How Technical are the Girls?

[Anonymous]

In another thread, someone posted that their DD is frustrated that there are very few girls with technical skills.

My only experience for the past 2 years has been with NCSL. Hence, I’m curious what everyone thinks about the technical skill levels of the girls in EDP and ECNL.

[Anonymous]

It’s not about the league. Hey, it’s not even about the club or team. All comes down to the player.

[Anonymous]

Maybe I will get hate for this but

Overall girls are not that technical look at the womens world cup most teams rely on speed and strength PERIOD

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I will get hate for this but

Overall girls are not that technical look at the womens world cup most teams rely on speed and strength PERIOD

+1. Tobin Heath gets all sorts of kudos for her technical skills, which are good, but about the same as an average Premier League male player.

[Anonymous]

If ever there was a troll thread, this is it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If ever there was a troll thread, this is it.

I’m the OP. This was it meant to be trolling what so ever.

During my DD 2 years in NCSL (D1 U11 and U12), I didn’t see many skilled/technical players at all.

I assume there must be many more in EDP, ECNL or formerly DA. (I’m not asking which league has more skilled players.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I will get hate for this but

Overall girls are not that technical look at the womens world cup most teams rely on speed and strength PERIOD

I agree with your assessment. Sam Kerr, Australian female National team, while a great player seems to rely only on her size and speed.

That’s the reason I asked. How valuable is it for my DD to continue doing foot drills to further improve her technical skills?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If ever there was a troll thread, this is it.

I’m the OP. This was it meant to be trolling what so ever.

During my DD 2 years in NCSL (D1 U11 and U12), I didn’t see many skilled/technical players at all.

I assume there must be many more in EDP, ECNL or formerly DA. (I’m not asking which league has more skilled players.)

^ Sorry. Meant to say this is NOT meant to be trolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I will get hate for this but

Overall girls are not that technical look at the womens world cup most teams rely on speed and strength PERIOD

I agree with your assessment. Sam Kerr, Australian female National team, while a great player seems to rely only on her size and speed.

That’s the reason I asked. How valuable is it for my DD to continue doing foot drills to further improve her technical skills?

How valuable is it for my DD to continue doing foot drills to further improve her technical skills?

You think she’ll ever be done developing foot skills? If there is a difference between players in ECNL/GA versus NCSL it is in mindset and the above statement.

No, you should always be working on your technical game on your own, away from the club. You can’t control how big or fast your player will be but you can control how technical they are and how well they think the game.

[Anonymous]

Our dd is on a younger ECNL team. She had a coach with strong reputation at a critical year. Practices were very intense - and aspects that were as mentally as physically demanding. As they were got just a little older, he told them he expected them to practice equal time outside of practices on their individual foot skills. Nothing fancy, not trainers, just basics

To be very clear, I'm not a soccer fanatic or expert - so this is not in context of professional teams. And I don't feel qualified to opine. . However, we have heard other coaches with strong reputation unsolicited describe my dd's team as technical. I'm sure it's all relative. I don't know how it compares to boys - though she sometimes trains with boys who played DA

My dd loves soccer (and her team). She takes pride in her individual skills training - figuring something out, improving. I think that's a good life skill. I do think it helps being on a team that has this culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I will get hate for this but

Overall girls are not that technical look at the womens world cup most teams rely on speed and strength PERIOD

I agree with your assessment. Sam Kerr, Australian female National team, while a great player seems to rely only on her size and speed.

That’s the reason I asked. How valuable is it for my DD to continue doing foot drills to further improve her technical skills?

How valuable is it for my DD to continue doing foot drills to further improve her technical skills?

You think she’ll ever be done developing foot skills? If there is a difference between players in ECNL/GA versus NCSL it is in mindset and the above statement.

No, you should always be working on your technical game on your own, away from the club. You can’t control how big or fast your player will be but you can control how technical they are and how well they think the game.

No it’s not the mindset, it’s athleticism(speed) and size that’s the difference in ECNL/GA. A girl can work on her technical skill all day but if she does not have the athleticism she will not be on an “elite” team. ECNL/GA at u13/u14 there are a lot of girls who still have problems receiving the ball, passing or even dribbling in games/under pressure. Many do not practice these skill(you can tell when you watch them play) and rely on speed and physicality. The coaches and club largely do not teach technical skills.

You would be really lucky to have 1-2 very technical girls on an elite team. Girls who dibble and pass in tight spaces, make passes where the ball bends, consistently play with one or two touches, dibble at full speed with their heads up, take a bad ball and make it right, etc. Think of it as truly elite speed. You are lucky to 1-2 girls with elite speed on a team. Oh and technical girls can be big and fast. Over all the level of technical skill even on “elite” teams is pretty low. Remember it’s middle school and high school soccer.

The girls game is about athleticism and physicality. Technical players can get frustrated specially at the younger age.

[Anonymous]

Girls that can use individual technical skills in gameplay are easily identified and rarer. Teams that deploy technical skills and speed of play (ball and player) to their advantage in possession and direct play over just advantage from speed and size are fewer because of the disparity in numbers of technical va speed/size.

I’ve seen videos of girls ball skill mastery training, but disappears under game pressure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I will get hate for this but

Overall girls are not that technical look at the womens world cup most teams rely on speed and strength PERIOD

I agree with your assessment. Sam Kerr, Australian female National team, while a great player seems to rely only on her size and speed.

That’s the reason I asked. How valuable is it for my DD to continue doing foot drills to further improve her technical skills?

How valuable is it for my DD to continue doing foot drills to further improve her technical skills?

You think she’ll ever be done developing foot skills? If there is a difference between players in ECNL/GA versus NCSL it is in mindset and the above statement.

No, you should always be working on your technical game on your own, away from the club. You can’t control how big or fast your player will be but you can control how technical they are and how well they think the game.

No it’s not the mindset, it’s athleticism(speed) and size that’s the difference in ECNL/GA. A girl can work on her technical skill all day but if she does not have the athleticism she will not be on an “elite” team. ECNL/GA at u13/u14 there are a lot of girls who still have problems receiving the ball, passing or even dribbling in games/under pressure. Many do not practice these skill(you can tell when you watch them play) and rely on speed and physicality. The coaches and club largely do not teach technical skills.

You would be really lucky to have 1-2 very technical girls on an elite team. Girls who dibble and pass in tight spaces, make passes where the ball bends, consistently play with one or two touches, dibble at full speed with their heads up, take a bad ball and make it right, etc. Think of it as truly elite speed. You are lucky to 1-2 girls with elite speed on a team. Oh and technical girls can be big and fast. Over all the level of technical skill even on “elite” teams is pretty low. Remember it’s middle school and high school soccer.

The girls game is about athleticism and physicality. Technical players can get frustrated specially at the younger age.

Wow. Very interesting and insightful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe I will get hate for this but

Overall girls are not that technical look at the womens world cup most teams rely on speed and strength PERIOD

+1. Tobin Heath gets all sorts of kudos for her technical skills, which are good, but about the same as an average Premier League male player.

I'm a woman and 'no' not at that level. She has good technical skills--but not that level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Girls that can use individual technical skills in gameplay are easily identified and rarer. Teams that deploy technical skills and speed of play (ball and player) to their advantage in possession and direct play over just advantage from speed and size are fewer because of the disparity in numbers of technical va speed/size.

I’ve seen videos of girls ball skill mastery training, but disappears under game pressure.

Agree, some of these girls slow down the game, they get too much focos on the technical side and lose the ball. On the other hand other players move faster. Check this fact why Chris Press gets to score more goals than Tobin Heat? Is it just luck?