Mia Hamm 5 5 125
Abby Wambach 5 11 180

I am sure you can do well anywhere in the middle there but none of them will be them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The key is how a player stands out compared to the rest. But in order to stand out, you have to be given an opportunity to shine. Unfortunately, sometimes the big/athletic girls gets more opportunities to shine. So unless the smaller girls have such incredible skills and IQ, they are at a disadvantage compared to the bigger players.

The small, fast, skilled, athletic and productive girl will stand out. Again, height is but one of many attributes....especially for a game played on the ground.

Do not kid yourself, size and speed/quickness are very important. Travel soccer, even at the “elite” levels is not as competitive as college or pro soccer. It’s just high school soccer. The small, fast, skilled, athletic and productive girl will not be the same going against bigger, faster, more athletic women in college or the pros.

Reach, Leverage, Mass and Strength. That's what is comes down to. Size is an advantage in most sports including soccer. Soccer is not only played on the ground. But even on the ground size matters.

1. The taller player is on average heavier and stronger and will thus generally win the 1v1 physical battle on the ball. In all contact ball sports. The shorter player has to rely on speed to win. Until they meet a fast tall player and then they are again disadvantaged due to reach, leverage, mass and strength.

2. The taller player has greater reach with legs and can make tackles or strikes/volleys that a shorter player cannot. Another advantage for tall defenders and forwards.

And in the aerial game...

3. The taller player has greater vertical reach and will win the aerial battle for the ball on headers in both boxes. This is why CBs and Strikers are tall.

4. Due to the reach issue - in certain positions there is a clear height cutoff. Goalies at 5'9 for example.

For the relatively smaller player (average or shorter than average) to make it they need to have "Best in the World" abilities on the ball or foot skills aka Dunn, Lavelle or Messi. These athletes are an absolute joy to watch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Are they? In the last WC they barely snuck out of Group D in 2nd place after tying Argentina and losing to England. They then lost in the first game in the Round of 16 to a larger Dutch team. They have talent and speed but size is their exact issue at competing.

The average height of a Japanese woman is 4'9". In the US, it's 5'4". As a country, they too opt for the tallest, most skilled players possible.

Not disputing your main point necessarily, but the avg in Japan is actually 5’2. The 1st search result back from Google is not correct. 4’9 is tiny — everywhere.

How many Japan players are shorter than 5'2? Not many. That's the point. Most soccer players are above average in height. Some considerably so.

The highest capped Japanese player Aya Sameshima is 5'4. The #2 in caps Saki Kumagai is 5'8. Neither are goalies.

Yūki Nagasato, one of the best in the world, at 5'6

Anonymous wrote:The key is how a player stands out compared to the rest. But in order to stand out, you have to be given an opportunity to shine. Unfortunately, sometimes the big/athletic girls gets more opportunities to shine. So unless the smaller girls have such incredible skills and IQ, they are at a disadvantage compared to the bigger players.

The small, fast, skilled, athletic and productive girl will stand out. Again, height is but one of many attributes....especially for a game played on the ground.

The key is how a player stands out compared to the rest. But in order to stand out, you have to be given an opportunity to shine. Unfortunately, sometimes the big/athletic girls gets more opportunities to shine. So unless the smaller girls have such incredible skills and IQ, they are at a disadvantage compared to the bigger players.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Are they? In the last WC they barely snuck out of Group D in 2nd place after tying Argentina and losing to England. They then lost in the first game in the Round of 16 to a larger Dutch team. They have talent and speed but size is their exact issue at competing.

The average height of a Japanese woman is 4'9". In the US, it's 5'4". As a country, they too opt for the tallest, most skilled players possible.

Not disputing your main point necessarily, but the avg in Japan is actually 5’2. The 1st search result back from Google is not correct. 4’9 is tiny — everywhere.

How many Japan players are shorter than 5'2? Not many. That's the point. Most soccer players are above average in height. Some considerably so.

The highest capped Japanese player Aya Sameshima is 5'4. The #2 in caps Saki Kumagai is 5'8. Neither are goalies.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Does your daughter play in Japan or plan on attending college there?

I listed about 20 others. No problems with those? You seem real quite on that

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Does your daughter play in Japan or plan on attending college there?

Would you like me to list the up and coming Japanese internationals playing at the highest level of college soccer. That make you feel better?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Are they? In the last WC they barely snuck out of Group D in 2nd place after tying Argentina and losing to England. They then lost in the first game in the Round of 16 to a larger Dutch team. They have talent and speed but size is their exact issue at competing.

The average height of a Japanese woman is 4'9". In the US, it's 5'4". As a country, they too opt for the tallest, most skilled players possible.

Not disputing your main point necessarily, but the avg in Japan is actually 5’2. The 1st search result back from Google is not correct. 4’9 is tiny — everywhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Are they? In the last WC they barely snuck out of Group D in 2nd place after tying Argentina and losing to England. They then lost in the first game in the Round of 16 to a larger Dutch team. They have talent and speed but size is their exact issue at competing.

The average height of a Japanese woman is 4'9". In the US, it's 5'4". As a country, they too opt for the tallest, most skilled players possible.

Anonymous wrote:The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Are they? In the last WC they barely snuck out of Group D in 2nd place after tying Argentina and losing to England. They then lost in the first game in the Round of 16 to a larger Dutch team. They have talent and speed but size is their exact issue at competing.

Anonymous wrote:The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Does your daughter play in Japan or plan on attending college there?

The entire Japan womens national team. Pretty good as one of the shortest teas in the world.

Yūki Nagasato, one of the best in the world, at 5'6