scholarship player at an elite club/academy level

[Anonymous]

Curious to know what club this is at. Can OP share the club?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your DS sounds like an athletic player at his age. Athleticism equals out when other kids grow/develop physically.

Use this opportunity playing in the back to develop his soccer IQ/positioning and be observant of what’s going on throughout the field. Soccer IQ is the most difficult skill to learn and he will be extremely thankful if he learns this when he’s older. He should also continue to develop his ball/technical skills. He is only 8-9 years old. Remember that the most athletic players play in the back at the young age.

thanks. he is very athletic, fastest on the team and can jump for the aerial ball too. he has solid ball skills and usually beats his teammates in 1v1 and other dribbling exercises. we also see playing defense as an opportunity for him to develop. he didn't complain and kept his head down working hard for the past 5 months. he was able to beat the stronger team to tears by the end of winter (one of the strongest players literally cried because they lost by quite a few points), although only once. but if he works in overdrive, he can at least equalize it leading the weak team. that's why it's puzzling to us why he hasn't been moved yet. the problem is in the weak team you don't get to develop coordination skills because they cannot take possession of the ball well. this frustrates him and is the main reason of concern to us. we don't care about winning so much but he plays to win, as everyone else does. perhaps it's both the club's need and a chance to develop from the back. just trying to make sense of it and keep him motivated.

for those attacking his scholarship, give it a rest pls. we have never said a word about it. he's a good teammate and always helps out the coach and others. and it wasn't the parents paying him. it was the club's choice. he was offered because he was good, and he was offered by another club too but we turned it down to join here. no one "needs" to play at the elite level at 8-9, and we didn't go through any application. it was a verbal offer materialized.

[Anonymous]

I'm confused because you say your kid has made a lot of progress on the lower team, because it's motivating, and also that he isn't motivated to play well because of the lower team.

Either way, it sounds like your kid doesn't have a lot of internal drive. That's a huge factor for kids' long term success. Changing it would be a top priority for a coach, and moving a kid in response to spoiled parent or child behavior would just make it worse.

Teach your kid to play his hardest where he is now.

[Anonymous]

I think u need to step back from your son’s soccer development. You are too invested and probably giving your DS unrealistic expectations about what it takes to “make it”. He’s U9! He has a long journey ahead of him. You said he was given a scholarship because he was good, then if the club is investing in him, then let them develop him. If you’re not happy with how they are developing him, find another club. But if ur doing this already at U9, you will probably be a detriment to your DS bc no one wants to deal with a parent that thinks they know better about development.

Focus on what your Ds can control, his work ethic in and outside his club, and his mental resilience to deal with setbacks or the “grind.” There is so so so much more to learn past U9.

[Anonymous]

"...he was able to beat the stronger team to tears by the end of winter (one of the strongest players literally cried because they lost by quite a few points),..."

So much to unpack here.

[Anonymous]

No offense but at U9, no one knows how to defend proper 1v1. I'm talking breaking down, moving feet, etc. It's a lot of stabbing and flailing at that age. Might have one kid in the entire club who has an understanding and that's the kid playing CB.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my son (U9) was placed on the weaker team since he joined the club last fall but he was playing forward. he got some injuries by the end of last season that impacted his performance. he was put to defense during the winter and now the spring season starting, and it continues to be that way. he wants to get back to the forward position and go to the stronger team because he simply has beat each one of them and scored against the stronger team while leading the weaker team. he is fast and aggressive and good with shooting, and he is one of the top players. i have talked to the coach. he said playing defense in the white team will do my son good so he can learn to survey the field. but the white team is so weak that it simply makes my son unmotivated to play his best. : It is an honor to anchor the team, to be honest. And you anchor the team with a strong center back or center midfielder.

is this a rule that once you take the scholarship you have to do something for the club such as babysitting the weak team? No, this usually has nothing to do with anything.

also it seems the coach wants to put the strongest player, my son, in the back, and put the weakest in the front. does this make sense? Usually, you never place the strongest player at striker if the rest of the team can't support the striker. Most coaches build the team from the defense to the front.

they haven't got any new players in since we joined, and it seems the weak team is going to stay as it is. i don't know how long we need to put up with this, but to leave the club and rescind the scholarship seems to be unwise. it's really hard to decide what to do. Unfortunately, the second team can have a lot of discontent the 1st few years. That is where they put the lesser skilled players, the better players get frustrated and leave, the coaching turn-over is higher. Honestly, I would stick it out and participate in the club's tryouts again (they should be soon for most clubs) and see what team you get for next year. Also, it's hard to switch clubs and get moved up to a higher team from a lower team at times.

anyone has done this could give any suggestions? I would stick it out and try for a better team next year at your current club. Trust me, you son is getting better training as the center back than striker on a weaker team and he is getting a lot of value for development. It would be more frustrating for him to sit up top at striker and hardly receive the ball....we've been there, and that sucks. 

[Anonymous]

Lots of coaches put the weakest player in striker and the strongest in the back bc mistakes aren't as costly. If your son learns to play defense well, he'll be unstoppable. Just play it.

[Anonymous]

Clearly, you need to be having this discussion with the coach, and not us.
Doesn't have to be a big deal...just ask what your son needs to improve on to move up to the first team. That's the best way to get the ball rolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your DS sounds like an athletic player at his age. Athleticism equals out when other kids grow/develop physically.

Use this opportunity playing in the back to develop his soccer IQ/positioning and be observant of what’s going on throughout the field. Soccer IQ is the most difficult skill to learn and he will be extremely thankful if he learns this when he’s older. He should also continue to develop his ball/technical skills. He is only 8-9 years old. Remember that the most athletic players play in the back at the young age.

thanks. he is very athletic, fastest on the team and can jump for the aerial ball too. he has solid ball skills and usually beats his teammates in 1v1 and other dribbling exercises. we also see playing defense as an opportunity for him to develop. he didn't complain and kept his head down working hard for the past 5 months. he was able to beat the stronger team to tears by the end of winter (one of the strongest players literally cried because they lost by quite a few points), although only once. but if he works in overdrive, he can at least equalize it leading the weak team. that's why it's puzzling to us why he hasn't been moved yet. the problem is in the weak team you don't get to develop coordination skills because they cannot take possession of the ball well. this frustrates him and is the main reason of concern to us. we don't care about winning so much but he plays to win, as everyone else does. perhaps it's both the club's need and a chance to develop from the back. just trying to make sense of it and keep him motivated.

for those attacking his scholarship, give it a rest pls. we have never said a word about it. he's a good teammate and always helps out the coach and others. and it wasn't the parents paying him. it was the club's choice. he was offered because he was good, and he was offered by another club too but we turned it down to join here. no one "needs" to play at the elite level at 8-9, and we didn't go through any application. it was a verbal offer materialized. [b]You misunderstand. I'm assuming from the way you write English isn't your first language and that is fine. The other parents at the club are most definitely paying for your son to play. You may not know it they are footing your bill. I have seen some very good players and to my knowledge, they don't get scholarships unless they are poor, and not because the club is so overwhelmed by their talent. Getting a scholarship doesn't mean your kid is the best or even better. They wanted him on the second team. Financially, you likely need help for him to play there. Everyone who pays for their kid to play is paying for your child to be on the second team where the coaches think he belongs.

[Anonymous]

Do you not understand that all of the "club's" money for scholarships comes directly from the other parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you not understand that all of the "club's" money for scholarships comes directly from the other parents?

I don't think they do.

If they did they'd sit down and shut up. The club and other parents are subsidizing your kid for some reason. Usually it's for wins.

[Anonymous]

Dying to know which club around here is considered elite at u9

[Anonymous]

What clubs give scholarships to kids on the 2nd team?

[Anonymous]

Are we talking financial need scholarship or talent scholarship?

LMVSC gives a lot of financial need scholarships, we have players on both 1st and 2nd teams with them. Maybe 20 to 30% on each team.