Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consider doing a handful of private lessons. After a few, he will have some drills to work on alone but the coach will be able to point out bad form/habits. DS is a GK and started young. We found private lessons helped keep his foot skills up in the early years. If the lessons seem too expensive, ask a friend or 2 to join so that the cost is reduced. DS never did Sam clinics but we never found any clinics/classes helpful.

Op here. Where did you go for private coach for 1:1? How often?

This is who we used when my son was around 10-11 yrs old. He was great at footsklls. It’s been years since we used him though. You can also find someone on CoachUp which is what we did as our son got older. A more affordable option is to hire a HS player who plays travel and varsity.

Forgot to add the link https://www.stepforwardsports.com/ourteam

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consider doing a handful of private lessons. After a few, he will have some drills to work on alone but the coach will be able to point out bad form/habits. DS is a GK and started young. We found private lessons helped keep his foot skills up in the early years. If the lessons seem too expensive, ask a friend or 2 to join so that the cost is reduced. DS never did Sam clinics but we never found any clinics/classes helpful.

Op here. Where did you go for private coach for 1:1? How often?

This is who we used when my son was around 10-11 yrs old. He was great at footsklls. It’s been years since we used him though. You can also find someone on CoachUp which is what we did as our son got older. A more affordable option is to hire a HS player who plays travel and varsity.

Anonymous wrote:Op here. I already get him a private swim instructor. He has private swim to correct his body forms and boost his confidence.

I don't think my husband will say yes to get him a private soccer coach. He loves soccer, and he is not good enough for tryout to get in a team/club with real coach. It does not seem like sam skill clinic is a good choice. If there is a cheaper option for private coach with high schooler, I would be fine. Are there better option with real coach instead of parent volunteer coach in gaithersburg/rockville area?

I guess the first thing is if he is in HS, and you’re doing the research for him, something is broken down here.

There are great individual resources if you / he don’t want a private coach.

Dribble Up is fun - he can improve his foot skills from that just because he is getting touches and working on very very basics.

Techne and Coerver apps are similar, but they’re best used when a parent or partner keeps them accountable to executing correctly. Coerver is a better linear progression, that utilizes chunking to build skills, Techne sort of throws you in the deep end - and is a lot less linear.

There are boatloads of solid YouTube videos too for wall drills, foot skills, etc. and many that are built as “practice tracks” or workout routines. Those are all free.

All said, skills classes are great too. Just from a “getting more touches” aspect. And most skills classes utilize a learning / coaching plan from Coerver (or with Coerver roots). BUT 1 day a week won’t cut it. At the VERY least, he needs to be spending 10 minutes every day on touches.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:join a team with a real coach.

Good coaching matters. But individual training matters 1000x more, especially at younger ages.

People also have some weird expectations of what coaching youth teams can have.
You’re not getting top level coaching in youth soccer. You might get great youth coaching, but you’re not getting Pep. And even when Southgate was part of the UK FA, he wasn’t coaching teams, he was directing the youth programs.

You need great youth coaching in development years.

Pep is for performance years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consider doing a handful of private lessons. After a few, he will have some drills to work on alone but the coach will be able to point out bad form/habits. DS is a GK and started young. We found private lessons helped keep his foot skills up in the early years. If the lessons seem too expensive, ask a friend or 2 to join so that the cost is reduced. DS never did Sam clinics but we never found any clinics/classes helpful.

Op here. Where did you go for private coach for 1:1? How often?

Check out Coachup for coaches near you.

Anonymous wrote:Consider doing a handful of private lessons. After a few, he will have some drills to work on alone but the coach will be able to point out bad form/habits. DS is a GK and started young. We found private lessons helped keep his foot skills up in the early years. If the lessons seem too expensive, ask a friend or 2 to join so that the cost is reduced. DS never did Sam clinics but we never found any clinics/classes helpful.

Op here. Where did you go for private coach for 1:1? How often?

Op here. I already get him a private swim instructor. He has private swim to correct his body forms and boost his confidence.

I don't think my husband will say yes to get him a private soccer coach. He loves soccer, and he is not good enough for tryout to get in a team/club with real coach. It does not seem like sam skill clinic is a good choice. If there is a cheaper option for private coach with high schooler, I would be fine. Are there better option with real coach instead of parent volunteer coach in gaithersburg/rockville area?

Anonymous wrote:join a team with a real coach.

This will help, but not as much as you might think when it comes to developing individual skills. Coaches focus on building up the whole team and less on improving individual skills. If you want you kid to get better at ball control and dribbling, you got to develop that outside of team practice.

Anonymous wrote:join a team with a real coach.

Good coaching matters. But individual training matters 1000x more, especially at younger ages.

People also have some weird expectations of what coaching youth teams can have.
You’re not getting top level coaching in youth soccer. You might get great youth coaching, but you’re not getting Pep. And even when Southgate was part of the UK FA, he wasn’t coaching teams, he was directing the youth programs.

join a team with a real coach.

Consider doing a handful of private lessons. After a few, he will have some drills to work on alone but the coach will be able to point out bad form/habits. DS is a GK and started young. We found private lessons helped keep his foot skills up in the early years. If the lessons seem too expensive, ask a friend or 2 to join so that the cost is reduced. DS never did Sam clinics but we never found any clinics/classes helpful.

They're ok. Well organized and well run, but not very challenging. I think most people would recommend something to supplement a team, not in place of a team. They grow and develop so fast at young ages that one season can definitely make an impact.

Anyone has taken soccer skill clinic at sam soccer in germantown? My son loves soccer, but his skills have not made any improvement over years of playing in team. I think I want to sign up for skill clinic instead of joining a team this fall. They offer dribble, skill, striker skill clinic, which one is better?