Soccer Coach in Northern VA - Ask me anything

[Anonymous]

U9 DS currently plays on a a talented competitive team but only gets to play about 15 minutes per game on avg while a few play almost the entire game. Just tried out for a super small club, super close to home, and was offered a roster spot right after the first day. The coach and training on his current team is great but I feel his confidence has dipped over this last spring due to some of discouraging teammates and his dwindling playing time. Trying to figure out if switching is the right choice for my kid. I feel the training situation is great and competitive but is it worth it at the expense of his confidence?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:do kids need to be taught to not kick the ball with their toes, if so at what age? or is this something they'll figure out naturally as they grow?

Yes, and do it now, no matter what age the kid is in.
It's a terrible habit, and it becomes harder to break as they get older.

what's the best way to encourage this other than yelling 'don't use your toes'? a few drills i've seen don't really change this tendency. and those who don't use toes appear to do that without much coaching/teaching.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:do kids need to be taught to not kick the ball with their toes, if so at what age? or is this something they'll figure out naturally as they grow?

Yes, and do it now, no matter what age the kid is in.
It's a terrible habit, and it becomes harder to break as they get older.

what's the best way to encourage this other than yelling 'don't use your toes'? a few drills i've seen don't really change this tendency. and those who don't use toes appear to do that without much coaching/teaching.

Play with no shoes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:do kids need to be taught to not kick the ball with their toes, if so at what age? or is this something they'll figure out naturally as they grow?

Yes, and do it now, no matter what age the kid is in.
It's a terrible habit, and it becomes harder to break as they get older.

what's the best way to encourage this other than yelling 'don't use your toes'? a few drills i've seen don't really change this tendency. and those who don't use toes appear to do that without much coaching/teaching.

Get him used to using his laces. Juggling, dribbling close touches with his laces (a touch every step), pull push footskills (tap forward with laces, pull back with sole, push forward with laces, pull back with sole....), then practice shooting (teach him to get "over" the ball so that he strikes with laces and not toes. I'm sure you can search for stuff on YouTube. But yeah, break him the habit fast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U9 DS currently plays on a a talented competitive team but only gets to play about 15 minutes per game on avg while a few play almost the entire game. Just tried out for a super small club, super close to home, and was offered a roster spot right after the first day. The coach and training on his current team is great but I feel his confidence has dipped over this last spring due to some of discouraging teammates and his dwindling playing time. Trying to figure out if switching is the right choice for my kid. I feel the training situation is great and competitive but is it worth it at the expense of his confidence?

I asked a very similar question on "the big thread" probably a year ago. The consensus was to stay with the better training and better team. Some points were that games are a very small part of development and training is the most important part, playing against better kids will make him better, etc. My opinion is...every kid is different and you know your son best. If his confidence is dropping because lack of playing time and kids on the team busting his ass/saying he sucks/etc. (well hopefully you talked to coach about it first) but my opinion is to get him out of there. Confidence, enjoying practices and games and wanting to play is everything. If a kid doesn't want to play anymore...the best training in the world is worthless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U9 DS currently plays on a a talented competitive team but only gets to play about 15 minutes per game on avg while a few play almost the entire game. Just tried out for a super small club, super close to home, and was offered a roster spot right after the first day. The coach and training on his current team is great but I feel his confidence has dipped over this last spring due to some of discouraging teammates and his dwindling playing time. Trying to figure out if switching is the right choice for my kid. I feel the training situation is great and competitive but is it worth it at the expense of his confidence?

I asked a very similar question on "the big thread" probably a year ago. The consensus was to stay with the better training and better team. Some points were that games are a very small part of development and training is the most important part, playing against better kids will make him better, etc. My opinion is...every kid is different and you know your son best. If his confidence is dropping because lack of playing time and kids on the team busting his ass/saying he sucks/etc. (well hopefully you talked to coach about it first) but my opinion is to get him out of there. Confidence, enjoying practices and games and wanting to play is everything. If a kid doesn't want to play anymore...the best training in the world is worthless.

Your comment/opinion is much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Which program would you recommend for the best development for a talented U10 boy? High Arlington team now but unsatisfied with the program. Are there any smaller programs that focus on skills development near Arlington?

[Anonymous]

PP not the coach but was curious how you rate the technical day at Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U9 DS currently plays on a a talented competitive team but only gets to play about 15 minutes per game on avg while a few play almost the entire game. Just tried out for a super small club, super close to home, and was offered a roster spot right after the first day. The coach and training on his current team is great but I feel his confidence has dipped over this last spring due to some of discouraging teammates and his dwindling playing time. Trying to figure out if switching is the right choice for my kid. I feel the training situation is great and competitive but is it worth it at the expense of his confidence?

It's best if you take your son's well being over training. If you think logically about it, how much is he really learning if he can't display it in the game, his coach is not supporting him(playing time), and you mention something about discouraging teammates... (if there is bullying involved not sure why you haven't taken action yet).

I guess the answer is so clear I'm wondering if this is a 'real' post. There is the 'dealing with adverse and difficult people' lessons involved, but it seems as if the adults(you and the coach) aren't really being neutral in this scenario. If you have the budget for it, do the club nearby and buy extra training on the side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CCL or EDP for u12?

it depends on the coach and team and what you are willing to do with travel. CCL has a more travel than CCL2 which is more local. I think EDP might fall somewhere in the middle of both. If you're in NOVA you are probably considering Bethesda South or Alexandria which I hear are very good teams. I guess you might consider Joga as well but that is not yet proven on the quality of teams that they'll put out. It depends on where you end up with CCL.

EDP, the best teams in CCL have DA at U12, so it's no longer their top teams and you still have to do the Roanoke, VA and VA Beach games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U9 DS currently plays on a a talented competitive team but only gets to play about 15 minutes per game on avg while a few play almost the entire game. Just tried out for a super small club, super close to home, and was offered a roster spot right after the first day. The coach and training on his current team is great but I feel his confidence has dipped over this last spring due to some of discouraging teammates and his dwindling playing time. Trying to figure out if switching is the right choice for my kid. I feel the training situation is great and competitive but is it worth it at the expense of his confidence?

It's best if you take your son's well being over training. If you think logically about it, how much is he really learning if he can't display it in the game, his coach is not supporting him(playing time), and you mention something about discouraging teammates... (if there is bullying involved not sure why you haven't taken action yet).

I guess the answer is so clear I'm wondering if this is a 'real' post. There is the 'dealing with adverse and difficult people' lessons involved, but it seems as if the adults(you and the coach) aren't really being neutral in this scenario. If you have the budget for it, do the club nearby and buy extra training on the side.

Thanks for your input. I wouldn't call it straight up bullying otherwise I would have taken action. It is just the constant dealing with whining/complaining teammates that can make him second guess his decisions when on the ball now (i.e. always looking for the pass first and taking to much time when the obvious decision is to dribble into open space). Not sure what you mean by "not being neutral in this scenario" comment.

[Anonymous]

New to travel soccer with a question for the coach: I am not even sure what kinds of questions to ask! My son was just offered a place on Stoddert's U11 white team (I assume that this is their "C" team). Do you know whether players are able to move from a C to a B team, say, during a season? I imagine that it depends on the club, but do you have a general sense of this? And my other question is whether there is a qualitative difference for a player, in terms of skills development, training, attention from coaches, etc., between an A, B, or C team? My son says he is serious about soccer and loves the game. He has the option of playing travel with two other clubs and we're trying to decide which one to go with. There are other factors (like commuting time), but for right now I'm just trying to get a handle on the differences between playing on the first, second, or third team at a club in travel soccer. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:U9 DS currently plays on a a talented competitive team but only gets to play about 15 minutes per game on avg while a few play almost the entire game. Just tried out for a super small club, super close to home, and was offered a roster spot right after the first day. The coach and training on his current team is great but I feel his confidence has dipped over this last spring due to some of discouraging teammates and his dwindling playing time. Trying to figure out if switching is the right choice for my kid. I feel the training situation is great and competitive but is it worth it at the expense of his confidence?

I think a team/club/coach is really messed up if they're not giving kids equal playing time at U9. I would be out of there in a flash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coach I had a question to get your input on. I have boy currently playing U9 travel with BRYC. With their move to ECNL they will no longer be in a league at the younger ages (u13 and below) and plan on replacing the weekend games with scrimmages which I assume can only be with their teammates since the other clubs will be in a league. I understand the games aren't training, however, we left rec for more competitive play and I am concerned he might get bored. Do we stick out with the same club or look for alternatives? Not really considering options long term since he could change sports or no longer be interested in the future.

I have a kid playing at BRYC and have coached travel in another club. I would not leave BRYC for the reason you are considering so long as you and your son like the coach, and the training your son is receiving is good.

First, I am sure that most scrimmages at BRYC will NOT be with their own teammates. The club will set up friendlies with CCL teams when those other teams do not have games. Ditto with NCSL teams. In addition, some of the intra-club scrimmages will be against older and younger age groups within BRYC.

In short, I think you will find that tournaments and friendlies will provide enough competitive play to complement the excellent training your son receives at BRYC. Plus you will have more of a life on weekends not having to travel as much.

I'm really trying to figure out if I know you! Mimics the conversations I've had with other parents at BRYC. We left officially today by accepting an offer with SYA, I don't understand why (even though they have told me) why the heck I would stay just for the training. There will be no friendlies, because the previous person got it right..everyone else is in league play. Bad decision by BRYC, they should just join NCSL or at least ODSL. I moved both my boys to SYA, coaches appear to be good and the facilities are nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coach I had a question to get your input on. I have boy currently playing U9 travel with BRYC. With their move to ECNL they will no longer be in a league at the younger ages (u13 and below) and plan on replacing the weekend games with scrimmages which I assume can only be with their teammates since the other clubs will be in a league. I understand the games aren't training, however, we left rec for more competitive play and I am concerned he might get bored. Do we stick out with the same club or look for alternatives? Not really considering options long term since he could change sports or no longer be interested in the future.

I have a kid playing at BRYC and have coached travel in another club. I would not leave BRYC for the reason you are considering so long as you and your son like the coach, and the training your son is receiving is good.

First, I am sure that most scrimmages at BRYC will NOT be with their own teammates. The club will set up friendlies with CCL teams when those other teams do not have games. Ditto with NCSL teams. In addition, some of the intra-club scrimmages will be against older and younger age groups within BRYC.

In short, I think you will find that tournaments and friendlies will provide enough competitive play to complement the excellent training your son receives at BRYC. Plus you will have more of a life on weekends not having to travel as much.

I'm really trying to figure out if I know you! Mimics the conversations I've had with other parents at BRYC. We left officially today by accepting an offer with SYA, I don't understand why (even though they have told me) why the heck I would stay just for the training. There will be no friendlies, because the previous person got it right..everyone else is in league play. Bad decision by BRYC, they should just join NCSL or at least ODSL. I moved both my boys to SYA, coaches appear to be good and the facilities are nice.

I overheard that CCL was not going to allow BRYC to scrimmage with CCL clubs. If you think about it, they are trying to create their own league and circumvent CCL. I sense crash and burn