This is the most ridiculous thread I've ever seen.
If a kid want to play goalie, let him play goalie.
All the kids on my sons team hate being stuck at goal...they'd love this kid.
Who cares if he's not setting himself up to be the next keeper for the US team?

Anonymous wrote:My 2nd grade DS plays rec soccer and this is the first year they play with goalies. Surprisingly to me - my kids loves playing in goal and is actually really good (maybe because he also plays basketball?)

I didn't think he had the drive or skill to play travel soccer but now I'm rethinking. How does the trajectory work for goalies? Do travel teams take kids to play goalie only? How can he get more training? He's 7 by the way (a bit young for his grade).

We're in Takoma Park/Silver Spring area so lower Mont Co recommendations are very welcome.

Nobody really trains goalies at that age, if they tell you they do you should run away. You should look for a team that focuses on development of field players, not goalies. On game day they ask who wants to play goal and your son might be the only one to volunteer, few kids want to do it... especially after getting shelled against some good travel teams.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly most kids at that age who want to specialize in goal don't really want to be playing soccer.

Wait -- huh? How's that?

Honestly most kids at that age who want to specialize in goal don't really want to be playing soccer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, most travel teams would LOVE a player that wants to be a keeper, and there are plenty of summer camps that are keeper specific.
If I were you, I'd email the training director at Bethesda Soccer Club, tell him exactly what you said here, and see what he has to say.

jcolton@bethesdasoccer.org

i'll be interested in seeing what he has to say. I think US system of goalie development shunts kids too early into gk - which is why us keepers are atrocious with their feet compared to spanish counterparts.

That's an idiotic statement, as US keepers have been celebrated as excellent all over the world.
The phenomenon of the sweeper keeper, or the keeper that's expected to play a lot of touches from the back, is a brand new one, and there are only a few keepers in the world right now that are actually good at it...and only a few teams in the world that actually care.
A keeper with great ball skills is like a pitcher that can hit...it's a nice bonus, but it's no ones priority.

US keepers are not celebrated the world over. There isn't a single US keeper that was playing at a consistent CL level club since Tim Howard correctly was dropped and sold from manchester united 13 years and never was looked at by a cl level club ever again.

A sweeper keeper is not a brand new concept - lev yashin, grocics, van der sar, higuita - i won't go on - you probably don't know half of those names - but needles to say - the idea has been there for 50 years.

The fact that you equate it with a hitting pitcher makes me hope that you are no where near youth soccer development. Otherwise there will be more taylor twellmans being made and less cristian pulisic's.

Way too young to specialize, but bad travel coaches will exploit your child's preference. Your kid won't be given the out of goal field time every young goalie needs to learn the game.

Plus, every so often thr nets get bigger with the new season. Your child's goalie days can be finished if she isn't big enough for the next stage.

Good chance she will be discarded at that point.

My DS enjoyed goal, so I get it. But not all coaches treat young goalies well.

Anonymous wrote:Soccer coach here. Way too early to specialize as a keeper. Your kid will miss out of critical foot skills development. And, the separation from other teammembers can stunt teamwork skills and sportsmanship (see Hope Solo).

Solo was a forward through much of her youth and high school career.

Other than that, of course, you're right. Solo just has other issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, most travel teams would LOVE a player that wants to be a keeper, and there are plenty of summer camps that are keeper specific.
If I were you, I'd email the training director at Bethesda Soccer Club, tell him exactly what you said here, and see what he has to say.

jcolton@bethesdasoccer.org

i'll be interested in seeing what he has to say. I think US system of goalie development shunts kids too early into gk - which is why us keepers are atrocious with their feet compared to spanish counterparts.

That's an idiotic statement, as US keepers have been celebrated as excellent all over the world.
The phenomenon of the sweeper keeper, or the keeper that's expected to play a lot of touches from the back, is a brand new one, and there are only a few keepers in the world right now that are actually good at it...and only a few teams in the world that actually care.
A keeper with great ball skills is like a pitcher that can hit...it's a nice bonus, but it's no ones priority.

To be fair, the PP you are harshing on is not wrong. The US has produced several world class keepers, most of whom are not as good with their feet as their counterparts from Spain, Germany, etc. Being an amazing athlete with great hands is a lot more important than having outstanding technical foot skills for a keeper. For kids who think they want to play in goal I agree it's best to stay a soccer field player for as long as possible, and also to play basketball as seriously as time allows.