Anonymous wrote:I have a U12 who has been playing mostly striker with the occasional time in wing for his entire career. I've been concerned because I feel like he's been playing this/these so long he's lost out on valuable developmental time. I want to ask the coach to play him elsewhere but he loves playing up top and wants me to let it be. FWIW all the parents on the team think he's a "natural forward" and don't understand why I am worried. Next year at U13 will they add a second striker position to the field? I'm concerned a better striker will wander in and he will end up on the bench or cut. Thoughts?

Anonymous wrote:Coach - very interesting thread - thanks! Two questions:

You have made multiple references to getting kids evaluated by a "qualified" outsider. Who does this and how do we find them?

Also, I've heard that private coaches can help kids move to the next level. Where do we find these folks?

Anonymous wrote:My U12 daughter (10 - turns 11 at the end of December) has standout technical skills - great passing, trapping, equal ability (passing, shooting, etc.) with right and left feet. Can juggle +100 (alternating right/left). Every coach (her coach/other teams' coaches in the club) that have seen her play/practice exclaim - WOW - incredible soccer IQ - keep doing it, you will go far. BUT. (always a but, right?) she lacks aggression/ball hungry/ball hog-ness. And it seems to be getting worse each season. E.g., last game - she made this incredible trap of a goal kick at mid-field - stopped the booming high kick ball DEAD on her foot - and then left it there (practically ducked and bowed away) . . .I asked her - what happened? "Oh, I thought my (wing) buddy was going to get it." Of course that kid/wing buddy was running to (inappropriately) get the ball/take the ball away from her teammate - and my kid bows out and lets her friend take it. Anyway - bottom line, my kid big time lacks aggression. Will this come? Just keep fostering the technical skills in the meantime in the hope that it happens? She used to be a star, but as she ages she gets more and more dominated by the physical players (doesn't help that she is still quite small/petite/no growth spurt yet).

All this (internally) kills my husband who played D1 soccer. He wants her to play in college since he enjoyed (playing in college) so much. Bottom line - I think she fits in the "coaches know if someone has the xx to play in college" (from above) factor - because we have been told by so many different observers how good her skills/IQ are . . . but the aggression/desire is clearly not going to cut it now and in the future. Have folks seen their girls change in this respect?

NOVASoccerCoach wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coach - very interesting thread - thanks! Two questions:

You have made multiple references to getting kids evaluated by a "qualified" outsider. Who does this and how do we find them?

Also, I've heard that private coaches can help kids move to the next level. Where do we find these folks?

Basically when I talk about a "qualified" outsider, I just mean a freelance coach (Same as private coach) who offers individual training/analysis. You can find them simply by googling. The reason I refer to this is because sometimes the higher ups at clubs won't give a fair assessment of your player. Too much politics. If you have a good individual as a coach, your coach may (and should) give you an unbiased evaluation. Basically I see the only benefit of having a private coach is to have someone who will give unbiased opinions about your player.

Anonymous wrote:In HS soccer, why are most kids playing defensive soccer? Why the kids staying behind to protect the goal all the time? Why are there two kids running to score a goal and having no one to pass the ball to? In most games I watched, there are players having a chat on the defense side, while two kids are trying to score a goal.

NOVASoccerCoach wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In HS soccer, why are most kids playing defensive soccer? Why the kids staying behind to protect the goal all the time? Why are there two kids running to score a goal and having no one to pass the ball to? In most games I watched, there are players having a chat on the defense side, while two kids are trying to score a goal.

Because HS Soccer is a dumpster fire where they hire unqualified coaches. Not to mention obviously its all zonal so some high school players get all the top club players and some don't. That's why there are some HS teams who are insanely good and some that are horrible.

NOVASoccerCoach wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coach - very interesting thread - thanks! Two questions:

You have made multiple references to getting kids evaluated by a "qualified" outsider. Who does this and how do we find them?

Also, I've heard that private coaches can help kids move to the next level. Where do we find these folks?

Basically when I talk about a "qualified" outsider, I just mean a freelance coach (Same as private coach) who offers individual training/analysis. You can find them simply by googling. The reason I refer to this is because sometimes the higher ups at clubs won't give a fair assessment of your player. Too much politics. If you have a good individual as a coach, your coach may (and should) give you an unbiased evaluation. Basically I see the only benefit of having a private coach is to have someone who will give unbiased opinions about your player.

Anonymous wrote:

NOVASoccerCoach wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coach - very interesting thread - thanks! Two questions:

You have made multiple references to getting kids evaluated by a "qualified" outsider. Who does this and how do we find them?

Also, I've heard that private coaches can help kids move to the next level. Where do we find these folks?

Basically when I talk about a "qualified" outsider, I just mean a freelance coach (Same as private coach) who offers individual training/analysis. You can find them simply by googling. The reason I refer to this is because sometimes the higher ups at clubs won't give a fair assessment of your player. Too much politics. If you have a good individual as a coach, your coach may (and should) give you an unbiased evaluation. Basically I see the only benefit of having a private coach is to have someone who will give unbiased opinions about your player.

Hi Coach, how do the higher ups give assessment to players for team placement? do they rely on player's current coach's recommendation? the tryouts at big clubs are just scrimmages where most coaches do not even pay lots of attention (chatting with each other etc). I guess a decision for most players have been made before the tryouts except you are new. Right?

Thanks.

Anonymous wrote:Coach - My kid played last year on a club's 'B' team u15 and was clearly one of the strongest players on the team, led the team in scoring, hardly subbed off, etc. At tryouts, didn't get an offer to move to the 'A' team -- okay with that since the training at that club left a lot to be desired -- so switched to another club with stronger 'A' and 'B' teams. Is on the new club's 'B' team, lots of goals and assists, barely subs off. Any recommendations for how to get looks or consideration for higher level teams? It seems hard to 'break in' to established teams at u15/u16. Is it worth asking the 'B' team coach if he can get some looks with the 'A' team?

NOVASoccerCoach wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coach - My kid played last year on a club's 'B' team u15 and was clearly one of the strongest players on the team, led the team in scoring, hardly subbed off, etc. At tryouts, didn't get an offer to move to the 'A' team -- okay with that since the training at that club left a lot to be desired -- so switched to another club with stronger 'A' and 'B' teams. Is on the new club's 'B' team, lots of goals and assists, barely subs off. Any recommendations for how to get looks or consideration for higher level teams? It seems hard to 'break in' to established teams at u15/u16. Is it worth asking the 'B' team coach if he can get some looks with the 'A' team?

It would be a good ask for your kid to ask his coach. Don't ask as a parent ever. Ask your player to ask the coach and make sure your kid phrases it "Coach, I want to make the A team next year. What do I need to work on and can you help me set some goals that would help me give me a good chance next year? I'm willing to work hard at home and in training to achieve this."

A mature question like that will do very well with coach. Don't ever step in as a parent and ask. Now I'm not saying force your kid to ask coach, but have a discussion with your kid, make it very much player-guided and be like "Hey, if you want to make the A team, you have to make this happen, etc. we are not going to talk to coach etc etc but we will help you work at home if needed and you can ask us what you think are good ways to talk to your coach about it."

NOVASoccerCoach wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NOVASoccerCoach wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Coach - very interesting thread - thanks! Two questions:

You have made multiple references to getting kids evaluated by a "qualified" outsider. Who does this and how do we find them?

Also, I've heard that private coaches can help kids move to the next level. Where do we find these folks?

Basically when I talk about a "qualified" outsider, I just mean a freelance coach (Same as private coach) who offers individual training/analysis. You can find them simply by googling. The reason I refer to this is because sometimes the higher ups at clubs won't give a fair assessment of your player. Too much politics. If you have a good individual as a coach, your coach may (and should) give you an unbiased evaluation. Basically I see the only benefit of having a private coach is to have someone who will give unbiased opinions about your player.

Hi Coach, how do the higher ups give assessment to players for team placement? do they rely on player's current coach's recommendation? the tryouts at big clubs are just scrimmages where most coaches do not even pay lots of attention (chatting with each other etc). I guess a decision for most players have been made before the tryouts except you are new. Right?

Thanks.

You can evaluate a lot from scrimmages about a player. Having said that, it is unfair to evaluate a player on 2-3 days of tryout if they are not new. So the tryout typically also holds some ties to how that player performed during the course of the season as well. Every club's tryouts are different and really tryouts for each age group should be eval'd by coaches who have no knowledge of that age group. Having said that, players that do move up to the next team typically have some backing by the coach. That's why it's important never to be the parent who's a dick to your club coach. Harsh reality.

Anonymous wrote:Given the fact the vast overwhelming majority of DA/ECNL players will end their soccer career come university, do you feel it is reasonable, or better yet, in a child’s best interest to have clubs and coaches require a total commitment to the sport of 3/4 practices plus games a week, or would more balance be more developmentally appropriate?