U12 positions

[Anonymous]

Is it normal at this age to always play the same position? Kid is center back. Best on team at it and kids trust him. But never plays anywhere else.

[Anonymous]

Normal, yes. Optimal, no.

[Anonymous]

Not on a good team, not normal. They should be rotating at this age, but I know one kid who plays only one position and both is parents were D1 players and the kid is pretty developed at that position and only want to play that position. In his case I guess it made more sense to me.

[Anonymous]

What about at U9? There is a kid who plays the first half of every game in goal but they don’t provide GK training so what is the point?

[Anonymous]

Op here. Even when he helps lower teams out, he is still played there.
He is good at it, but definitely could benefit from playing other positions.
So what does he do? Talk to coaches?

[Anonymous]

Lol, do you know your coach well? Cause they probably will tell you that you pay for their expertise and vision, so go back to your car since when you drop them off, they are his for that 90 mins. Or they arent going to explain their vision since this is a marathon. Or you dont know what anything looks like by u17, so lets just put a pin it.

I love these coach responses post-fee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol, do you know your coach well? Cause they probably will tell you that you pay for their expertise and vision, so go back to your car since when you drop them off, they are his for that 90 mins. Or they arent going to explain their vision since this is a marathon. Or you dont know what anything looks like by u17, so lets just put a pin it.

I love these coach responses post-fee.

So you’re a coach? You know what is developmentally appropriate this age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol, do you know your coach well? Cause they probably will tell you that you pay for their expertise and vision, so go back to your car since when you drop them off, they are his for that 90 mins. Or they arent going to explain their vision since this is a marathon. Or you dont know what anything looks like by u17, so lets just put a pin it.

I love these coach responses post-fee.

So you’re a coach? You know what is developmentally appropriate this age?

Please don’t demigod coaches. Appropriate development is not a secret. Your coach is doing a balancing act of customer recruitment and retention.

[Anonymous]

My son is U13 and has been playing the same position since U11. He's only one of 4 that don't get subbed. He has definitely gotten better at that position and likes it, so don't really have any gripes with the coaches. If he hated being there, then I might have a problem with it. As long as there is progression is what I look at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is U13 and has been playing the same position since U11. He's only one of 4 that don't get subbed. He has definitely gotten better at that position and likes it, so don't really have any gripes with the coaches. If he hated being there, then I might have a problem with it. As long as there is progression is what I look at.

Thanks for providing backup for my statements earlier of how this works. While a player definitely needs some time to learn a position, at what expense to themselves, others and the team?

PP, What is your definition of progression? At a position or as a well rounded player?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is U13 and has been playing the same position since U11. He's only one of 4 that don't get subbed. He has definitely gotten better at that position and likes it, so don't really have any gripes with the coaches. If he hated being there, then I might have a problem with it. As long as there is progression is what I look at.

Thanks for providing backup for my statements earlier of how this works. While a player definitely needs some time to learn a position, at what expense to themselves, others and the team?

PP, What is your definition of progression? At a position or as a well rounded player?

My son plays CDM and it's had a lot of ups and downs. He has very good instincts for where the ball is going, but honestly is not the best defender you ever saw. He is the best pure passer we have and takes pride in holding down the fort. His progress has happened in the defensive part of the game, because like I said it's not his strongest suit. In U9 and 10 he scored a lot of goals, but coaches had a different idea for him. He likes where he is and keeps progressing, so that is all I can ask for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about at U9? There is a kid who plays the first half of every game in goal but they don’t provide GK training so what is the point?

That sounds ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about at U9? There is a kid who plays the first half of every game in goal but they don’t provide GK training so what is the point?

That sounds ridiculous

We didn't have a real keeper until U13. Still won a lot of games. U9 is not when you worry about a keeper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about at U9? There is a kid who plays the first half of every game in goal but they don’t provide GK training so what is the point?

That sounds ridiculous

We didn't have a real keeper until U13. Still won a lot of games. U9 is not when you worry about a keeper.

Especially nowadays when the keeper needs to play out of the back. They need to be a field player as well as a shot blocker. Good, quick outlet passing helps too. Then you have the elite who can drop a 50 yard pass on a dime. Not many like that. Ederson comes to mind.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to derail, but is center back a common position for teams to have at U12? We don't have one - we have a left back, right back, and holding midfielder (my son).

To answer the question, there is minimal rotation - my son will sometimes play left or right back if needed, and very occasionally center midfielder. It all depends on who else is there and how strong our opponent is. Coach is more likely to try a less commonly held position if we are already ahead by a lot.