Anonymous wrote:

asksoccernova wrote:Most likely, a U8 coach is not timing subs and tracking time at specific positions. At U8 they play small-sided so the ball is always close by every player and they will all get a lot of touches.

At U9 they move to a larger field (7v7) and its a completely different game... players definitely need to be rotated in 7v7 or they start to become more narrow-minded players and 1-dimensional if only playing the same position.

It's a volunteer / rec coach. Just let your player enjoy the game and sign him up for a training program, which is where he will actually learn skills. You don't learn any new skills during games, especially at U8. Players can't even process spatial information very well at that age and don't really understand positions or roles beyond 1 simple instructional point at a time.

Halfway through the season if your player keeps playing in the exact same position, then mention it in a nice way to the coach. That's all you need to do.

As a rec coach, I would often start each game with a spreadsheet of planned playing time. Then someone would be late or need to come off the field for a minor injury or something, and it would all be wiped out.

But on at least one occasion, it helped me respond to a parent accusing me of stressing winning over development. (In this case, the kid showed up late to the game. Not sure what they expect me to do about that.)

asksoccernova wrote:Most likely, a U8 coach is not timing subs and tracking time at specific positions. At U8 they play small-sided so the ball is always close by every player and they will all get a lot of touches.

At U9 they move to a larger field (7v7) and its a completely different game... players definitely need to be rotated in 7v7 or they start to become more narrow-minded players and 1-dimensional if only playing the same position.

It's a volunteer / rec coach. Just let your player enjoy the game and sign him up for a training program, which is where he will actually learn skills. You don't learn any new skills during games, especially at U8. Players can't even process spatial information very well at that age and don't really understand positions or roles beyond 1 simple instructional point at a time.

Halfway through the season if your player keeps playing in the exact same position, then mention it in a nice way to the coach. That's all you need to do.

Anonymous wrote:I'm the mom of the U8 boy who posted a few pages ago. Now that we're two games into the season, I have another question in an attempt to not be "that mom"
(I have a minivan and I'm turning into a soccer mom. Woe is me.
Anyway, at DS's level, the kids all basically play equal time, which is great. In both games, DS has played a little more than half the time. Of that, only in about 25% of the first game did he play offense. The whole rest of the time he's been at defense. He's disappointed (because he's a little kid and wants a chance to score some goals!) but he's done a great job.

At this age, though, I was assuming that they're still young enough that they should all be rotating through the positions. Ds still needs a chance to develop skills at all areas, right?

So, am I off base? Is it appropriate to ask the coach if DS can rotate through a few different positions? Can I tell him that DS doesn't want to commit to only playing defense? How best to approach it (if at all) with the coach?

Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:I'm the mom of the U8 boy who posted a few pages ago. Now that we're two games into the season, I have another question in an attempt to not be "that mom"
(I have a minivan and I'm turning into a soccer mom. Woe is me.
Anyway, at DS's level, the kids all basically play equal time, which is great. In both games, DS has played a little more than half the time. Of that, only in about 25% of the first game did he play offense. The whole rest of the time he's been at defense. He's disappointed (because he's a little kid and wants a chance to score some goals!) but he's done a great job.

At this age, though, I was assuming that they're still young enough that they should all be rotating through the positions. Ds still needs a chance to develop skills at all areas, right?

So, am I off base? Is it appropriate to ask the coach if DS can rotate through a few different positions? Can I tell him that DS doesn't want to commit to only playing defense? How best to approach it (if at all) with the coach?

Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The best training my 6yo son had was in Manassas at Sports Network. This guy Karl Gibbons started an academy, we paid $60/month for one day a week. My DS also was playing in a rec league. My son progressed more in those 10 months I had him with KG than with the last two coaches he's had in our club in Prince William. The big club myth is a MYTH. I paid less and got more, and BTW there were no games and all of the kids looked very happy to show up every time because they were having fun and learning. The scrimmages at the end of the training were very competitive. There still is for U7 and under indoor Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer leagues which I recommend anybody within driving distance sign up their U8 player or under. They will get out of the 5v5 games with NO THROW INS and constant movement than the rec games where PAID ref's(not sure why you need them) constantly stop games for unintentional fouls or when a 7yo kid slightly lifts his foot in a throw in. RIDICULOUS and does nothing to develop the player's soccer skills.

Don't take this the wrong way because my kid has also been at SNF and I know Karl and he is very good. I would recommend him as well, BUT, at 6 years old it is both easy to learn AND stand out. I'm just saying, pump the breaks a bit here.

That said, the training for the price point at SNF is very good.

Anonymous wrote:The best training my 6yo son had was in Manassas at Sports Network. This guy Karl Gibbons started an academy, we paid $60/month for one day a week. My DS also was playing in a rec league. My son progressed more in those 10 months I had him with KG than with the last two coaches he's had in our club in Prince William. The big club myth is a MYTH. I paid less and got more, and BTW there were no games and all of the kids looked very happy to show up every time because they were having fun and learning. The scrimmages at the end of the training were very competitive. There still is for U7 and under indoor Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer leagues which I recommend anybody within driving distance sign up their U8 player or under. They will get out of the 5v5 games with NO THROW INS and constant movement than the rec games where PAID ref's(not sure why you need them) constantly stop games for unintentional fouls or when a 7yo kid slightly lifts his foot in a throw in. RIDICULOUS and does nothing to develop the player's soccer skills.

Anonymous wrote:

asksoccernova wrote:For the U13 boy question, I would go DA and just deal with the commute. Being around other good players will really push him to improve, plus hopefully the training is good.

Being on the local club's A team will always be an option, and if he's in DA for a year and for some reason you don't like it, they will take him back with open arms. If the DA a fit, then stay with it. Not every kid as an opportunity to be in a DA program, so if your son has it, try it out for a year and see how it goes.


For the question about an '06 girl - which area teams / coaches would I like?

I believe Arlington Red & White are doing well in this age group. The coach must be doing something right.

I may have mentioned DC Stoddert before... Karen Kelser is working the U11/U12 age groups and she is a very good teacher of the game to both to players and other coaches. I have a lot of respect for her expertise.

Loudon looks good, this fellow Dan Raben (never heard his name before, but read his bio) seems to know what he's doing with Loudon Red, the top team. - http://www.loudounsoccer.com/techstaff/ (scroll to bottom).
The loudon coaches for 06G Red, 06G Black, 06G White, and 06G Silver look pretty good on paper at least.

Mclean - nobody at U11 who I can really say the same track record of any of the people mentioned by name above. Who knows though, I haven't even seen the team in action.


SYA - CAROLYN RICE....If I had a daughter, I'd want her to play for Carolyn.

Bethesda - I think Sam Roos the daughter of Brad Roos. I'm sure she's been around soccer since age 1 and knows what she's doing.

SYC has Harry Okopu coaching the U11 girls, he is the technical director there.



That's about all that stands out to me at the moment.

Let's pretend commute distance is not a factor here - these would be my choices

1. SYA - Carolyn Rice, my #1 choice here.
2. Arlington - Team seems to be doing very, very well
3. Loudon - Quality age group staff coaches across the board, mutiple teams
4. DC Stoddert - Karen Kelser
5. Bethesda - Sam Roos, Bethesda has good girls teams every year
6. Mclean - Just because its McLean which traditionally is decent on the girls side
7. SYC - Technical Director is coaching the U11 girls

Thanks a lot for your advice!

asksoccernova wrote:For the U13 boy question, I would go DA and just deal with the commute. Being around other good players will really push him to improve, plus hopefully the training is good.

Being on the local club's A team will always be an option, and if he's in DA for a year and for some reason you don't like it, they will take him back with open arms. If the DA a fit, then stay with it. Not every kid as an opportunity to be in a DA program, so if your son has it, try it out for a year and see how it goes.


For the question about an '06 girl - which area teams / coaches would I like?

I believe Arlington Red & White are doing well in this age group. The coach must be doing something right.

I may have mentioned DC Stoddert before... Karen Kelser is working the U11/U12 age groups and she is a very good teacher of the game to both to players and other coaches. I have a lot of respect for her expertise.

Loudon looks good, this fellow Dan Raben (never heard his name before, but read his bio) seems to know what he's doing with Loudon Red, the top team. - http://www.loudounsoccer.com/techstaff/ (scroll to bottom).
The loudon coaches for 06G Red, 06G Black, 06G White, and 06G Silver look pretty good on paper at least.

Mclean - nobody at U11 who I can really say the same track record of any of the people mentioned by name above. Who knows though, I haven't even seen the team in action.


SYA - CAROLYN RICE....If I had a daughter, I'd want her to play for Carolyn.

Bethesda - I think Sam Roos the daughter of Brad Roos. I'm sure she's been around soccer since age 1 and knows what she's doing.

SYC has Harry Okopu coaching the U11 girls, he is the technical director there.



That's about all that stands out to me at the moment.

Let's pretend commute distance is not a factor here - these would be my choices

1. SYA - Carolyn Rice, my #1 choice here.
2. Arlington - Team seems to be doing very, very well
3. Loudon - Quality age group staff coaches across the board, mutiple teams
4. DC Stoddert - Karen Kelser
5. Bethesda - Sam Roos, Bethesda has good girls teams every year
6. Mclean - Just because its McLean which traditionally is decent on the girls side
7. SYC - Technical Director is coaching the U11 girls