Football. Just go through the travel soccer thread and reading the bragging/boasting of parents about little kids blowing out the competition and you'll see what I mean.

one more yep.

yep is trending on DCUM

[Anonymous]

Yep. On my kid's U-12 travel team, the smallest kid is the fastest and best scorer. He just doesn't quit. Passion! I will say though -- one of the fullbacks is a big kid who isn't that fast but who gets the job done 98% of the time because almost no one can get past him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ, reading a lot of these comments how is American soccer so shitty?

yep all they care about is speed and height.

Wow, how 20 years ago.

Look at the National team today...plenty of smaller, skilled players. A handful of smart, players that aren't the best athletically.
We are so beyond that stupid stereotype.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jesus Christ, reading a lot of these comments how is American soccer so shitty?

yep all they care about is speed and height.

Wow, how 20 years ago.

Look at the National team today...plenty of smaller, skilled players. A handful of smart, players that aren't the best athletically.
We are so beyond that stupid stereotype.

Sorry but you are wrong, the stereotype is not gone and exactly the point we are making. Although the NT has evolved, it hasn't at the youth level. You consistently hear parents here and on the sidelines referring to a kids size, speed, strength instead of technique or tactical development. Unfortunately some of the big clubs have not evolved either since many focus on results first to make it seem like the "Elite" place to be.

[Anonymous]

My daughter is also an October birthday kid playing with mostly kids who are older than she is and have had two more rec soccer seasons than she has. So sometimes there are gaps between where she is and where many of her teammates and opponents are.

She has hustle in one sense- she's aggressive and scrappy and loves being in the center of the action. But we noticed recently that she runs on her heels vs. her toes, and that slows her down. So we're starting to work with her on her biomechanics to try to speed her up a bit.

It's been interesting watching the kids as they progress in travel soccer this year. Some of them have speed and excellent ball skills, but they are very polite and kind of stay out of the fray. Others are scrappier. And some start out polite and then gain more confidence and start playing more assertively.

If it's an actual speed/conditioning thing, you can work on that outside of soccer. Get your child running 5K's with you, or running on the track. But if it's a matter of assertive play, that may not be teachable.