Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't invest in private training unless he's committed to improving his play, not just "scoring a goal".

It might also be helpful to talk to him about the entire concept of teamwork and playing a position. By U9 kids are beginning to gravitate to offense, mid, or defense. If he's not aggressive, he's probably not a natural forward, and could serve his team better in another spot.

My DS, now in high school, is a natural defender. He has scored a handful of goals in his entire life. He became good at soccer by concentrating on tactics, footwork, and reading the field.

or maybe those who gravitate toward offense are simply better with the ball which almost always means they have played and trained longer and/or harder.

some simply because the dads push harder. sour grapes, i know...

I wouldn't invest in private training unless he's committed to improving his play, not just "scoring a goal".

It might also be helpful to talk to him about the entire concept of teamwork and playing a position. By U9 kids are beginning to gravitate to offense, mid, or defense. If he's not aggressive, he's probably not a natural forward, and could serve his team better in another spot.

My DS, now in high school, is a natural defender. He has scored a handful of goals in his entire life. He became good at soccer by concentrating on tactics, footwork, and reading the field.

Anonymous wrote:Is your child not fast or not aggressive? In soccer it is all about being first to the ball. The speediest kid at age 8 isn't always the first to the ball, it is often the most aggressive player who will challenge. Try to find a soccer skills class or try to find a rec league where he will be on the older side of the kids, so a grouping go 6 to 8 year olds, not 8 to 10 year olds.

great insight! no he's not aggressive. perhaps i can just tell him if you want to score you have to be aggressive... but then again if he doesn't get to play forward it's tough to get the ball near the goal...

most kids do not know how to run properly. speed while running and speed with the ball are two different things. I suggest Ali Feldmen at Pivot Play

Is your child not fast or not aggressive? In soccer it is all about being first to the ball. The speediest kid at age 8 isn't always the first to the ball, it is often the most aggressive player who will challenge. Try to find a soccer skills class or try to find a rec league where he will be on the older side of the kids, so a grouping go 6 to 8 year olds, not 8 to 10 year olds.

Trying out a different position is a good point. For example a mid defender is probably a good positioin for someone that is not super fast. I doubt they have that positioning going on in u9 soccer though, especially if you're talking rec level. Of course there is very little scoring possibility in that position.

Another option is finding another league for him to play in? Perhaps the one you are in is super competitive??

Track is a great compliment to soccer for speed training. DC Speed is the real deal. My son did it for a season. Bse prepared though, even the little ones train hard.

I would say not 1:1 because it sounds as if your son needs to be challenged to pick up his game. Honing skills will not help him that much if he has no hustle. It sounds like he needs the chase first. If he is inherently not a fast kid, perhaps he needs a different position rather than a soccer tutor.

Anonymous wrote:Whitney Minnis just started his u8 academy, you can probably still sign up. The group is small, I think he's working with 5 or 6 kids as part of the U8 academy so they get lots of individualized attention. He's a great coach and teaches the kids in a fun yet effective way.

http://dcpda.com/

Whitney is a wonderful coach.

Anonymous wrote:I hate to break it to you, but you can't teach height nor speed.

not pure speed but what about speed with ball? i think foot skills play a big part in that.

Anonymous wrote:Why is it important for him to continue to play? My kids stayed with soccer through those "recreational" years (when it was still fun for the less skilled players) but when it became apparent they were not the skilled ones that were going to make the elite teams, they moved on to other activities that better suited their skills. I would let him try some skills camps or something but skip the 1:1 training.

why not 1:1 training? i don't see any harm doing that. can you elaborate? tks.

Height is not necessary and you can train to improve your speed.

Why is it important for him to continue to play? My kids stayed with soccer through those "recreational" years (when it was still fun for the less skilled players) but when it became apparent they were not the skilled ones that were going to make the elite teams, they moved on to other activities that better suited their skills. I would let him try some skills camps or something but skip the 1:1 training.

I hate to break it to you, but you can't teach height nor speed.

Whitney Minnis just started his u8 academy, you can probably still sign up. The group is small, I think he's working with 5 or 6 kids as part of the U8 academy so they get lots of individualized attention. He's a great coach and teaches the kids in a fun yet effective way.

http://dcpda.com/

i'm willing to spend perhaps $20/hr to hire a college kid to train 8-yo DS one-on-one to help him improve his game. he's not a fast kid so always late to the ball and never has a chance to take a shot. but if he has better foot skills and tactical skills i think he can perhaps have a better chance to score? he really wants to score some goals and i think it's important to keep him interested/motivated to continue to play...

would love to hear from those who've used private coaches before. tks!