Advice on how to scout players

[Kevin8833]

Hi, I am coaching a rec all star team and what happens is they give me about 30 kids and I have to knock it down to about 12 for the final all star team I think I have a pretty good idea but one problem is at this age level all the top notch kids play as forwards, so what are the things I should look for in players and I know rec is supposed to be fun which I will make it but I just want to know if anyone can give me some advice on what to look for when I am trying to scout out and pick the right players for a team to give me the best opportunity to be succesful.

[ghayim]

Look for the best forwards, then see the kids who attack them...there are your defenders....Line them up and have them race, presto you have mid-fielders. And then put the big-boned kid in goal

[MisplacedSpainard]

ironically this is not a bad way tom start. another way to seperate them is to see who is strong with the ball at their feet. Also which players are not afraid to attack the goal at take a shot. Since if you have a very talented player with the ball that isn't mentally capable of taking shots even if its only a chance of score then he shouldn't be playing foward rather a midfielder to help control the field and direct some of the less skilled players that may have more guts to shoot. All really depends on the batch of kids you have to work with also. For a keeper it wouldn't be a bad idea to find a loud player that likes to bark out orders since keepers need to be able to control the back field to stop attacks. just my 2 cents. As long as hes quick footed and smart minded he can be trained to be a keeeper.

[Kevin8833]

Alright thanks guys as far as keeper goes I will pick an athletic preferably bigger kid who is far from shy.

[GavinZac]

fitness is often a more important factor than skill. For example at the International Childrens Games in Reykjavik a couple of weeks ago, I watched a technically good Irish team (Tralee Dynamos) lose to a much more physically strong and confident Austrian team (Tirol Innsbruck) in the u15 boys soccer final.