Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^it doesn't matter above u12 either. My future u13 next season will only be 11 years old the entire Fall season of 2017. DOB 12/22/05.

He is nowhere near hitting his growth spurt/puberty.

Things don't start evening out until much later.

Yah. U13 isn't u13 anymore. You have 11-year olds in this age group. It sucks this age group gets late practice times at most places because many of these kids are only 6th graders and this is really the "u12" pre-birth year change and would not have such late practices yet under the old system. These kids are getting late times a full year earlier. U13 used to be 12&13--not 11&12 year olds!

[Anonymous]

The next thing US Soccer is going to do is change the soccer seasons to align with birth year. This would mean that tryouts would take place in the fall and the new season begins in the spring.

[Anonymous]

It has always been a 12 month band, though. It is not as if US Soccer demanded that the band suddenly become 18 months. My kid used to be at the very end of the age group -- he is now in the middle. We used to complain that he had to play with a bunch of 02 kids when he had a 03 birthday (and the fall birthdays were the dominant kids)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The next thing US Soccer is going to do is change the soccer seasons to align with birth year. This would mean that tryouts would take place in the fall and the new season begins in the spring.

I can't imagine US Soccer trying to do that. They're not going to mandate that Cal South's seasons align with Maine's, and they realize a lot of people move (or go to college, for U19-ish teams) from spring to fall.

At most, they would do that for the Development Academy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The next thing US Soccer is going to do is change the soccer seasons to align with birth year. This would mean that tryouts would take place in the fall and the new season begins in the spring.

I can't imagine US Soccer trying to do that. They're not going to mandate that Cal South's seasons align with Maine's, and they realize a lot of people move (or go to college, for U19-ish teams) from spring to fall.

At most, they would do that for the Development Academy.

NO they wouldn't do that for DA. Part of the reason for the changes was to align the DA with the rest of the world in age standards and the rest of the world has their seasons from September to June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has always been a 12 month band, though. It is not as if US Soccer demanded that the band suddenly become 18 months. My kid used to be at the very end of the age group -- he is now in the middle. We used to complain that he had to play with a bunch of 02 kids when he had a 03 birthday (and the fall birthdays were the dominant kids)

The kids are younger in each age group though which is why practice from 8-9:30 for an 11-year old U-13 is ridiculous!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has always been a 12 month band, though. It is not as if US Soccer demanded that the band suddenly become 18 months. My kid used to be at the very end of the age group -- he is now in the middle. We used to complain that he had to play with a bunch of 02 kids when he had a 03 birthday (and the fall birthdays were the dominant kids)

The kids are younger in each age group though which is why practice from 8-9:30 for an 11-year old U-13 is ridiculous!

8-9:30 for U13 is a club field issue. My kid is U13 and practices from 6:30-8. I know others at other clubs that practice at similar times. Most fields at those times are also reserved for Adult leagues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It has always been a 12 month band, though. It is not as if US Soccer demanded that the band suddenly become 18 months. My kid used to be at the very end of the age group -- he is now in the middle. We used to complain that he had to play with a bunch of 02 kids when he had a 03 birthday (and the fall birthdays were the dominant kids)

Exactly some kid is always going to be at the bottom of the age grouping no matter how you slice it. I find it very interesting that people in this country are always so concerned with the "size" issue. Soccer is not about size, it's about skill. Yes some clubs look at that first but who cares, that's how they decide to operate. Your kid is playing at the right age as the rules state it so what is the big deal. What about those kids that play up and are smaller, how do you think they get around the size issue. Well they develop their technical skills, learn how to position themselves better for their advantage, learn what works and what doesn't against bigger kids, put it in the work outside of practice to learn how to get themselves better, they will learn to make decisions quicker. Even when they are done with puberty and stop growing they are all going to be different sizes, what are you going to do then? Ask for leagues to be based on size and level of aggression? At U-little it is all part of the development process. If your kid goes and plays outside, are you going to ask other kids for their ID to see if they are allowed to play with your kid? Oh yeah, in this country, we don't allow our kids to go outside to play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has always been a 12 month band, though. It is not as if US Soccer demanded that the band suddenly become 18 months. My kid used to be at the very end of the age group -- he is now in the middle. We used to complain that he had to play with a bunch of 02 kids when he had a 03 birthday (and the fall birthdays were the dominant kids)

Exactly some kid is always going to be at the bottom of the age grouping no matter how you slice it. I find it very interesting that people in this country are always so concerned with the "size" issue. Soccer is not about size, it's about skill. Yes some clubs look at that first but who cares, that's how they decide to operate. Your kid is playing at the right age as the rules state it so what is the big deal. What about those kids that play up and are smaller, how do you think they get around the size issue. Well they develop their technical skills, learn how to position themselves better for their advantage, learn what works and what doesn't against bigger kids, put it in the work outside of practice to learn how to get themselves better, they will learn to make decisions quicker. Even when they are done with puberty and stop growing they are all going to be different sizes, what are you going to do then? Ask for leagues to be based on size and level of aggression? At U-little it is all part of the development process. If your kid goes and plays outside, are you going to ask other kids for their ID to see if they are allowed to play with your kid? Oh yeah, in this country, we don't allow our kids to go outside to play.

Size is American soccer. I don't disagree that people come in all different sizes. However, for college soccer, HS soccer and Club soccer in the US---they still pick the biggest. They still don't recognize skill and movement and a 'smart' player.

I do think the reason my tiny younger son has such amazing skill and can't ever be knocked off the ball is because he is used to playing with kids (older sibling and his friends) and opponents in games that are twice his size. He is also tough as nails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It has always been a 12 month band, though. It is not as if US Soccer demanded that the band suddenly become 18 months. My kid used to be at the very end of the age group -- he is now in the middle. We used to complain that he had to play with a bunch of 02 kids when he had a 03 birthday (and the fall birthdays were the dominant kids)

Exactly some kid is always going to be at the bottom of the age grouping no matter how you slice it. I find it very interesting that people in this country are always so concerned with the "size" issue. Soccer is not about size, it's about skill. Yes some clubs look at that first but who cares, that's how they decide to operate. Your kid is playing at the right age as the rules state it so what is the big deal. What about those kids that play up and are smaller, how do you think they get around the size issue. Well they develop their technical skills, learn how to position themselves better for their advantage, learn what works and what doesn't against bigger kids, put it in the work outside of practice to learn how to get themselves better, they will learn to make decisions quicker. Even when they are done with puberty and stop growing they are all going to be different sizes, what are you going to do then? Ask for leagues to be based on size and level of aggression? At U-little it is all part of the development process. If your kid goes and plays outside, are you going to ask other kids for their ID to see if they are allowed to play with your kid? Oh yeah, in this country, we don't allow our kids to go outside to play.

Size is American soccer. I don't disagree that people come in all different sizes. However, for college soccer, HS soccer and Club soccer in the US---they still pick the biggest. They still don't recognize skill and movement and a 'smart' player.

I do think the reason my tiny younger son has such amazing skill and can't ever be knocked off the ball is because he is used to playing with kids (older sibling and his friends) and opponents in games that are twice his size. He is also tough as nails.

Same for my son and most of his teammates. That's why I smh every time people complain about size. Part of the issue is the over protective culture here in US. If you ask most kids who love the game, they could care less who they play against.

[Anonymous]

Father of Next Messi wrote:I do think the reason my tiny younger son has such amazing skill and can't ever be knocked off the ball is because he is used to playing with kids (older sibling and his friends) and opponents in games that are twice his size. He is also tough as nails.

Father of Next Maradona wrote:Same for my son and most of his teammates. That's why I smh every time people complain about size. Part of the issue is the over protective culture here in US. If you ask most kids who love the game, they could care less who they play against.

There's no doubt both of your kids are special.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Father of Next Messi wrote:I do think the reason my tiny younger son has such amazing skill and can't ever be knocked off the ball is because he is used to playing with kids (older sibling and his friends) and opponents in games that are twice his size. He is also tough as nails.

Father of Next Maradona wrote:Same for my son and most of his teammates. That's why I smh every time people complain about size. Part of the issue is the over protective culture here in US. If you ask most kids who love the game, they could care less who they play against.

There's no doubt both of your kids are special.

Father of Next Player of the Year: absolutely, mine is so special he already has a deal at Barcelona. They love small players there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The next thing US Soccer is going to do is change the soccer seasons to align with birth year. This would mean that tryouts would take place in the fall and the new season begins in the spring.

I can't imagine US Soccer trying to do that. They're not going to mandate that Cal South's seasons align with Maine's, and they realize a lot of people move (or go to college, for U19-ish teams) from spring to fall.

At most, they would do that for the Development Academy.

Nothing would need to be changed other than tryouts. Month off in Mid June-July and a month off December through Mid January.

The only thing it would really much up is winter Futsal. But Futsal could be shifted to the summer as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The next thing US Soccer is going to do is change the soccer seasons to align with birth year. This would mean that tryouts would take place in the fall and the new season begins in the spring.

I can't imagine US Soccer trying to do that. They're not going to mandate that Cal South's seasons align with Maine's, and they realize a lot of people move (or go to college, for U19-ish teams) from spring to fall.

At most, they would do that for the Development Academy.

Nothing would need to be changed other than tryouts. Month off in Mid June-July and a month off December through Mid January.

The only thing it would really much up is winter Futsal. But Futsal could be shifted to the summer as well.

Yes! Get us out of the 100 degree weather with turf melting my flip-flops and the burning rubber smell infiltrating my nostrils. I'd take 30 degrees outside over a DC summer day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These discussions on the tryout selection process have me marvelling (again) at how coaches pick teams. From my years of navigating the process, most tryout formats I've seen are pretty flawed, and that's assuming there is no incumbency factor or politics going in.

It might sound impersonal but why don't clubs go to a metrics based approach to add some objectivity to the process? I still recall the year when my ds tried out for Virginia Stars (baseball, not soccer) and they put him through what amounted to a baseball combine one afternoon. He didn't make the team, but that was the first time we got a good explanation from the coach about why, and which specific areas he needed to work on. DS is now playing HS ball, and although it was tough to hear then, I think it was very valuable motivation for him. Parents can never provide this.

Soccer is less individual than baseball so you couldn't make your entire criteria based on simple drills, but properly implemented, it would help expose some key attributes. One could concoct a suite of representative drills, and actually measure according to some criteria... time dribbling through cones, circuits around a 4 cone drill in a minute, juggling touches in a minute, sprint times, passing through a gate from a run etc. Combine that with a subjective phase of one-on-ones against a known good defender, etc, and then top it off with the short sided scrimmage. Take notes, record the scores. Send it to Johnny's parents with the results. Lot of work? Sure. Most of us spend more than $2k per year, this should not be too much to ask.

I like that soccer tryouts don't include stopwatches at all.

They'll use stopwatches for distance running when they tryout for a HS team...of course, that is years away for your little ones.