Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a thought - about 90 percent of the kids who go on to play in college end up in different positions than they played the most in club.

It is important that kids have the individual skills to play multiple positions. My daughter, now in grad school, was exclusively a defender in club. Mostly a wing defender. Pretty much every college coach during recruiting saw her as a forward or maybe an attacking mid. In the end, she played about 30 mins in 4 years as a forward. By senior year she was a defending center mid rarely coming out. In the end, she, like lots and lots of her friends playing in college, played whatever was needed so she could get playing time.

So - work on individual skills. Play multiple positions. And, work work work on individual skills.

I’ve had 2 children go through travel soccer in the metro dc area. Both played all over the field at a young age, and the one who stayed a field player exclusively in particular benefitted from being able to play anywhere and shift his mindset to match his role all the way through his playing years. But the one who liked to play both striker and keeper, like the OP’s child, chose GK permanently at 15. It was almost too late - the kids who had been specializing at GK since U12 were very far ahead in their goalkeeper technical skills. Mine caught up, but it was a struggle for a while. However he had much more versatility as GK because he had really good field player skills. Also he’s quite tall. So I think if your child really is leaning towards GK, choosing by age 13 might be good, but also develop field skills up until then.

Anonymous wrote:Just a thought - about 90 percent of the kids who go on to play in college end up in different positions than they played the most in club.

It is important that kids have the individual skills to play multiple positions. My daughter, now in grad school, was exclusively a defender in club. Mostly a wing defender. Pretty much every college coach during recruiting saw her as a forward or maybe an attacking mid. In the end, she played about 30 mins in 4 years as a forward. By senior year she was a defending center mid rarely coming out. In the end, she, like lots and lots of her friends playing in college, played whatever was needed so she could get playing time.

So - work on individual skills. Play multiple positions. And, work work work on individual skills.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On to some practical advice for OP ..... how tall is your son likely to be? Will he want to play travel at a high level, or be a starter on a big HS varsity team? If he is going to be smallish I would hesitate to have him switch over to goalie, particularly if he is good as a forward.

This was my first thought as well! He is of average height. His dad is 6’1. I am 5’5.

With parents your size he "should" be more than tall enough to be a goalie in HS.

Average FIFA field player is 5’11”. Average FIFA goalkeeper 6’2”.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On to some practical advice for OP ..... how tall is your son likely to be? Will he want to play travel at a high level, or be a starter on a big HS varsity team? If he is going to be smallish I would hesitate to have him switch over to goalie, particularly if he is good as a forward.

This was my first thought as well! He is of average height. His dad is 6’1. I am 5’5.

With parents your size he "should" be more than tall enough to be a goalie in HS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On to some practical advice for OP ..... how tall is your son likely to be? Will he want to play travel at a high level, or be a starter on a big HS varsity team? If he is going to be smallish I would hesitate to have him switch over to goalie, particularly if he is good as a forward.

This was my first thought as well! He is of average height. His dad is 6’1. I am 5’5.

Anonymous wrote:"His Coaches also believe in total football and have said at 12.5 years old---there's no telling what position he will eventually specialize in. But--the best player is a versatile player."

It's beyond versatility. A kid won't understand what versatility means.

If a striker can't think like a defender or a goalie, automatically, he is never going to beat them consistently.

A striker who always plays striker and just has a coach try to tell him what it feels like to be a goalie or what the goalie should be thinking is never going to internalize what a goalie can or can not do.

Without that information available instantly, at game speed, his potential will be limited.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At U11, he should not be a 'striker'.

Under U12/13 is way too young to specialize.

Total football. The most valuable player is one that can play all positions well---even if they have an inclination for one.

My kid was put at striker his first 2 years, than center mid, and now defender this season which he is not loving (but he does it very well)--it's a possession based Club that really expects a lot from the defenders and allows them to take the space, build the attack and even shoot on goal as players shift as he goes up--overlapping runs, etc.

He's been down/a bit depressed after each practice, game and when he asked the Coach--he said "I don't trust anyone else back there". My kid is tenacious and works to win back the ball immediately.

I would definitely allow your kid to get some goalie training/experience. It changes a player's perception and enhances field play.

I told my child--if he wants to play elsewhere he has to demonstrate that he is better than anyone else in the team at that position. Very recently- he's been getting some time at center mid/forward which is making him smile ear-to-ear.

His Coaches also believe in total football and have said at 12.5 years old---there's no telling what position he will eventually specialize in. But--the best player is a versatile player.

We've told him play hard wherever he is put and see it as advantage to learn each position well. No questions to the Coach. He brought it up and they know his preference--but no badgering or complaining.

Op here. This is very helpful thank you. For the record, we Do not live in the DC area. We are at a possession based club. My son is usually put as a striker because he is very good at it. Actually most of the kids play one position and therefore they get pretty good at that position. You might like it or hate it, but that’s the way this club does it. My son unfortunately is not a great defender on the field and that is why I am very hesitant about him being goalie. Additionally, like a previous poster noted above, he will be of average height And will definitely not be short but not extremely tall either. Call me crazy but I don’t want him to lose something that he is quite skillful at.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Arlington makes kids start to specialize around age 12 - a friend's son got an offer for his ASA team but it was dependent on him committing to the goalie slot. He had hoped to stay a field player.

Bright side of goalie - I imagine there are fewer kids who really want to play that position, so there might be more demand for him. A friend of mine got a scholarship to a D1 school for goal-tending.

Yes! I imagine that being goalie may provide more opportunities and may be less competitive

Anonymous wrote:I think Arlington makes kids start to specialize around age 12 - a friend's son got an offer for his ASA team but it was dependent on him committing to the goalie slot. He had hoped to stay a field player.

Bright side of goalie - I imagine there are fewer kids who really want to play that position, so there might be more demand for him. A friend of mine got a scholarship to a D1 school for goal-tending.

Anonymous wrote:On to some practical advice for OP ..... how tall is your son likely to be? Will he want to play travel at a high level, or be a starter on a big HS varsity team? If he is going to be smallish I would hesitate to have him switch over to goalie, particularly if he is good as a forward.

Anonymous wrote:At U11, he should not be a 'striker'.

Under U12/13 is way too young to specialize.

Total football. The most valuable player is one that can play all positions well---even if they have an inclination for one.

My kid was put at striker his first 2 years, than center mid, and now defender this season which he is not loving (but he does it very well)--it's a possession based Club that really expects a lot from the defenders and allows them to take the space, build the attack and even shoot on goal as players shift as he goes up--overlapping runs, etc.

He's been down/a bit depressed after each practice, game and when he asked the Coach--he said "I don't trust anyone else back there". My kid is tenacious and works to win back the ball immediately.

I would definitely allow your kid to get some goalie training/experience. It changes a player's perception and enhances field play.

I told my child--if he wants to play elsewhere he has to demonstrate that he is better than anyone else in the team at that position. Very recently- he's been getting some time at center mid/forward which is making him smile ear-to-ear.

His Coaches also believe in total football and have said at 12.5 years old---there's no telling what position he will eventually specialize in. But--the best player is a versatile player.

We've told him play hard wherever he is put and see it as advantage to learn each position well. No questions to the Coach. He brought it up and they know his preference--but no badgering or complaining.