Age of Ambidextrous Girls Soccer

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone,

Do most U10/U11 Travel Soccer Girls able to kick and dribble equally well (or almost equal) with both feet?

If not, at what age do you see most of them developing this skill?

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Can (and should) be developed as early as U9.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can (and should) be developed as early as U9.

Yep may still be weaker with one foot but not too much difference between feet.

[Anonymous]

Agreed about developing at U9, but do most travel girls have this skill set particularly in U10/U11 in NCSL?

I want to be able to gauge my daughter.

[Anonymous]

My 9 year old girl can juggle alternating right/left (feet/but has to resort to thighs occasionally) up to about 15 and kicks/dribbles equally well with left and right feet. From what I can tell in our ODSL league (I know, I know!) these skills are pretty rare in her age group.

[Anonymous]

I would say "No," most travel soccer players, even on higher level teams, are not ambidextrous at U10/11. There may be some who are close, but most aren't. Heck, I know of forwards who are D1 commits who can be neutralized by just guarding their primary foot / forcing them to their weak side.

[Anonymous]

10:52, what position does your daughter play on the team or does the coach just rotate her to different positions like the rest of the team?

I'm curious if being ambidextrous is more important/valued at a certain position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 9 year old girl can juggle alternating right/left (feet/but has to resort to thighs occasionally) up to about 15 and kicks/dribbles equally well with left and right feet. From what I can tell in our ODSL league (I know, I know!) these skills are pretty rare in her age group.

I saw a u10 girl juggling around 210, 6” off her foot.....it’s hard to count, could be more but what does it matter. She was the exception- really good control, can walk and turn around while juggling, can do ball on a string through top girls on really fast surfaces(indoor hardwood courts), very technical, etc. She is right dominate but you have to watch her for a while to figure it out. There is no hesitation with the left foot. Saw her score two goals with her left foot because it was the proper foot to use. She did not think about it or look uncomfortable, she just did it. Same with passing.

At a big club u10, the better girls will be in the 30’s, a small group will be in the 50’s, one or two will be above that. The girls start to compete and push each other. Sound like your girl is on the right track. When she gets above 50’s, there are some good drills you can do to increase touch.

[Anonymous]

Give me a break...few if any world class players are ambidextrous.
Yes, they should be proficient with both feet, but there's a reason left footed players are so valued, just like left handed batters in baseball.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Don't be discouraged.

My firstborn at that age could barely consistently get 16. He committed to it the following summer and was up to 300 by age 10. 1,000 by December. He's now U13 and he easily do 'around the world' and other juggling skills.

My second born is a U10 and he is around where your daughter is--though he can use both feet extremely well dribbling and shooting--so his coach will play him on the side to use left--even though he is a true rightie. This developed in a large part because my husband coached him in rec the first few years and insisted on kids using both feet, making a game out of it, having them wear different color socks and use the 'red' one only, etc. Much easier to pick it up the younger you are--these kids were 5.

2nd born is lazier about practicing juggling though. He doesn't have the same perseverance with it as older brother who would get so frustrated---kick and throw things---then go back out and continue. Different personalities completely.

I never was a good juggler. I managed to play a pretty high level never really mastering the art. My husband that only played one year of soccer in HS (the only soccer he played--one year) is a fantastic juggler. Go figure.

With juggling it really is a 'break-through' moment. Once you consistently get around 25--it's easy to keep going if you keep practicing. It's the beginning that is the very hardest.

Practice. Really use the other foot---wall ball, shoot in the backyard with it, etc...don't be afraid to try it in a game.

I think she sounds right on track!

[Anonymous]

I understand the benefit of juggling for soccer skills in a game. But knowing how to juggle well over 100+ times, how does this improve their game?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand the benefit of juggling for soccer skills in a game. But knowing how to juggle well over 100+ times, how does this improve their game?

It improves first touch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Don't be discouraged.

My firstborn at that age could barely consistently get 16. He committed to it the following summer and was up to 300 by age 10. 1,000 by December. He's now U13 and he easily do 'around the world' and other juggling skills.

My second born is a U10 and he is around where your daughter is--though he can use both feet extremely well dribbling and shooting--so his coach will play him on the side to use left--even though he is a true rightie. This developed in a large part because my husband coached him in rec the first few years and insisted on kids using both feet, making a game out of it, having them wear different color socks and use the 'red' one only, etc. Much easier to pick it up the younger you are--these kids were 5.

2nd born is lazier about practicing juggling though. He doesn't have the same perseverance with it as older brother who would get so frustrated---kick and throw things---then go back out and continue. Different personalities completely.

I never was a good juggler. I managed to play a pretty high level never really mastering the art. My husband that only played one year of soccer in HS (the only soccer he played--one year) is a fantastic juggler. Go figure.

With juggling it really is a 'break-through' moment. Once you consistently get around 25--it's easy to keep going if you keep practicing. It's the beginning that is the very hardest.

Practice. Really use the other foot---wall ball, shoot in the backyard with it, etc...don't be afraid to try it in a game.

I think she sounds right on track!

She is on the right rack, but there is a big difference between the genders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi everyone,

Do most U10/U11 Travel Soccer Girls able to kick and dribble equally well (or almost equal) with both feet?

If not, at what age do you see most of them developing this skill?

Thank you.

Most aren't. All should. If your player isn't able to comfortably and effectively use her non-dominant foot when appropriate to dribble, pass, cross, finish and shoot, she should be working on these things. Who cares what most other players are doing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Don't be discouraged.

My firstborn at that age could barely consistently get 16. He committed to it the following summer and was up to 300 by age 10. 1,000 by December. He's now U13 and he easily do 'around the world' and other juggling skills.

My second born is a U10 and he is around where your daughter is--though he can use both feet extremely well dribbling and shooting--so his coach will play him on the side to use left--even though he is a true rightie. This developed in a large part because my husband coached him in rec the first few years and insisted on kids using both feet, making a game out of it, having them wear different color socks and use the 'red' one only, etc. Much easier to pick it up the younger you are--these kids were 5.

2nd born is lazier about practicing juggling though. He doesn't have the same perseverance with it as older brother who would get so frustrated---kick and throw things---then go back out and continue. Different personalities completely.

I never was a good juggler. I managed to play a pretty high level never really mastering the art. My husband that only played one year of soccer in HS (the only soccer he played--one year) is a fantastic juggler. Go figure.

With juggling it really is a 'break-through' moment. Once you consistently get around 25--it's easy to keep going if you keep practicing. It's the beginning that is the very hardest.

Practice. Really use the other foot---wall ball, shoot in the backyard with it, etc...don't be afraid to try it in a game.

I think she sounds right on track!

She is on the right rack, but there is a big difference between the genders.

Meaning girls pick it up earlier?