Anonymous wrote:Soccer players do have to be athletic... if your kid is not athletic they will struggle in the sport.

Marta is quick, has great balance and core strength....

Soccer players do have to be athletic... if your kid is not athletic they will struggle in the sport.

There’s a lot of mention about the word “athletic” in this forum.

What do all of you mean when you use this word? Please provide some specific examples as it pertains to girls soccer.

If you want girls that are both athletic and technical there are some coaches and programs - even in DMV that stress this combination. . Perfect no. At the level you want, maybe not. At a certain age, I don’t think you will find coaches that are willing to have a player with ball skills that don’t translate on the field and are not athletic. They may have patience for a season, but not longer. And kids can be athletic without the size.

Watch UNC. Track meet every time, and when they can’t break a team down they sub in 8 players.

Why isn’t there more girls with technical skills?

Is it because they don’t spend enough time to practice? Or is it because they are overshadowed by the more aggressive & athletic but less technical girls?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Technical skill is just not important for girls. It is just too hard to find. It’s all about speed and physicality. There are a ton of these girls out there. It makes it easy to put a team together and you can always find replaces. Most coaches will tell you a good big player beats a good little player. Pick the big player.

This is an attitude that leads to terrible college and national teams.
At higher levels technical skills are important.
At lower levels speed and strength can be used as a crutch.

It’s all important:
Skills
Athleticism
Soccer IQ
Heart

Anonymous wrote:Technical skill is just not important for girls. It is just too hard to find. It’s all about speed and physicality. There are a ton of these girls out there. It makes it easy to put a team together and you can always find replaces. Most coaches will tell you a good big player beats a good little player. Pick the big player.

This is an attitude that leads to terrible college and national teams.
At higher levels technical skills are important.
At lower levels speed and strength can be used as a crutch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a well regarded ECNL coach who is also known for technical players / teams. If you can't demonstrate the technical ability in a game, under pressure - than you don't demonstrate that you have it. And he will be very direct about that point and the girls who could not demonstrate it in a game, left. The girls are expected to spend time outside practices working on their mastery of the ball - because it takes a lot of time. The girls are also expected to have athleticism and speed of play. I don't understand this either / or - you are technical or athletic. Some coaches expect both.

How common is seeing girls U13-U16 that are both technical and athletic (big/fast)?

It’s not common. You can see teams in more elite leagues where the bar has been raised cross the team and some standouts (and yes a few below but not starters). I think the best coaches create that expectation.

Per point - I don’t think motor skills are that much better with males. I do think coaching expectations are different with girls and boys from day 1 and that impacts development exponentially as you move forward It’s also harder to get a group of like minded girls together at high skill levels compared to boys. That’s why in some clubs you are 4+ teams deep on boys side and 2 teams on girls sides and the 2nd team often a huge drop off. It also impacts the league competition. It seems harder to find the teams to play that are skilled and athletic even in the elite girls side.

My daughter is still upset that her younger coaches didn’t teach her more because she said she could have done it. It’s interesting how adamant she is on that point.

Lindsey Horan is the most technical player on the USWT. She is also fairly big, but not athletic and fast. I think her in combination w/ Rose L. is a nice combo of dynamic and smart. Anyhow, girls are not as technical as guys on average as I just think motor skills and quickness with the ball, etc. are just better with most males.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a well regarded ECNL coach who is also known for technical players / teams. If you can't demonstrate the technical ability in a game, under pressure - than you don't demonstrate that you have it. And he will be very direct about that point and the girls who could not demonstrate it in a game, left. The girls are expected to spend time outside practices working on their mastery of the ball - because it takes a lot of time. The girls are also expected to have athleticism and speed of play. I don't understand this either / or - you are technical or athletic. Some coaches expect both.

How common is seeing girls U13-U16 that are both technical and athletic (big/fast)?

Athletic doesn’t mean big.

Anonymous wrote:We have a well regarded ECNL coach who is also known for technical players / teams. If you can't demonstrate the technical ability in a game, under pressure - than you don't demonstrate that you have it. And he will be very direct about that point and the girls who could not demonstrate it in a game, left. The girls are expected to spend time outside practices working on their mastery of the ball - because it takes a lot of time. The girls are also expected to have athleticism and speed of play. I don't understand this either / or - you are technical or athletic. Some coaches expect both.

How common is seeing girls U13-U16 that are both technical and athletic (big/fast)?

We have a well regarded ECNL coach who is also known for technical players / teams. If you can't demonstrate the technical ability in a game, under pressure - than you don't demonstrate that you have it. And he will be very direct about that point and the girls who could not demonstrate it in a game, left. The girls are expected to spend time outside practices working on their mastery of the ball - because it takes a lot of time. The girls are also expected to have athleticism and speed of play. I don't understand this either / or - you are technical or athletic. Some coaches expect both.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Technical skill is just not important for girls. It is just too hard to find. It’s all about speed and physicality. There are a ton of these girls out there. It makes it easy to put a team together and you can always find replaces. Most coaches will tell you a good big player beats a good little player. Pick the big player.

If both players are good, I want both on my team.

And if there is one roster spot left and it's between a skilled little player and a big player who struggles trapping/dribbling/passing/shooting, I'm taking the skilled player regardless of size.

You'll be fired as a Arlington coach

False.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Technical skill is just not important for girls. It is just too hard to find. It’s all about speed and physicality. There are a ton of these girls out there. It makes it easy to put a team together and you can always find replaces. Most coaches will tell you a good big player beats a good little player. Pick the big player.

If both players are good, I want both on my team.

And if there is one roster spot left and it's between a skilled little player and a big player who struggles trapping/dribbling/passing/shooting, I'm taking the skilled player regardless of size.

You'll be fired as a Arlington coach