This is the USA board, right? When have we ever gotten more than a participation trophy? We have all the resources, expensive training, and population and we can't beat teams like Belgium or even impoverished countries that grow up playing soccer with rocks and pine cones on busy streets. All the expensive training and the players that make it to the highest level lack creativity, Xs and Os, and the ability to take it to another level to WIN. God forbid we get drawn against Argentina or Germany. We have what, 4 players in the Premier League?
So you're saying to progress, we as the USA, absolutely shouldnot use the Dutch approach whch, after being copied by the Germans, French and Belgians, delivered those countries fantastic players and national teams that are among the best of the world. Instead you propose to continue along the path that is common for years and delivered nothing. Makes sense
I'm saying the USA should develop their own approach that works for us just as we have with basketball, for instance, and other sports we dominate. Until then, our best athletes will continue to move onto other sports as they get older. It is probably more important that they play unorganized ball as a youth as it is for formal training. Drive through town and the basketball courts are full of kids while the soccer fields are empty. You don't see empty soccer fields in Mexico or Europe. That's the problem here. The only way to play soccer in most if the US is through formal training or organized rec teams. You can drill skills into them in practice, but they should already have the skills. And if they aren't playing disorganized soccer at home, they have no exposure to other styles and no need to learn how to be creative. You can't grow elite soccer players in a box and you can't coach what or drill into kids things that players like Naymar and Messi can do nor can you give them the experience to create their own when you have to spend all your organized time on "skill development".
@EverRespect I think the advice people are giving you is that if your child wants to sit around and wait for the ball - that's fine. But if he has ambitions to play with better players and on better teams and grow as a player he needs to learn to press, chase/tackle a player when he's lost the ball, jockey, etc.. All elite players can defend and attack. The US has soooo many talented female athletes it is a shame that the having to win every tournament and game mentality exists at the 12-16 years of age group. The result is that there is an disproportionate number who can play well at the higher levels.
If you don't already chase, press, and tackle at 12-16, you don't belong playing in any advanced league. My child plays his game and leads and directs his teammates. He enjoys it, is the best one out there whether it is his rec team or it is at a club or academy trying to recruit him. As long as it remains that way, I'm not wasting my money and Im never making him join something he is doesn't want to and spend hours doing drills to develop skills he and many of the other kids already have. He's better off in the back yard doing crossbar challenges with his friends or whatever else he wants to work on. Then again, he's 9... but they have been recruiting him for 3 years and the gap between him and other kids is not shrinking despite his not joining. The skills they teach at his age are already there... he'll probably want to join if and when they ever build actual teams that stay together and form a team dynamic and teach how to actually play the game. Whether he plays at a high level one day or not, so be it, but these academies for 9 year olds are a waste. Maybe 20% of the kids are truly talented and none of them want to be there because the training is catered to the other 80% that shouldn't even be there.
Wow, a parent of a 9 year old with a little skill and some pre-puberty athleticism who thinks he has all the answers…well, that’s something new…. Like StrikerMom says, people trying to give you some good advice against what appears to be a pretty shitty attitude on your part…an attitude you are probably and unfortunately projecting onto your son… Soccer development is a marathon, not a sprint… I promise you, some of those 80%-ers you claim have no business playing club ball at 8 or 9, will end up being as good, if not better than your kid in the long run (perhaps with a better, more coachable attitude as well)…anyone who thinks they know the development potential of a 9 year old doesn’t know much at all…
As the father of an 18 year old I can assure you, Ever, that you should ratchet it down a bit. The landscape is full of U10-U14 heroes that never became what their dad thought they would be. Despite the unlikely chance you'll listen you are getting good advice from people. It is indeed a marathon, and only god bestows talent...any kid who trains all the time will look good compared to the others...for a while. When training evens out it become who can play at a high level and who can't. Assume every player is competitive, has good skills and 'wants to win'. That is a given and doesn't separate anybody post U15. I would submit speed is a huge differentiator...everybody is fast at the higher levels. Slow players with a lot of skill have a place but in the end, speed kills or makes the player. On the old birth dates, my current 18 yo was frequently the youngest player on the field and plenty of other players looked 'better'. Good coaches know ability over maturity and when they are all16 the age thing goes away. Same will be true with the birth Year cutoff, albeit with different months. Tearing it up at U11 may or may not mean anything. In summation, if only looking at long term success, it doesn't matter who the best 12 year old is, it matters who the best 18 year old is ( in terms of playing past HS). And I'd say 20-30% of the best 18 year olds were the best 12 year olds...the rest just developed at a different pace. Ps Keep an eye on burnout and unreal expectations, that is the downfall of many players who otherwise could have excelled. I share this not to argue with you but to offer some perspective from someone who has been there and lived through it with two D1 athletes, and a d3 athlete. Humbly submitted for your consideration.
For those who havenot read it, this may be of interest: http://goalnation.com/importance-of-coaching-education-with-feyenoord-rotterdam/ FEYENOORD ROTTERDAM ON THE IMPORTANCE OF COACHING EDUCATION Chris Rael February 23, 2017 Soccer Coaching Education With the Netherlands’ Feyenoord Rotterdam The importance of defining a clear direction for player development helps a club plan for the future and remain focused on reaching their end goal as an organization. Not getting lost in the mix of the day to day tactical strategies is key for success. GoalNation’s Chris Rael spoke with Feyenoord Rotterdam (NL) on the importance of coaching education, its influence on player development at the youth level and their special take on what works best.
Good article. So many local clubs fail to establish this. They just sit and wait for the numbers to roll in after tryouts - get their top teams in place and then send the rest to the D or E coach. There really never is a plan!