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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Two off the pitch comments. Tyler Adams' poise in the press conference yesterday was incredible. He was criticized by an Iranian reporter for pronouncing Iran incorrectly and then asked about playing and representing a country with a history of racism. He didn't exactly answer the question, but he didn't miss a beat in providing a thoughtful and polite response, even though the reporter was quite rude. He's 23 years old. I am a grown adult and am not sure I could have done nearly as well.

Also, for any of you who have smaller or late-to-grow soccer players with big dreams who need encouragement to keep working, be sure they see this story about Brendan Aaronson.

[url]https://twitter.com/FOXSoccer/status/1597302924471947264[/url][/quote]

That brought tears to my eyes.  And, I 100% get his dad feeling like he needed a degree in child psychology to deal with the 'late growth' disappointment.

I have a son that went from 5'1" at age 15 to 6" at age 17 now and I can't believe how he persevered through so much disappointment and some rather crazy comments from coaches about his size.  He is now being recruited.

His brother is a Freshmen and his coach last year constantly told him he was too small and that he was physically too weak, no matter the success he was displaying on the field.  This was the kid that always scored in the clutch games and had more heart and technical skill than most everyone else.

I see time and time again American coaches so size obsessed in youth leagues that they do a disservice to the 'big guys' but relying on their physicality and not developing their ball skill or tactical acumen.  Some of these kids I saw from a young age had so much potential but played for coaches that just played bully ball, kick and run and by high school they started to get cut when the little guys started their growth.[/quote]

It's not the coach's job to develop an individual's ball skill.  A kid (and/or his parent) who relies exclusively on his size and physicality to play soccer will be used by a coach for that physicality and the coach will maximize that by using bully ball, kick and run, etc.  If a kid wants to develop, it's on him to develop the individual skills to become a well rounded soccer player and make a coach see that they can play more than just kick and run, etc.  And it's likely this is just rec or middle/high school soccer where this is happening. The reality is that kids who are passed over by the more skilled player who has grown were never serious about soccer or were not as into soccer as others.

I read all the time about smaller, skilled players passing over less skilled players but I'm not seeing that at the highest level of travel soccer.  A kid who is average or above average height or built and who is into soccer and is talented as smaller players will continue to work on their development and skills.  If they are really talented, they're not going to be passed over by smaller players, smaller players will just eventually grow and serve as more competition.  When I've seen a small kid passed over, it's not lack of technical or individual skills, it's lack of hustle.  Whereas the small players who continue to be played by coaches are hustling like crazy and finding ways to be an integral part of the team.  I'm sure there is a lot of struggle in maintaining that confidence, hustle, and hard work.  But I really think it's a myth that small, talented players are missed over bigger, less talented players.  Assuming the same level of talent, they just develop at different rates and perhaps take different paths.  I imagine a solid club - that is, a club that's supposed to develop future pros) is good enough to recognize talent and to continue giving them opportunities and wait it out for them to grow into their bodies.
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Come on- at U9 they definitely are working on ball skill or you are in the wrong club in America.  That’s when it starts picking the bruisers with less of it.  This isn’t S. America or Europe where kids show up already possessing ball skill at 8.  Parents pay clubs for this.[/quote]

Sure, but the top players already have ball skills at U9.  Either because parents paid for extra coaching or the kid honed ball skills on their own.  At U9 top teams, coaching should be about developing playing skills and soccer IQ (using ball skills effectively in games).  A kid can have technically amazing ball skills but they are useless unless the kid can also be confident using them in matches and under pressure.  [/quote]

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