Can a Skinny 10-yo Boy Have Success at Rec Soccer?
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Anonymous
| DS is about 75% in height but 50% in weight, and his legs especially looked quite skinny compared to his teammates. He's been playing soccer since 4 so even though not a travel level player he's quite good and has good speed with the ball. But based on my observations at games, I think he is not physically strong enough to challenge opponents to take the ball away, or the keep the ball when he has it. I am not sure he's enjoying soccer as much as before. The other day he said he wanted to do baseball in the Fall instead of soccer. I'd okay with that, of course, as it would be his decision to make, but I'm wondering if this could be it for him with soccer. Is it typical for skinny boys to quit soccer due to his size/strength? |
Anonymous
| I don't think that skinny factors into whether someone is a good soccer player. |
Anonymous
|
My skinny boy, age 11, is a very good, happy, competitive soccer player. He plays in rec/house and has been an all star every season.
The skinny guys are often the fastest! My DH was a collegiate soccer player and could be aptly described as skinny. Don't worry. |
Anonymous
| Maybe watching the World Cup will inspire him to stay in the game -- or not. |
Anonymous
| Lots of good players are small... Watch Neymar. |
Anonymous
what's his height/weight percentile if you don't mind? the athletic boys i know are all beginning to show some muscles in arms/legs. |
Anonymous
| What? My 10yo is 10% height and 10% weight and is a great soccer player. He goes up against MUCH bigger kids at every game and does not even notice it. He gets the ball away and outmaneuvers thicker, taller kids - problem. One of the reasons I like soccer for him so much as that size truly does not matter. |
Anonymous
Mine is a mere 1% for weight 5% height and he's playing in travel. He's always the tiniest one, but he's fast and has good foot skills. He can and does get easily knocked over by the bigger kids, but he's pretty good with his feet and has helped a few of those guys trip over themselves and fall. 
If he loves the game, don't let him get discouraged. It's not always easy, but I look at it as one of those challenges in life that help develop character. |
Anonymous
Yes. Also kids experience "success" even if they're mediocre at something. If he enjoys it OP, so what if he's not that good. |
Anonymous
|
Oh I've seen many smaller kids dominate matches with their quickness and smarts, no doubt they are successful. But for non-undersized kids I feel you need to be really strong to 'win' the ball because at this age the physical contacts are real - lots of pushing and bumping and tackling.
But as I type I realized it's the same way for every contact sport it's not just soccer... |
Anonymous
| My kid is not good at soccer but its not because he is skinny, its because he is not aggressive. He enjoys it so he plays. He excels at other things (e.g. school). |
Anonymous
mine too but i think it's mostly because he's intimated by the stronger kids. |
Anonymous
| this is crazy. sure, there are some players with tree trunk legs, but many of the best and fastest are slender. he'll probably fill out eventually anyway. keep it up!!! |
Anonymous
+1 My travel playing son is a formidable opponent to kids with 50 lbs on him. I wouldn't let him play up due to size, but soccer is not a game that requires bulk. |
Anonymous
neymar has absolute elite ball skills. better than any american that has ever played the game. yes a skinny player can be a success in soccer - however they must be off the charts in another aspect of the game, be it technique, in-game intelligence, vision, etc. the fact is also the style of football played here (similar to youth academies in england) select for strength and power moreoften than not. it is changing but the style of play here still benefits power and strength. you say he is getting bundled off the ball - well as i said, you can be very successful even if skinny - but in your son's instance he needs to develop elite technique and vision so he receives the ball, his first touch is a positive one into space away from the defender and then moves the ball on-to another player. to be honest, playing with more physical players in this age will force him to develop these skills which will benefit him as he matures |