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[quote=Anonymous]These coaches don't know what they’re doing. They are not professional coaches in Europe as much as they would like to be. These are not professional clubs. They do not have the training, experience, or backing to eyeball anything.  Most want to believe they have that skill, but they don’t. You can’t tell anything at the younger ages. If the best and highest paid in the sport can’t tell, what makes you think some random person here can? Or their parent!

If you do any cursory research on player development practices, you will see it is just not here for the most part. Some clubs really try, but you can tell. The training required for coaching in other counties is just too much work for most US coaches. They wouldn’t be allowed to step foot near any of their players, even at U9 non-academy.

Here’s a hint - emotional and psychological wellbeing is part of player development.

A player should not be forced to do a JOB they hate without knowing the plan. Even for everyone else’s benefit. While you are paying for it. That's insane! The player’s opinions matter for THEIR game. They are not PROs and will not get the training/knowledge here to become one anyway.

If you were at one of those player development clubs, this would be a non-issue. Unfortunately, we are in the US; coaching is woefully inadequate and the system is pay-to-play. Most of these clubs are rent-a-shirt factories with “good coaches” abound. A young player should not FEAR their coach! That’s a flag!

This is a recreational activity on steroids, that’s it.

Now, if the coach actually has a plan of some sort, and the players are being rotated, that would the best you can get around here outside of a player development club. If the rotation is planned and adhered to as part of the session/season (not 5+ minutes here or there randomly), and the coach gives detailed instruction and time to grow. You are in an Ok place.  Again, trained coaches know positive communication at younger ages is vital in player development. Especially during the game. The coach’s integrity, honesty, and planning are crucial.

You can tell a player development club by watching a few different age groups and the levels within an age group. If the teams, for the most part, up or down, look to be trying to do the same things, they are a development club. If they rotate at the younger ages, they are hedging their bets and operating with a bit of humility. They are putting in effort as best they can and it is most likely expensive. Never perfect.

If a rotation is happening now with no plan, the coach has poor communication skills, and the kid hates it……

There are choices:
	1. Find a club where your kid enjoys playing and plays a position they like. Up or down a level doesn’t matter. They are not going pro. Let them have fun. You are paying for this, don’t pay for misery. 
        2. Get private training in the area the kid wants to play. Improve confidence. Hopefully, down the line, change the coach's mind (less likely).
	3. Get nose deep in the genitals of the coach. They don’t know what they’re doing anyway if you find yourself in this situation.
	4. Stick it out, let your kid’s ambitions die (inevitable) or not (passion). Find other interests and become more well-rounded. Use this as a teaching moment for resiliency. Don’t let the coach go overboard.

I don’t think you should talk to the coach directly about it; egos generally too large for reason. The best answer you may get is to "help the team." These coaches don’t have the time, training, or concern for development. Don’t talk to other parents on the team. You can see from posts on this forum how much they actually care about player development. Most of these parents don’t care about their own kid’s development but are willing to dish out tens of thousands on it. They really want score line results and bragging rights. They are in make-believe land watching little PROs play. Check this forum (change my mind). Who can blame them? You get the kits and the badges and the merch and the car magnets. Oh, they love the magnets.

Remember, they are NOT professional players, they are KIDS![/quote]

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