My take on US Youth Soccer coaches specifically in the DMV

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, coach is really fired up! Who cares about the supposedly over paid coaches? Go play in some rec league like everyone else if you dont like it. None of these kids are going to the pros, though a few kids might get their books paid for at a D2 school.

Hi coach. You’re not worth the money.

[Anonymous]

Ransom thoughts. Lived in Europe. The difference is the curriculum. At u-6 to U-9 child’s coach worked all technical. In the US that would not be considered ‘fun.’ In Europe, Parents didn’t even show up to games at those ages because they said there were no tactics - that comes at U12 apparently. Americans care about winning to justify the expense. What I see here are great athletes but limited technical skill and no feel for what’s actually going on. In Europe the skilled players pass. Here it’s the goal scorers who get all the attention. Also most of child’s team never watched soccer...oh and did I mention it was 1/6 the cost? Only one exception in three years of travel soccer here: McLean soccer. We were in Maryland so it’s not child’s team but McLean soccer had that combination of children with technical skill and tactics. Classic Barcelona style of play. Guessing all State Department kids...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ransom thoughts. Lived in Europe. The difference is the curriculum. At u-6 to U-9 child’s coach worked all technical. In the US that would not be considered ‘fun.’ In Europe, Parents didn’t even show up to games at those ages because they said there were no tactics - that comes at U12 apparently. Americans care about winning to justify the expense. What I see here are great athletes but limited technical skill and no feel for what’s actually going on. In Europe the skilled players pass. Here it’s the goal scorers who get all the attention. Also most of child’s team never watched soccer...oh and did I mention it was 1/6 the cost? Only one exception in three years of travel soccer here: McLean soccer. We were in Maryland so it’s not child’s team but McLean soccer had that combination of children with technical skill and tactics. Classic Barcelona style of play. Guessing all State Department kids...

Ok REvil

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pathetic. Stop whining, and if you’re so disappointed get out there and coach yourself.

OP here, I am a coach. I’d like to explain to you again: most coaches “teaching” travel soccer in the DMV are molding their players into the way their coach played. There are some exceptions but the overall lack of knowledge and professionalism is pretty sad. The evaluations are entirely subjective, the players selections are extremely biased and over the period of 2 hours. For girls it’s worse: if your DD is not good friends (or even worse disliked) with the best player then she’s not part of the team. Don’t believe me? Next time there is a tryout, ask to see the “notes” they are took of your dear child. More than half of the time they don’t even bring out rosters.

The coaching license courses are also very far from any type of proper function. The D course is useless because the C course will teach conflicting material. The B course is basically adding to the racket; there’s no statistical instruction, no analytical instruction, and essentially it’s who agrees with the instructor. I don’t understand how this is so upsetting to some. The most “technical director” do for “continuing education” out here is show what they do in training maybe once a year.

If soccer within our culture is far behind Europe, why would anybody not think coaching is the same way? How many directors does your club have? Ask to see their development plans. How many of your clubs prioritizes development? Ask to see their formula for age group, team, child. You think they plan their sessions? Ask to see their plans. You people are paying thousands of dollars for nothing. It’s a racket.

If you want some free advice:
- if your coach has ever brushed off your child by telling them “just go home and juggle” or “just play some wall ball”, you’re sustaining the racket.
- if you have a older DD and your club is doing nothing to prevent ACL injuries, you’re sustaining the racket
- ever notice the trainings are always technical warmup, possession, play? Sustaining the racket

Ahh. Now I get it. You’re tying to drum up business on this forum. So who are you and what club do you coach at and what gender and age(s)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are 6 core functions of a professional football coach
1) Lead player developmnet
2) Lead the team
3) Coach training sessions
4) Coach matchrs
5) Manage the perfirmance environment
6) Provide Leadership to advance a program

Most coaches in the DMV are not educated to be teachers, they are perhaps best vetern players ill prepared to execute a higjly sophisticated and difficult task of unstilling character, skill and performance in the players, team and parents. Most cant afford tonpay thier own bills yet you entrust them with your children. The result is they use you as an ATM card as you evaluate them as players vice leaders and teachers. Lack of standards and licensing based on parents fear, narcissim and ego of "being left behind" alloe thr biggest clu s to emoy celebrity coaches vice proven developers of character and skill. Guel.all of this with the crazy dads and moms living thier life through thier children a.d the result is a disasterous toxic environment .

USSF/UEFA oaching standards are not being applied becuase you dont understand them and cannot evaluate coaches to them.

I hope you coach soccer better than you spell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pathetic. Stop whining, and if you’re so disappointed get out there and coach yourself.

OP here, I am a coach. I’d like to explain to you again: most coaches “teaching” travel soccer in the DMV are molding their players into the way their coach played. There are some exceptions but the overall lack of knowledge and professionalism is pretty sad. The evaluations are entirely subjective, the players selections are extremely biased and over the period of 2 hours. For girls it’s worse: if your DD is not good friends (or even worse disliked) with the best player then she’s not part of the team. Don’t believe me? Next time there is a tryout, ask to see the “notes” they are took of your dear child. More than half of the time they don’t even bring out rosters.

The coaching license courses are also very far from any type of proper function. The D course is useless because the C course will teach conflicting material. The B course is basically adding to the racket; there’s no statistical instruction, no analytical instruction, and essentially it’s who agrees with the instructor. I don’t understand how this is so upsetting to some. The most “technical director” do for “continuing education” out here is show what they do in training maybe once a year.

If soccer within our culture is far behind Europe, why would anybody not think coaching is the same way? How many directors does your club have? Ask to see their development plans. How many of your clubs prioritizes development? Ask to see their formula for age group, team, child. You think they plan their sessions? Ask to see their plans. You people are paying thousands of dollars for nothing. It’s a racket.

If you want some free advice:
- if your coach has ever brushed off your child by telling them “just go home and juggle” or “just play some wall ball”, you’re sustaining the racket.
- if you have a older DD and your club is doing nothing to prevent ACL injuries, you’re sustaining the racket
- ever notice the trainings are always technical warmup, possession, play? Sustaining the racket

Ahh. Now I get it. You’re tying to drum up business on this forum. So who are you and what club do you coach at and what gender and age(s)?

What should the club be doing to prevent ACL injuries? FIFA11?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pathetic. Stop whining, and if you’re so disappointed get out there and coach yourself.

OP here, I am a coach. I’d like to explain to you again: most coaches “teaching” travel soccer in the DMV are molding their players into the way their coach played. There are some exceptions but the overall lack of knowledge and professionalism is pretty sad. The evaluations are entirely subjective, the players selections are extremely biased and over the period of 2 hours. For girls it’s worse: if your DD is not good friends (or even worse disliked) with the best player then she’s not part of the team. Don’t believe me? Next time there is a tryout, ask to see the “notes” they are took of your dear child. More than half of the time they don’t even bring out rosters.

The coaching license courses are also very far from any type of proper function. The D course is useless because the C course will teach conflicting material. The B course is basically adding to the racket; there’s no statistical instruction, no analytical instruction, and essentially it’s who agrees with the instructor. I don’t understand how this is so upsetting to some. The most “technical director” do for “continuing education” out here is show what they do in training maybe once a year.

If soccer within our culture is far behind Europe, why would anybody not think coaching is the same way? How many directors does your club have? Ask to see their development plans. How many of your clubs prioritizes development? Ask to see their formula for age group, team, child. You think they plan their sessions? Ask to see their plans. You people are paying thousands of dollars for nothing. It’s a racket.

If you want some free advice:
- if your coach has ever brushed off your child by telling them “just go home and juggle” or “just play some wall ball”, you’re sustaining the racket.
- if you have a older DD and your club is doing nothing to prevent ACL injuries, you’re sustaining the racket
- ever notice the trainings are always technical warmup, possession, play? Sustaining the racket

Ahh. Now I get it. You’re tying to drum up business on this forum. So who are you and what club do you coach at and what gender and age(s)?

What should the club be doing to prevent ACL injuries? FIFA11?

Stop deflecting. Answer the question about who you are OP and where you coach. Start another thread if you want to discuss ACL injury prevention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pathetic. Stop whining, and if you’re so disappointed get out there and coach yourself.

OP here, I am a coach. I’d like to explain to you again: most coaches “teaching” travel soccer in the DMV are molding their players into the way their coach played. There are some exceptions but the overall lack of knowledge and professionalism is pretty sad. The evaluations are entirely subjective, the players selections are extremely biased and over the period of 2 hours. For girls it’s worse: if your DD is not good friends (or even worse disliked) with the best player then she’s not part of the team. Don’t believe me? Next time there is a tryout, ask to see the “notes” they are took of your dear child. More than half of the time they don’t even bring out rosters.

The coaching license courses are also very far from any type of proper function. The D course is useless because the C course will teach conflicting material. The B course is basically adding to the racket; there’s no statistical instruction, no analytical instruction, and essentially it’s who agrees with the instructor. I don’t understand how this is so upsetting to some. The most “technical director” do for “continuing education” out here is show what they do in training maybe once a year.

If soccer within our culture is far behind Europe, why would anybody not think coaching is the same way? How many directors does your club have? Ask to see their development plans. How many of your clubs prioritizes development? Ask to see their formula for age group, team, child. You think they plan their sessions? Ask to see their plans. You people are paying thousands of dollars for nothing. It’s a racket.

If you want some free advice:
- if your coach has ever brushed off your child by telling them “just go home and juggle” or “just play some wall ball”, you’re sustaining the racket.
- if you have a older DD and your club is doing nothing to prevent ACL injuries, you’re sustaining the racket
- ever notice the trainings are always technical warmup, possession, play? Sustaining the racket

Ahh. Now I get it. You’re tying to drum up business on this forum. So who are you and what club do you coach at and what gender and age(s)?

What should the club be doing to prevent ACL injuries? FIFA11?

Stop deflecting. Answer the question about who you are OP and where you coach. Start another thread if you want to discuss ACL injury prevention.

Not OP but found the ACL comment very interesting as I have 2 soccer playing DD’s. What do clubs do to help with prevention?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pathetic. Stop whining, and if you’re so disappointed get out there and coach yourself.

OP here, I am a coach. I’d like to explain to you again: most coaches “teaching” travel soccer in the DMV are molding their players into the way their coach played. There are some exceptions but the overall lack of knowledge and professionalism is pretty sad. The evaluations are entirely subjective, the players selections are extremely biased and over the period of 2 hours. For girls it’s worse: if your DD is not good friends (or even worse disliked) with the best player then she’s not part of the team. Don’t believe me? Next time there is a tryout, ask to see the “notes” they are took of your dear child. More than half of the time they don’t even bring out rosters.

The coaching license courses are also very far from any type of proper function. The D course is useless because the C course will teach conflicting material. The B course is basically adding to the racket; there’s no statistical instruction, no analytical instruction, and essentially it’s who agrees with the instructor. I don’t understand how this is so upsetting to some. The most “technical director” do for “continuing education” out here is show what they do in training maybe once a year.

If soccer within our culture is far behind Europe, why would anybody not think coaching is the same way? How many directors does your club have? Ask to see their development plans. How many of your clubs prioritizes development? Ask to see their formula for age group, team, child. You think they plan their sessions? Ask to see their plans. You people are paying thousands of dollars for nothing. It’s a racket.

If you want some free advice:
- if your coach has ever brushed off your child by telling them “just go home and juggle” or “just play some wall ball”, you’re sustaining the racket.
- if you have a older DD and your club is doing nothing to prevent ACL injuries, you’re sustaining the racket
- ever notice the trainings are always technical warmup, possession, play? Sustaining the racket

Ahh. Now I get it. You’re tying to drum up business on this forum. So who are you and what club do you coach at and what gender and age(s)?

What should the club be doing to prevent ACL injuries? FIFA11?

Stop deflecting. Answer the question about who you are OP and where you coach. Start another thread if you want to discuss ACL injury prevention.

Not OP but found the ACL comment very interesting as I have 2 soccer playing DD’s. What do clubs do to help with prevention?

advise cross training. There is nothing else they can do

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pathetic. Stop whining, and if you’re so disappointed get out there and coach yourself.

OP here, I am a coach. I’d like to explain to you again: most coaches “teaching” travel soccer in the DMV are molding their players into the way their coach played. There are some exceptions but the overall lack of knowledge and professionalism is pretty sad. The evaluations are entirely subjective, the players selections are extremely biased and over the period of 2 hours. For girls it’s worse: if your DD is not good friends (or even worse disliked) with the best player then she’s not part of the team. Don’t believe me? Next time there is a tryout, ask to see the “notes” they are took of your dear child. More than half of the time they don’t even bring out rosters.

The coaching license courses are also very far from any type of proper function. The D course is useless because the C course will teach conflicting material. The B course is basically adding to the racket; there’s no statistical instruction, no analytical instruction, and essentially it’s who agrees with the instructor. I don’t understand how this is so upsetting to some. The most “technical director” do for “continuing education” out here is show what they do in training maybe once a year.

If soccer within our culture is far behind Europe, why would anybody not think coaching is the same way? How many directors does your club have? Ask to see their development plans. How many of your clubs prioritizes development? Ask to see their formula for age group, team, child. You think they plan their sessions? Ask to see their plans. You people are paying thousands of dollars for nothing. It’s a racket.

If you want some free advice:
- if your coach has ever brushed off your child by telling them “just go home and juggle” or “just play some wall ball”, you’re sustaining the racket.
- if you have a older DD and your club is doing nothing to prevent ACL injuries, you’re sustaining the racket
- ever notice the trainings are always technical warmup, possession, play? Sustaining the racket

Ahh. Now I get it. You’re tying to drum up business on this forum. So who are you and what club do you coach at and what gender and age(s)?

What should the club be doing to prevent ACL injuries? FIFA11?

Stop deflecting. Answer the question about who you are OP and where you coach. Start another thread if you want to discuss ACL injury prevention.

Not OP but found the ACL comment very interesting as I have 2 soccer playing DD’s. What do clubs do to help with prevention?

Google “PEP Program Soccer”. It is a 10-15 min warmup routine that has been shown to reduce ACL injuries. Additionally, hamstring strengthening exercises are helpful for most athletes since there are hamstring muscles that run down behind the back of the knee and since many athletes are “quad dominant” (ratio of quad strength vs hamstring strength).

[Anonymous]

Not sure the point. The price tag is fairly low for the level of service provided. I get your point OP on the fact that the coaching could be limited and based only on what the coach knows. That is true in every sport. But the price is about right for what is provided. Would you pay the coach less? I don't think that is fair for the time involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pathetic. Stop whining, and if you’re so disappointed get out there and coach yourself.

OP here, I am a coach. I’d like to explain to you again: most coaches “teaching” travel soccer in the DMV are molding their players into the way their coach played. There are some exceptions but the overall lack of knowledge and professionalism is pretty sad. The evaluations are entirely subjective, the players selections are extremely biased and over the period of 2 hours. For girls it’s worse: if your DD is not good friends (or even worse disliked) with the best player then she’s not part of the team. Don’t believe me? Next time there is a tryout, ask to see the “notes” they are took of your dear child. More than half of the time they don’t even bring out rosters.

The coaching license courses are also very far from any type of proper function. The D course is useless because the C course will teach conflicting material. The B course is basically adding to the racket; there’s no statistical instruction, no analytical instruction, and essentially it’s who agrees with the instructor. I don’t understand how this is so upsetting to some. The most “technical director” do for “continuing education” out here is show what they do in training maybe once a year.

If soccer within our culture is far behind Europe, why would anybody not think coaching is the same way? How many directors does your club have? Ask to see their development plans. How many of your clubs prioritizes development? Ask to see their formula for age group, team, child. You think they plan their sessions? Ask to see their plans. You people are paying thousands of dollars for nothing. It’s a racket.

If you want some free advice:
- if your coach has ever brushed off your child by telling them “just go home and juggle” or “just play some wall ball”, you’re sustaining the racket.
- if you have a older DD and your club is doing nothing to prevent ACL injuries, you’re sustaining the racket
- ever notice the trainings are always technical warmup, possession, play? Sustaining the racket

Ahh. Now I get it. You’re tying to drum up business on this forum. So who are you and what club do you coach at and what gender and age(s)?

What should the club be doing to prevent ACL injuries? FIFA11?

Stop deflecting. Answer the question about who you are OP and where you coach. Start another thread if you want to discuss ACL injury prevention.

Not OP but found the ACL comment very interesting as I have 2 soccer playing DD’s. What do clubs do to help with prevention?

Google “PEP Program Soccer”. It is a 10-15 min warmup routine that has been shown to reduce ACL injuries. Additionally, hamstring strengthening exercises are helpful for most athletes since there are hamstring muscles that run down behind the back of the knee and since many athletes are “quad dominant” (ratio of quad strength vs hamstring strength).

Arlington and McLean do this; Alexandria to an extent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure the point. The price tag is fairly low for the level of service provided. I get your point OP on the fact that the coaching could be limited and based only on what the coach knows. That is true in every sport. But the price is about right for what is provided. Would you pay the coach less? I don't think that is fair for the time involved.

Imagine paying $3000 a year in total only to find out he has no idea how to coach back line players

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pathetic. Stop whining, and if you’re so disappointed get out there and coach yourself.

OP here, I am a coach. I’d like to explain to you again: most coaches “teaching” travel soccer in the DMV are molding their players into the way their coach played. There are some exceptions but the overall lack of knowledge and professionalism is pretty sad. The evaluations are entirely subjective, the players selections are extremely biased and over the period of 2 hours. For girls it’s worse: if your DD is not good friends (or even worse disliked) with the best player then she’s not part of the team. Don’t believe me? Next time there is a tryout, ask to see the “notes” they are took of your dear child. More than half of the time they don’t even bring out rosters.

The coaching license courses are also very far from any type of proper function. The D course is useless because the C course will teach conflicting material. The B course is basically adding to the racket; there’s no statistical instruction, no analytical instruction, and essentially it’s who agrees with the instructor. I don’t understand how this is so upsetting to some. The most “technical director” do for “continuing education” out here is show what they do in training maybe once a year.

If soccer within our culture is far behind Europe, why would anybody not think coaching is the same way? How many directors does your club have? Ask to see their development plans. How many of your clubs prioritizes development? Ask to see their formula for age group, team, child. You think they plan their sessions? Ask to see their plans. You people are paying thousands of dollars for nothing. It’s a racket.

If you want some free advice:
- if your coach has ever brushed off your child by telling them “just go home and juggle” or “just play some wall ball”, you’re sustaining the racket.
- if you have a older DD and your club is doing nothing to prevent ACL injuries, you’re sustaining the racket
- ever notice the trainings are always technical warmup, possession, play? Sustaining the racket

Ahh. Now I get it. You’re tying to drum up business on this forum. So who are you and what club do you coach at and what gender and age(s)?

What should the club be doing to prevent ACL injuries? FIFA11?

Stop deflecting. Answer the question about who you are OP and where you coach. Start another thread if you want to discuss ACL injury prevention.

Not OP but found the ACL comment very interesting as I have 2 soccer playing DD’s. What do clubs do to help with prevention?

Google “PEP Program Soccer”. It is a 10-15 min warmup routine that has been shown to reduce ACL injuries. Additionally, hamstring strengthening exercises are helpful for most athletes since there are hamstring muscles that run down behind the back of the knee and since many athletes are “quad dominant” (ratio of quad strength vs hamstring strength).

Arlington and McLean do this; Alexandria to an extent.

51-year old woman here. Former soccer player for 20-years...and runner.

Since high school, I always did heavy quad AND hamstring on weight machines. I still have zero knee pain, never had a knee injury. Ankles the same way.

Weight lifting and stabilization are the key.

Sometimes the physique you are born with makes you more prone on injury. For example, I am 5'5" and muscular. Many tall people I know cannot run comfortably after a certain age because it is too tough on their knees.

Nowadays, we are so much more advanced in the fitness/strength area with a lot of balance exercises used for stabilization. I would check out a knowledgable sports PT. It can make a world of difference.

And, like another pp said, cross-training in different sports is key for young kids. Overuse injuries are ridiculously widespread at the youngest of ages (not seen that early in prior generations) from repetitive/constant use of the same motions/muscles.

In adolescence, you will get your typical Osgoods and Severs--but these are related to growth and will resolve on their own.

[Anonymous]

^ oh and my older sister who was 5'9" tore her ACL badly at age 17 and before the age of arthroscopic surgery. For her it was tall grass and ugly Joe Theisman type thing. Brutal.

She is built completely differently than me. She was always lanky/thin and long legs. I was sturdier and very muscular. "Big soccer thighs" I was embarrassed by back then.

Physique and build does come into play.