Anonymous wrote:You can tell by 7th grade. The gap between strong players and not strong players is pretty wide even then

That is completely laughable and you clearly don't have daughters. Girls growth in puberty can have huge implications for at least a year or two on the field right at 6th/7th grade. I would say for girls U15 is about right.

I also think too many parents push their kids to move onto the elite teams at u12/u13 and that's just dumb. I guarantee most of those girls will burn out and never want to play college soccer. They should be playing other sports, learning how to run/sprinting or swimming in off season to build endurance on the field. It shouldn't be soccer 24/7 and that's something the kids should start thinking about U14/U15 and be driven on their own to strive for college.

I think it may be U13, U14. We’re starting to see players who dominate the field (not my DD). But hey I’d just like to see her play in HS.

Remember D3 doesn’t always recruit. Your DD had to get into the school then they can try to get on the team, in most cases.

Isn’t close

Athletes hit the prime in their 20s. Your 17 is close to being done. I’m fact, they’re still puppies and 12-14 year olds are babies.

You should be able to see the talent by 13 or 14. However, several other factors will have a huge role in whether your DD becomes a collegiate level player. 1) Puberty - Girls will inevitably change physically. These changes often have drastic consequences on playing ability. Hips, height, weight, and other post-puberty changes will affect speed, agility and can often impose a ceiling on ability that practice and desire can't overcome. 2) Desire - Does your DD practice on her own, watch soccer? Most D1 players live and breathe the sport, they can't get enough. This mental aspect is a huge determining factor. A small percentage are just freakish athletes that will make it anyway, but the majority are those great athletes who combine talent with work ethic.

Me: 4 kids - 1 DS D1 football, 1 DS quit senior year, 1 DD ECNL player asked for a break at U-15, still hasn't returned to soccer, 1 DD U-14 ECNL (typical gym rat) still progressing

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can tell by 7th grade. The gap between strong players and not strong players is pretty wide even then

Oh no, no, no

Certainly not for boys!

I have 3 teens a lot happens between them and U17. A LOT

Boys haven’t even hit puberty (12) and many have several years of awkward growing that causes imbalance. My oldest was plagued with Osgoods and other growth-related issues all throughout middle school and it all came together at 15/16. Look out!

Per OP

"At what average age does a female[i][b] player’s talent & performance plateaus even with private coaching, individual practices and exercises?"

Even on the girls side, a lot happens between U14 and U17 -- I have DDs in both age groups right now. Some of my U14 DDs teammates have been fully matured for the past 2 years. U14 DD hasn't hit puberty yet. She is as as athletic and fast as the girls against whom she plays, but she's not tall enough yet to win some of the 50/50s in the air. But I think she will be. Older DD is already 5'8" and according to doctors is still not done growing...

A lot also depends on the system they play in and what the coach is looking for/values in a player -- beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that. My older DD has been told on one hand that little could stop her from playing high level D1 college by one coach, and that she wasn't good enough to keep a starting spot by another -- within a few months of each other. I'm happy that she is self motivated and kept going after the negative feedback, with a desire to prove them wrong, but some kids likely wouldn't. And then talented kids quit (typically at U15 or so on the girls side) because coaches make it even harder for them to stay the course at a time in life when they have a lot going on emotionally.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You can tell by 7th grade. The gap between strong players and not strong players is pretty wide even then

Oh no, no, no

Certainly not for boys!

I have 3 teens a lot happens between them and U17. A LOT

Boys haven’t even hit puberty (12) and many have several years of awkward growing that causes imbalance. My oldest was plagued with Osgoods and other growth-related issues all throughout middle school and it all came together at 15/16. Look out!

Per OP

"At what average age does a female[i][b] player’s talent & performance plateaus even with private coaching, individual practices and exercises?"

Anonymous wrote:You can tell by 7th grade. The gap between strong players and not strong players is pretty wide even then

Oh no, no, no

Certainly not for boys!

I have 3 teens a lot happens between them and U17. A LOT

Boys haven’t even hit puberty (12) and many have several years of awkward growing that causes imbalance. My oldest was plagued with Osgoods and other growth-related issues all throughout middle school and it all came together at 15/16. Look out!