Difference between US Youth soccer and European developmental models

[Anonymous]

Youth Soccer Training & Player Development Coordination: Stage Ages: 6 – 12

What is it? The objective of this stage is to identify the virtues of the player, what he/she does well in a natural manner.

In this first stage, it is very important that the players play freely
In this stage, the footballer builds his/her identity, i.e., by what he/she will be known or portrayed as a player (dribbling, feints, aerial skills, etc.). This stage is fundamental to develop and identify the coordinating talent and creativity unique to each player.....

Youth Soccer Training & Player Development Coordination: Cognitive Stage (Ages: 12 – 16)
What is it? The second stage is called the cognitive stage and it represents all players from 12 to 16 years of age. In this stage, the coach has a very important role, since this is the period of assimilation of concepts for the player.

The coach in this stage teaches the game to the player through concepts and fundamentals in order for the player to make good decisions and have criteria of the game.

To dominate the ball and that the ball does not dominate you is key to the formation of a soccer player....

Youth Soccer Training & Player Development Coordination: Competitive Stage (ages 16 – 18)

What is it? When the child has developed a player identity (what kind of player I am) in the Coordination Stage and understands the game — concepts and fundamentals of soccer — in the Cognitive Stage, then he/she is ready to express everything in a competitive environment.

https://www.soccertoday.com/pros-and-cons-between-youth-soccer-in-the-usa-and-europe/

It is interesting looking at US Youth soccer through this lens. All this emphasis on winning at the early ages in the US hurts development. Competitive soccer( tactical/strategic play, etc) really should happen from u12-u16. Really competitive play happens after u16(playing time, top team, etc). We must miss or burnout a lot of players.

[Anonymous]

The bigger problem is the insistence that the tactical can only be taught at U12 and older when in fact a strong tactical understanding and process can be introduced much younger, albeit in subtle ways.

Our problem as a nation isn’t a lack of athletic and skilled players, our problem is our players lack the game IQ of other nations. We are good at doing things but we lack a conscience or sub-conscience understanding of why we are doing the things we do.

Our kids are taught, very young, to play a very straight ahead and take it yourself kind of game. When for four years that is what has been cheered by Mom and Dad, the idea of passing, assists, off the ball movement are not going to be implemented. We don’t value play without the ball enough to pass on those virtues that are the ultimate foundation of true team play. We simply try and reprogram very individual players.

Look at players in a U10/11 tryout setting. The kids who dribble, dribble, dribble get picked and the kid who makes the smart pass that keeps the ball for their team never sees the ball again and doesn’t get picked.

[Anonymous]

Europe has professional academies.

Their players get more training and they get paid to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Europe has professional academies.

Their players get more training and they get paid to attend.

A very small percentage of kids ever make a youth academy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bigger problem is the insistence that the tactical can only be taught at U12 and older when in fact a strong tactical understanding and process can be introduced much younger, albeit in subtle ways.

Our problem as a nation isn’t a lack of athletic and skilled players, our problem is our players lack the game IQ of other nations. We are good at doing things but we lack a conscience or sub-conscience understanding of why we are doing the things we do.

Our kids are taught, very young, to play a very straight ahead and take it yourself kind of game. When for four years that is what has been cheered by Mom and Dad, the idea of passing, assists, off the ball movement are not going to be implemented. We don’t value play without the ball enough to pass on those virtues that are the ultimate foundation of true team play. We simply try and reprogram very individual players.

Look at players in a U10/11 tryout setting. The kids who dribble, dribble, dribble get picked and the kid who makes the smart pass that keeps the ball for their team never sees the ball again and doesn’t get picked.

They always pick the over aggressive kids. I think this is because the club/coach want to win at u9-u12. Once you move to the upper ages, you have to think not just aggressively pursue the balls.

[Anonymous]

there is 100x more institutional knowledge of how to teach the game and general knowledge of the games.

Its is generational knowledge, in the same way that there is a specific formula for coaching baseball or basketball or developing a youth baseball or basketball athlete. People can easily spot when it is being done the wrong way.

In most cases, parents in the US cannot spot incorrect development or instruction because they have no experience with the sport, for the most part.

[Anonymous]

^ 1000%

It can’t be just that focus is on winning at a young age, because the same can be said of youth basketball where US still leads. The focus on winning seems to be ok for other sports, basketball baseball football, where US excels, but something unique to soccer? The sports where a US excels are those that are part of the culture. Knowledge is intuitive in the population and part of the culture. How many movies do we have where scoring the winning touchdown or hitting the homerun are part of the story. It’s a small example but even little clues and knowledge are picked up.

Until (unless) soccer is part of the culture the development will lag other countries. Women’s soccer is not part of the culture, just first mover advantage of having the earliest women’s teams combined with great athletes. No doubt the rest of the world will catch up and surpass US eventually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ 1000%

It can’t be just that focus is on winning at a young age, because the same can be said of youth basketball where US still leads. The focus on winning seems to be ok for other sports, basketball baseball football, where US excels, but something unique to soccer? The sports where a US excels are those that are part of the culture. Knowledge is intuitive in the population and part of the culture. How many movies do we have where scoring the winning touchdown or hitting the homerun are part of the story. It’s a small example but even little clues and knowledge are picked up.

Until (unless) soccer is part of the culture the development will lag other countries. Women’s soccer is not part of the culture, just first mover advantage of having the earliest women’s teams combined with great athletes. No doubt the rest of the world will catch up and surpass US eventually.

Que the "But soccer is unique and Americans simply can't understand it" crowd...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The bigger problem is the insistence that the tactical can only be taught at U12 and older when in fact a strong tactical understanding and process can be introduced much younger, albeit in subtle ways.

Our problem as a nation isn’t a lack of athletic and skilled players, our problem is our players lack the game IQ of other nations. We are good at doing things but we lack a conscience or sub-conscience understanding of why we are doing the things we do.

Our kids are taught, very young, to play a very straight ahead and take it yourself kind of game. When for four years that is what has been cheered by Mom and Dad, the idea of passing, assists, off the ball movement are not going to be implemented. We don’t value play without the ball enough to pass on those virtues that are the ultimate foundation of true team play. We simply try and reprogram very individual players.

Look at players in a U10/11 tryout setting. The kids who dribble, dribble, dribble get picked and the kid who makes the smart pass that keeps the ball for their team never sees the ball again and doesn’t get picked.

For everyone of you who says this is the problem, there is another person who will say that American children rely too much on passing the ball and don't develop the individual one on one skills to develop successful teams...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bigger problem is the insistence that the tactical can only be taught at U12 and older when in fact a strong tactical understanding and process can be introduced much younger, albeit in subtle ways.

Our problem as a nation isn’t a lack of athletic and skilled players, our problem is our players lack the game IQ of other nations. We are good at doing things but we lack a conscience or sub-conscience understanding of why we are doing the things we do.

Our kids are taught, very young, to play a very straight ahead and take it yourself kind of game. When for four years that is what has been cheered by Mom and Dad, the idea of passing, assists, off the ball movement are not going to be implemented. We don’t value play without the ball enough to pass on those virtues that are the ultimate foundation of true team play. We simply try and reprogram very individual players.

Look at players in a U10/11 tryout setting. The kids who dribble, dribble, dribble get picked and the kid who makes the smart pass that keeps the ball for their team never sees the ball again and doesn’t get picked.

For everyone of you who says this is the problem, there is another person who will say that American children rely too much on passing the ball and don't develop the individual one on one skills to develop successful teams...

It does seem like we think it's one or the other. How come other countries able to develop players with great awareness and 1v1 skills and we have to choose only 1?

Maybe if we stop dictating so much to the players and let them make their own decisions they will learn how to think for themselves?

[Anonymous]

How many countries, in the last 30 years, have won a men’s World Cup or gotten to the finals? Answer:

France, Croatia, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Netherlands, and Italy. That’s it. Period. 8. No Russia or China or India or Japan or US or Canada or England or Mexico or ... you get my point. So first, those are a lot of big or powerful countries that haven’t. Not just the US. So why not, and why only those 8? This is not a problem unique to the US. Culture sure. Coaching ok. But it is really about harnessing the elite of the elite of the elite. Both soccer IQ wise but also skill wise and athletic wise. When you boil it down it is about economics and celebrity and making it worth while for the tiny, minuscule part of any countries population that will be attracted to and work their ass off to achieve rare success. In the US, other sports hold this allure and until soccer holds that allure we won’t win or even be close. In the meantime, let’s celebrate all the kids and adults that play soccer for fun and for the wonderful game it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bigger problem is the insistence that the tactical can only be taught at U12 and older when in fact a strong tactical understanding and process can be introduced much younger, albeit in subtle ways.

Our problem as a nation isn’t a lack of athletic and skilled players, our problem is our players lack the game IQ of other nations. We are good at doing things but we lack a conscience or sub-conscience understanding of why we are doing the things we do.

Our kids are taught, very young, to play a very straight ahead and take it yourself kind of game. When for four years that is what has been cheered by Mom and Dad, the idea of passing, assists, off the ball movement are not going to be implemented. We don’t value play without the ball enough to pass on those virtues that are the ultimate foundation of true team play. We simply try and reprogram very individual players.

Look at players in a U10/11 tryout setting. The kids who dribble, dribble, dribble get picked and the kid who makes the smart pass that keeps the ball for their team never sees the ball again and doesn’t get picked.

For everyone of you who says this is the problem, there is another person who will say that American children rely too much on passing the ball and don't develop the individual one on one skills to develop successful teams...

The fact they are not good one v one compared to other countries does not mean they are focusing too much on passing. We do neither well with our boys. Even if we had a wonderful, dense, network and infrastructure of coaches, there is not a critical mass of talented boys that can and will play enough hours in the day outside organized practices to develop relative to peers. We will do ok but will never be a first tier soccer culture. So what? Not particularly important or meaningful in the general scheme of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bigger problem is the insistence that the tactical can only be taught at U12 and older when in fact a strong tactical understanding and process can be introduced much younger, albeit in subtle ways.

Our problem as a nation isn’t a lack of athletic and skilled players, our problem is our players lack the game IQ of other nations. We are good at doing things but we lack a conscience or sub-conscience understanding of why we are doing the things we do.

Our kids are taught, very young, to play a very straight ahead and take it yourself kind of game. When for four years that is what has been cheered by Mom and Dad, the idea of passing, assists, off the ball movement are not going to be implemented. We don’t value play without the ball enough to pass on those virtues that are the ultimate foundation of true team play. We simply try and reprogram very individual players.

Look at players in a U10/11 tryout setting. The kids who dribble, dribble, dribble get picked and the kid who makes the smart pass that keeps the ball for their team never sees the ball again and doesn’t get picked.

For everyone of you who says this is the problem, there is another person who will say that American children rely too much on passing the ball and don't develop the individual one on one skills to develop successful teams...

LOL said nobody ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many countries, in the last 30 years, have won a men’s World Cup or gotten to the finals? Answer:

France, Croatia, Spain, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Netherlands, and Italy. That’s it. Period. 8. No Russia or China or India or Japan or US or Canada or England or Mexico or ... you get my point. So first, those are a lot of big or powerful countries that haven’t. Not just the US. So why not, and why only those 8? This is not a problem unique to the US. Culture sure. Coaching ok. But it is really about harnessing the elite of the elite of the elite. Both soccer IQ wise but also skill wise and athletic wise. When you boil it down it is about economics and celebrity and making it worth while for the tiny, minuscule part of any countries population that will be attracted to and work their ass off to achieve rare success. In the US, other sports hold this allure and until soccer holds that allure we won’t win or even be close. In the meantime, let’s celebrate all the kids and adults that play soccer for fun and for the wonderful game it is.

This is accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The bigger problem is the insistence that the tactical can only be taught at U12 and older when in fact a strong tactical understanding and process can be introduced much younger, albeit in subtle ways.

Our problem as a nation isn’t a lack of athletic and skilled players, our problem is our players lack the game IQ of other nations. We are good at doing things but we lack a conscience or sub-conscience understanding of why we are doing the things we do.

Our kids are taught, very young, to play a very straight ahead and take it yourself kind of game. When for four years that is what has been cheered by Mom and Dad, the idea of passing, assists, off the ball movement are not going to be implemented. We don’t value play without the ball enough to pass on those virtues that are the ultimate foundation of true team play. We simply try and reprogram very individual players.

Look at players in a U10/11 tryout setting. The kids who dribble, dribble, dribble get picked and the kid who makes the smart pass that keeps the ball for their team never sees the ball again and doesn’t get picked.

For everyone of you who says this is the problem, there is another person who will say that American children rely too much on passing the ball and don't develop the individual one on one skills to develop successful teams...

LOL said nobody ever.

There are actually a lot of people who say the problem is too much passing at tactics and young ages and the youngest kids need to just dribble dribble dribble until they have control of the ball and then you can work on passing.