ECNL or MLSNext (not DC United)

[Anonymous]

What's up with all these clubs u12 playing 11x11 1 year ahead of time? Don't kids would get more from playing on the tight 9x9 field format? Seems counter productive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's up with all these clubs u12 playing 11x11 1 year ahead of time? Don't kids would get more from playing on the tight 9x9 field format? Seems counter productive.

In my opinion there are at least two factors:

1) everybody else is doing it, so teams and players feel forced to start getting used to 11v11 in the Spring. If they don't, they will be at a disadvantage for at least the first two months in the Fall.

2) With the exception of some bigger fields, 9v9 is too small at U12. The kids are bigger and there is no space, which can make the game too physical. The keepers can punt the ball from box to box and so the game can turn into a kickball contest and increase the frequency of headers, which is not desirable at this age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's up with all these clubs u12 playing 11x11 1 year ahead of time? Don't kids would get more from playing on the tight 9x9 field format? Seems counter productive.

In my opinion there are at least two factors:

1) everybody else is doing it, so teams and players feel forced to start getting used to 11v11 in the Spring. If they don't, they will be at a disadvantage for at least the first two months in the Fall.

2) With the exception of some bigger fields, 9v9 is too small at U12. The kids are bigger and there is no space, which can make the game too physical. The keepers can punt the ball from box to box and so the game can turn into a kickball contest and increase the frequency of headers, which is not desirable at this age.

Agree with #1 which is FOMO.

On #2 as long as teams use the box box 9x9 field and not the half field (7x7) that should be better than the 11x11 field for development. Seems a good way to pass on small technical player and recruit the better athletes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's up with all these clubs u12 playing 11x11 1 year ahead of time? Don't kids would get more from playing on the tight 9x9 field format? Seems counter productive.

In my opinion there are at least two factors:

1) everybody else is doing it, so teams and players feel forced to start getting used to 11v11 in the Spring. If they don't, they will be at a disadvantage for at least the first two months in the Fall.

2) With the exception of some bigger fields, 9v9 is too small at U12. The kids are bigger and there is no space, which can make the game too physical. The keepers can punt the ball from box to box and so the game can turn into a kickball contest and increase the frequency of headers, which is not desirable at this age.

The #2 point is utter madness and goes 100% against what's done for development in successful youth environments

If you can't play on a small field because you need room to punt, you lack soccer skills. Period.

[Anonymous]

As others said 9X9 is fine with a bigger field the issue is most tournaments don’t have field space for the 90 yard field so the play on half fields which is way to small for u12. My kid was a midfielder coach would move him to striker or center d in tournaments so that she would get touches. The field was so small majority of passes would bypass the midfielders. I watched a u12 tournament recently where in same game goalie scored then other team scored on a kickoff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As others said 9X9 is fine with a bigger field the issue is most tournaments don’t have field space for the 90 yard field so the play on half fields which is way to small for u12. My kid was a midfielder coach would move him to striker or center d in tournaments so that she would get touches. The field was so small majority of passes would bypass the midfielders. I watched a u12 tournament recently where in same game goalie scored then other team scored on a kickoff.

I understand what you say. The problem I see is that we fix the issue of playing 9x9 on half field by going 11x11 on whole field. Why not go 9x9 on box to box (9x9 "official" field) as we are already using that full field space anyway to mark the 9x9 box to box field? It is better for development.

It is bad that we go to 11x11 because u12 need to punt or because kids send long balls and bypass the midfielder on smaller field.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nice try, but no.

But we both can agree it sucks being on the outside looking in.

You must be a 2011 Alexandria dad. Very sorry about that.

You strike me as a sad, resentful little bomb throwing boy-man. Keep tossing until you hit a target, any target.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nice try, but no.

But we both can agree it sucks being on the outside looking in.

You must be a 2011 Alexandria dad. Very sorry about that.

You strike me as a sad, resentful little bomb throwing boy-man. Keep tossing until you hit a target, any target.

Struck a nerve, seems like. Good luck with your pathetic career, coach.