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[quote=Anonymous][quote=NOVASoccerCoach]Ok, OP here. This has quickly gotten out of hand.

1. USWNT players are EXTREMELY TECHNICAL and freakishly athletic. 
2. This thread was made because I hate seeing parents push their kids for their own vicarious aspirations. If your kid wants to play D1, ask them or even better, let them tell you. Let your kid enjoy soccer and see how far they want to go with it. Too many parents have these ECNL and D1 aspirations for their kid and their kid just wants to play!

That's pretty much it. It doesn't need to be anymore complicated than that. If you have any questions about development and your player, ask in the AMA thread I have.[/quote]

I am a former female competitive soccer player with many top players in my family.

#2 is so on point.  These parents worrying about college soccer in the young kid years are ridiculous.  I was a player on a team #1 in the Nation.  I was recognized by scouts, etc.  I had played since K. By the time I was 16, I knew I did not want to play in college.  I loved the sport, but was ready to move on to other things.  I was a biochemistry major with a minor in partying and enjoying my social life.  About 75% of players on my team went on to play in college.  A few even in a different sport---the goalie basketball, etc.

IF you had asked me at U12, I would have said I was going to be the next female Pele or Cryuff.  My family was all about soccer.  But, interests change with age---even for kids that are 100% passionate.

As my brother who was a pro player says, they just need to 'love the ball'.  As a parent, you can't force it.  You can't get caught up in vicariously living through your kids or if you see your kid is a good player at 11-years old seeing flashes of National team and pro career in your eyes.  It has to come 100% from the kid.

My biggest job as a sports parent is to shelter my kids from all of the hoopla and serious craziness in the sport (much more than when I was a kid) and keep them having fun.  Keep them having fun did mean moving from a Club filled with a bunch of lunatics fighting over color team placements and jockeying for favors which trickled down to the atmosphere and player attitude and behavior.  It also meant looking to them.  My younger kid who is probably better than his older sibling and touted as a 'star' by coaches---we downplay this to him--wanted to give it up and play basketball at 11.  He was just an ok basketball player and won't have the height.  I said 'go for it' even though I was cringing inside because soccer was our family sport and he was much more talented in soccer than basketball.  After a year or so, HE decided he wanted to re-commit to soccer and he was a whirlwind ever since with a renewed passion.  I almost think it was a test for him to see what we would do if he gave up the sport and didn't follow his older sibling.  Once he saw he was in charge and didn't feel pressured to please us it was like a weight was lifted off of his shoulders.

I always tell my kids I don't care if they play.  They need to choose what they love and when it stops being fun they don't have to do it anymore.  I see far too many kids hanging onto the sport and looking to the sidelines because they are trying to please their parents.  The parents will tell you 'oh but the kid loves playing for 2 teams and going to practice every day of the week[', but many of them look dead in the eyes by age 13.  [/quote]

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