Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, did that go off the rails in a million directions fast. I guess we have to assemble the training on our own. I did want to address some of the responses so we can have more productive conversations in the future:

My child is in elementary school. All of my kids played soccer but this child is the only one who plays travel because they are driven.

ALOT of players their age, including some our teammates, are training in the mornings. My child trains on their own for one hour most mornings but I would like it to be in a group setting since they are going to do it anyway. I don't allow them to train with their teammates because I do prioritize sleep and their teammates start too early for my child to get the sleep I require based on their schedule. These are kids in elite private schools who prioritize education. I wish the parents did prioritize sleep more but that is not my lane.

As a society, we do not judge a child who practices the violin for 4 hours a day with the pursuit of attending Juilliard so we need to chill a little bit on the judgment in sports. My other kids work hard in other non-sports pursuits but this child LOVES soccer so I am forced to learn how to best position them to succeed.

We are not on IG and do not post any of their highlights or workouts. Parents, please note, social media has DEVASTING effects on kids. None of my kids have social media accounts. I saw one child ask their parents while walking off the field did their parent catch their move so they can post it on IG. I have recently joined IG solely for the purpose of learning this soccer landscape and it is a little shocking how many parents have IG's set up for their kids. The one thing I have noticed is most of the top players don't post much. I know one local kid has been bullied and their parent was forced to take down the account. I have a friend who is a tech lobbyist and I have simply followed his patterns as he warned me years ago of the privacy impact of social media and the negative impact it has on children and teens, especially girls. He represents these companies so I simply follow his lead. Networking is important in this sport and you can create networks by playing in different environments, summer camps, club trainings as well as guesting outside of your primary club. All more beneficial than IG.

Finally, what are kids doing with their 168 hours a week? Do parents even know? My kid does not have a device but all of his friends do. Is their screen time usage supporting becoming a CEO? My kid does not play video games and is not on social media. They are not allowed to play until homework is done and they are required to read a minimum of 30 minutes a day on top of advanced math classes outside of school. They still have ALOT of time to play soccer.

I don't publicly judge the anxiety parents show about about changing to school year, which alphabet league, team 1 vs team 2 etc., so if someone asks a high-level question, please sit it out if it does not apply to you. If you don't have a high-level kid in soccer, I am sure they are high-level in something and you should pay more attention to your kids to find out what they are passionate about than judging someone else's parenting choices.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HS in moco starts at 745. No idea how kids are getting in a training session before that.

Pure dedication and drive to be the best. Get up at 5am, stretching and aerobics along with ball control and shooting exercises. Most of these kids have basement or backyard practice areas. Got to give them credit for their work effort to be the best and their folks for supporting them.

Barf.

Assume your kid is still in rec?

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Anonymous wrote:I have heard about alot of high-level kids who train before school. I am curious, is this set up by the school, club or privately by a few kids and families?

I had no idea until I set up an IG account for my kid. We are on the 2nd team and a few kids will do some stuff before ES (ES has a late start). But our top team (a few are very high level) kids put in some work before school and the parents post it to IG. It is mostly, in home fitness stuff and some ball mastery stuff in a living room, basement or workout room. And some of those kids are faster, better than the other kids; it is apparent in person. My kid watches cartoons and eats cereal...but yeah, some kids are being beaten into shape by the parent before school. Not sure of the consistency, but for ES, there is time to put in 20-30 min of work easily at home. And no, this is not something the clubs have anything to do with.

I really wonder how that's going to turn out in the long run if it's not being driven by the child... which it almost certainly isn't despite what some parents might say. I can't imagine it would occur to most ES age kids to do structured training/practice before school if a parent didn't put the idea in their head.

IMO if it isn't the kid insisting on doing the early morning workouts in addition to the usual practices after school, they probably aren't meant for college level or other elite level sports. They will stop doing it when someone isn't hovering over them to get it done. The drive has to come from within.

Aren't parents putting the idea of reading and other academic activities in kids heads?
Or we should let kids spearhead that on their own too, or they aren't meant for college or the workplace

Are you placing sports at the same level as academics?

What's the difference in the context of parents involvement in having kids put in extra work for success?

Wow you are not too smart. I guess you didn't focus on school enough growing up! Sports should be nowhere near the same level as athletics. I was a D1 scholarship athlete. My parents made it very clear that academics came first and that they would pull me from my sport if my grades slipped due to not spending enough time studying. My sport helped me get college paid for, but I would have gotten in on academics either way. I am now a middle aged parent and guess what I use on a daily basis in order to pay the bills? I'll give you a hint -- not my athletic prowess. That comes in handy during the 45 min I spend at the gym, but no one is paying me to work out. The vast majority of children are better off focusing more on school than sports. If they are good enough at a sport to excel in it while also excelling at academics, great. If they are sacrificing learning and academic growth for a sport, that is bad parenting and setting them up for struggles later in life.

Speaking of intelligence and intellectual capacity
Where did the PP say sports was more important than academics?

The PP said sports were on the same plane as academics. They are not.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard about alot of high-level kids who train before school. I am curious, is this set up by the school, club or privately by a few kids and families?

I had no idea until I set up an IG account for my kid. We are on the 2nd team and a few kids will do some stuff before ES (ES has a late start). But our top team (a few are very high level) kids put in some work before school and the parents post it to IG. It is mostly, in home fitness stuff and some ball mastery stuff in a living room, basement or workout room. And some of those kids are faster, better than the other kids; it is apparent in person. My kid watches cartoons and eats cereal...but yeah, some kids are being beaten into shape by the parent before school. Not sure of the consistency, but for ES, there is time to put in 20-30 min of work easily at home. And no, this is not something the clubs have anything to do with.

I really wonder how that's going to turn out in the long run if it's not being driven by the child... which it almost certainly isn't despite what some parents might say. I can't imagine it would occur to most ES age kids to do structured training/practice before school if a parent didn't put the idea in their head.

IMO if it isn't the kid insisting on doing the early morning workouts in addition to the usual practices after school, they probably aren't meant for college level or other elite level sports. They will stop doing it when someone isn't hovering over them to get it done. The drive has to come from within.

Aren't parents putting the idea of reading and other academic activities in kids heads?
Or we should let kids spearhead that on their own too, or they aren't meant for college or the workplace

Are you placing sports at the same level as academics?

What's the difference in the context of parents involvement in having kids put in extra work for success?

Wow you are not too smart. I guess you didn't focus on school enough growing up! Sports should be nowhere near the same level as athletics. I was a D1 scholarship athlete. My parents made it very clear that academics came first and that they would pull me from my sport if my grades slipped due to not spending enough time studying. My sport helped me get college paid for, but I would have gotten in on academics either way. I am now a middle aged parent and guess what I use on a daily basis in order to pay the bills? I'll give you a hint -- not my athletic prowess. That comes in handy during the 45 min I spend at the gym, but no one is paying me to work out. The vast majority of children are better off focusing more on school than sports. If they are good enough at a sport to excel in it while also excelling at academics, great. If they are sacrificing learning and academic growth for a sport, that is bad parenting and setting them up for struggles later in life.

Speaking of intelligence and intellectual capacity
Where did the PP say sports was more important than academics?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These people are all lemmings. Let me go for quantity over quality, let me film it and throw it online to show everyone how good I am (which they arent) and how much I train. Nothing better than watching some ECNL kid that thinks they have the hottest video clip or parent posting ....look at my kid, look at this goal, etc. and its garbage, no technique, dumb luck and almost always low soccer IQ. My favorite is the 40 yard moon shot that goes over the 5ft 2 inch goalies head. Or the booming kick from the back line that cant control a ball or pass out of the back to save their lives, that lands 20 yards out and the speedy 7,9 or 11 win a fifty fifty ball and scores....and Suzie has another assist, she has 10 and is leading the league...LOL

If your looking to play at the next level, all I can say is make sure your highlights are just that highlights. We expect this to be the best you have, so if you send/post a highlight thats not flattering but you think it is, we may just move on to the next email/post, because this speaks to your soccer IQ. I am thinking if they think this is a highlight, I cant imagine what the lowlights are. If you have some accolades or we have been tracking you, you may get the benefit of the doubt, but dont take your online profile (any of it) for granted.

Who is “we”?

College coaches in general

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have heard about alot of high-level kids who train before school. I am curious, is this set up by the school, club or privately by a few kids and families?

I had no idea until I set up an IG account for my kid. We are on the 2nd team and a few kids will do some stuff before ES (ES has a late start). But our top team (a few are very high level) kids put in some work before school and the parents post it to IG. It is mostly, in home fitness stuff and some ball mastery stuff in a living room, basement or workout room. And some of those kids are faster, better than the other kids; it is apparent in person. My kid watches cartoons and eats cereal...but yeah, some kids are being beaten into shape by the parent before school. Not sure of the consistency, but for ES, there is time to put in 20-30 min of work easily at home. And no, this is not something the clubs have anything to do with.

I really wonder how that's going to turn out in the long run if it's not being driven by the child... which it almost certainly isn't despite what some parents might say. I can't imagine it would occur to most ES age kids to do structured training/practice before school if a parent didn't put the idea in their head.

IMO if it isn't the kid insisting on doing the early morning workouts in addition to the usual practices after school, they probably aren't meant for college level or other elite level sports. They will stop doing it when someone isn't hovering over them to get it done. The drive has to come from within.

Aren't parents putting the idea of reading and other academic activities in kids heads?
Or we should let kids spearhead that on their own too, or they aren't meant for college or the workplace

Are you placing sports at the same level as academics?

What's the difference in the context of parents involvement in having kids put in extra work for success?

Wow you are not too smart. I guess you didn't focus on school enough growing up! Sports should be nowhere near the same level as athletics. I was a D1 scholarship athlete. My parents made it very clear that academics came first and that they would pull me from my sport if my grades slipped due to not spending enough time studying. My sport helped me get college paid for, but I would have gotten in on academics either way. I am now a middle aged parent and guess what I use on a daily basis in order to pay the bills? I'll give you a hint -- not my athletic prowess. That comes in handy during the 45 min I spend at the gym, but no one is paying me to work out. The vast majority of children are better off focusing more on school than sports. If they are good enough at a sport to excel in it while also excelling at academics, great. If they are sacrificing learning and academic growth for a sport, that is bad parenting and setting them up for struggles later in life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These people are all lemmings. Let me go for quantity over quality, let me film it and throw it online to show everyone how good I am (which they arent) and how much I train. Nothing better than watching some ECNL kid that thinks they have the hottest video clip or parent posting ....look at my kid, look at this goal, etc. and its garbage, no technique, dumb luck and almost always low soccer IQ. My favorite is the 40 yard moon shot that goes over the 5ft 2 inch goalies head. Or the booming kick from the back line that cant control a ball or pass out of the back to save their lives, that lands 20 yards out and the speedy 7,9 or 11 win a fifty fifty ball and scores....and Suzie has another assist, she has 10 and is leading the league...LOL

If your looking to play at the next level, all I can say is make sure your highlights are just that highlights. We expect this to be the best you have, so if you send/post a highlight thats not flattering but you think it is, we may just move on to the next email/post, because this speaks to your soccer IQ. I am thinking if they think this is a highlight, I cant imagine what the lowlights are. If you have some accolades or we have been tracking you, you may get the benefit of the doubt, but dont take your online profile (any of it) for granted.

Who is “we”?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These people are all lemmings. Let me go for quantity over quality, let me film it and throw it online to show everyone how good I am (which they arent) and how much I train. Nothing better than watching some ECNL kid that thinks they have the hottest video clip or parent posting ....look at my kid, look at this goal, etc. and its garbage, no technique, dumb luck and almost always low soccer IQ. My favorite is the 40 yard moon shot that goes over the 5ft 2 inch goalies head. Or the booming kick from the back line that cant control a ball or pass out of the back to save their lives, that lands 20 yards out and the speedy 7,9 or 11 win a fifty fifty ball and scores....and Suzie has another assist, she has 10 and is leading the league...LOL

If your looking to play at the next level, all I can say is make sure your highlights are just that highlights. We expect this to be the best you have, so if you send/post a highlight thats not flattering but you think it is, we may just move on to the next email/post, because this speaks to your soccer IQ. I am thinking if they think this is a highlight, I cant imagine what the lowlights are. If you have some accolades or we have been tracking you, you may get the benefit of the doubt, but dont take your online profile (any of it) for granted.

Anonymous wrote:These people are all lemmings. Let me go for quantity over quality, let me film it and throw it online to show everyone how good I am (which they arent) and how much I train. Nothing better than watching some ECNL kid that thinks they have the hottest video clip or parent posting ....look at my kid, look at this goal, etc. and its garbage, no technique, dumb luck and almost always low soccer IQ. My favorite is the 40 yard moon shot that goes over the 5ft 2 inch goalies head. Or the booming kick from the back line that cant control a ball or pass out of the back to save their lives, that lands 20 yards out and the speedy 7,9 or 11 win a fifty fifty ball and scores....and Suzie has another assist, she has 10 and is leading the league...LOL

Anonymous wrote:These people are all lemmings. Let me go for quantity over quality, let me film it and throw it online to show everyone how good I am (which they arent) and how much I train. Nothing better than watching some ECNL kid that thinks they have the hottest video clip or parent posting ....look at my kid, look at this goal, etc. and its garbage, no technique, dumb luck and almost always low soccer IQ. My favorite is the 40 yard moon shot that goes over the 5ft 2 inch goalies head. Or the booming kick from the back line that cant control a ball or pass out of the back to save their lives, that lands 20 yards out and the speedy 7,9 or 11 win a fifty fifty ball and scores....and Suzie has another assist, she has 10 and is leading the league...LOL