Reply to Trainer for Defender

Forum Index » Soccer

Reply to "Trainer for Defender"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]Most defenders in the upper age groups and even college were not defenders until late in their soccer career. Many coaches wait to place kids in a position. Defenders are the best athletes on the field and need, speed, range, and power, height and size is also a bonus.

They need to be able to do everything. [/quote]

I am the poster whose U12 child normally plays left back.  They do rotate the kids a bit (sometimes he plays midfield, and they make everyone do at least one game as goalie).   The problem is that many of the players on the team only know how to play/want to play forward positions, and are useless as defenders, whereas DS is better at defending and weaker at forward positions.   So during games, the coach has been playing people where they are best.  But, I guess that's self-perpetuating the problem, because the other kids are not learning to improve at defending, and DS is not improving as a forward player.[/quote]

That is why the coaches at higher levels, including college level will move players.  i learned this form college coaches who ran the coaching clinics.  At the younger ages all the kids and parents want to see their kid score over the years the coaches will put the stronger all around players on defense 
even at high school level the coach sometimes has my kid who is a defender play up just to spark things on offense.  [/quote]

My kids got stuck at center D last year, the older one left wingback as well.  They weren't thrilled.  But, for a lot of the reason you mentioned.  It was painful at times because the forwards were not finishing and they were both really great finishers.  I think the games could have been different---and not so defensive play on our part.  It was a great learning experience though.  This year they both got moved to attacking Center Mid and they are thrilled.  The time in the back definitely improved their overall game.

What is interesting to me is how different coaches have identified them at certain positions.  Some see things very differently---and some of it also has to do with the teammates and their strengths/weaknesses as well.  Of course, there are always an overabundance of kids that self-identify as 'forwards'  I always told me kids to tell any Coach when they ask where they play to answer 'anywhere'.  "My preference is midfield, but I can play anywhere on the field but keeper'.  Coaches love that. Building that versatility young is good, as well as having a good attitude and realizing you won't get to play where you want all of the time---but it's a chance to improve your overall game.  As they get older there is always going to be a lot more competition to fill the most desired spots so if you have more versatility you will have more opportunities.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics