All-Purpose Soccer Parents Thread

Discussion in 'Youth & HS Soccer' started by becomingasoccermom, Apr 15, 2020.

  1. becomingasoccermom

    becomingasoccermom New Member

    Arsenal
    India
    Sep 18, 2017
    I'm wondering if there are other places to discuss kids' soccer, or if this is the main board. This board is great, I just want to make sure I'm learning all that I can as my son is really into soccer and I'm pretty clueless about it.
     
    NewDadaCoach and bigredfutbol repped this.
  2. espola

    espola Member+

    Feb 12, 2006
    This is good from a SoCal perspective. Caution - it is only lightly moderated and sometimes feuds between fathers of girl players go on for years.

    https://www.socalsoccer.com/
     
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  3. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I would search for youth soccer forums specific to your area or league. Oftentimes there will be a subforum for a message board serving a community.

    I do wish we got more traffic--I'm old school and still think the message board is the best form of social media!
     
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  4. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    We could use more folks from clubs not represented. And personally I like this source for parents. Not a huge fan of when coaches come here because I think it stifles the conversation to some extent. I know some Sockers parents here for example who were not happy with the club and felt they could not speak out when a coach participated. For me that defeats the purpose of a message board altogether.

    Frankly I think there is a lot of good information here - good banter, that is useful.

    I found a few - one based on state but the last posts for all but Califormia went back to 2017.
     
  5. Dynamo Kev

    Dynamo Kev Member

    Oct 24, 2000
    If you are in the Northeast or FL - http://talking-soccer.com/TS4/index.php
    Be warned, this is a nasty site full trolls and envious parents/coaches living vicariously through their player's soccer experience.. But you will find some good info if you can stand the stench of bitterness.

    https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/forums/show/76.page
    Is a more tolerable site for DC area teams.
     
  6. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    Can you guys start a forum for soccer parents? I wish there was a place to discuss parent things.

    You have a forum for "Player" and for "Coach" and for "Youth and HS" but not for parents. Or maybe you can make a sticky parent thread in the Youth/HS forum to make it a permanent/easy to find thread.
     
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  7. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I think you are looking at it. Just start the threads you want and we'll jump in if we can.
     
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  8. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I can certainly retitle & Sticky this thread. Will that suffice?
     
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  9. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    I think that would be a good thing! thanks!
     
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  10. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    A first - My 6 yr old practiced for an hour with the U10s. He did well, was composed on the ball. And he scored a great goal off a throw-in pass to him.

    I think my training methods are paying off. I have a different approach. Namely it is lots of 1v1 play as opposed to just doing drills. He has always had to keep the ball away from me, get around me, etc. I think having to face a human rather than just cones makes a difference. They will be more comfortable in a game setting.

    And as far as drills I try to have it be with me (a body). for ex, I'll have him cut back and forth as I act as defender, applying just little pressure. The point is for him to get used to doing an action against the prescence of another body. I really do think this is the best way to train and I think it accelerates development. Even a parent that has never played soccer... if they just stood there and stuck their foot out that would be decent pressure. Much better than a cone.
     
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  11. bluechicago

    bluechicago Member

    Nov 2, 2010
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Learning a skill needs to be a progression, especially at that age. Start the skill by itself, then add a cone, then a ghost (defender who is just there, no effort), then 1v1, then small sided, then game. If they do enough at each step, they are comfortable at the next level to incorporate the skill. You cannot rush it though, they need to truly develop enough to be comfortable using the skill at each step.
     
  12. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    Youth soccer (especially for say U6/U8/U10) is such a cluster f*ck around here now. I paid for an indoor session months ago. Played one game then it was halted. They are starting back up but they are doing games during the week when no one can come, so coach doesn't want to do it now, but he wants to setup his own outdoor games, which is more money.
    But I called the indoor place and they said I would have a credit for the next session, so that's good.

    I literally just wish a bunch of kids could just get together at the park and just freaking start playing (it's what I do - pickup games - free and fun). So much hassle just to play. But in poor countries they don't have these options so they just go outside and play for free where ever they can and ironically get way more experience (at least at say ages 4-8).

    Just had to vent, thanks
     
  13. Fuegofan

    Fuegofan Member+

    Feb 17, 2001
    Chicago
    I hear you NewDadaCoach. It's one reason why I started a thread looking for parks in Chicago where kids regularly play pickup soccer. Here in Hyde Park we have various families who have lists where we let each other know when we're heading to the park (and which park) to see if others want to join in. But that's still soooo formal. I wish that kids could just show up and be pretty assured of getting game. I've wondered if places like Horner Park's or Palmer Park's futsal courts get pickup games.
     
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  14. mopdogsoc

    mopdogsoc Member

    Chelsea
    United States
    Mar 16, 2021
    I just discovered these forums and I was wondering the same thing as OP--if this is where you post your questions. Sounds like you just start a thread on this forum and hope you get some helpful answers.
     
  15. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    This particular thread is where you can post parent-specific questions. Or you can probably start a new thread too
     
  16. mopdogsoc

    mopdogsoc Member

    Chelsea
    United States
    Mar 16, 2021
    Okay, thanks.
     
  17. mopdogsoc

    mopdogsoc Member

    Chelsea
    United States
    Mar 16, 2021
    One more question! Girls youth soccer has a separate forum but there is not a separate forum for boys youth soccer, correct?
     
  18. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    Sorry I don't know, I'm not a mod.
    But this forum (Youth & HS Soccer) is for both boys and girls.
     
  19. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    We went to meetup with a couple kids at a park located midway between us. It was first time at this park. Turns out there were a bunch of other kids there, all over the park. I setup the puggs and ask them if they want to play and surely enough they did and we got a big pickup kids game going. Turns out they are Afghani kids, so the park must be in an Afghan enclave. It was very cool to see the kids playing and just having lots of fun; played for 2 and 1/2 hours. Reminded me of when I was a kid. There was a 7 yr old who played barefoot and was a beast.
     
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  20. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    I think my kid told his teammate to go back on defense.
    I recorded the minute before the 2nd half kickoff. But they were too far to get any audio. But I see my kid and another kid talking. My kid is standing with the ball at the kickoff point and gently nudge the other kid away and the kid points back to towards the goal and starts walking back there. lol
    It's kinda cute (because they are so young) but I feel he shouldn't do that. Should I ask him about it?
     
  21. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    Nope. That's one kids need to figure out on their own. Just like if they're playing (american) football at recess, someone needs to be the QB.

    I'm not against asking "What did you say to Timmy?", but don't put too much emphasis on it.
     
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  22. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    Just a vent - it bugs me when there are "above age kids" on a team beating up on littles. For ex, on some of the U8 teams there are some 9 yr olds. So you got 6 yrs olds on U8 playing against some 9 yr olds and it's just too much of a development gap. I don't understand the parents of these 9 yr olds, do they take pride in seeing their 9 yr old beat up on a 6 yr old? To build the confidence of the 9 yr old? Frankly I would be embarrassed about it. It's shameful. Put your damn kid where they belong. Your kid isn't good because he can outrun a kid 3 yrs younger.
     
  23. soccerdad72

    soccerdad72 Member

    Chelsea
    United States
    Apr 5, 2021
    On a side note, I used to hate going to tournaments during those U8/U9 years and play against teams who clearly under bracketed their team in order to win a tournament. Meaning there was three or four brackets (or more) in a tournament and a team would request a lower division than they should have been in so they ensured a trophy. One of my older son's coaches once said he'd rather lose 1-0 in every game and have good competitive matches versus winning 7-0 all weekend long just to win a piece of plastic.
     
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  24. sam_gordon

    sam_gordon Member+

    Feb 27, 2017
    Presumably the 9 year old (depending on birthday ) IS "where he belongs". U8 would be the proper age group. YOU have put your 6yo (is his natural place on U7 or U6?) "out of position".

    Now, if the other parents have faked a BC in order to put their child on a younger team, absolutely they should be kicked out.

    Think ahead to MS (going by grades around here). 6th graders can be playing against 8th graders. Some MS teams even have to pull up 5th graders to make numbers.

    In HS, a good freshman can be up against seniors. There's a four year difference for you right there. And just because they're playing V as a freshman doesn't mean they're comparable size wise (which I'm assuming is what you're seeing now).
     
  25. NewDadaCoach

    NewDadaCoach Member

    Tottenham Hotspur
    United States
    Sep 28, 2019
    #25 NewDadaCoach, Apr 5, 2021
    Last edited: Apr 5, 2021
    In no case should a 9 yr old be on a U8 team. Go to a U10 team. And frankly there are some 10 yr olds on U8 as well. The venue doesn't care.
    My kid would be too dominant on a U6 team. Sure if there was U7 that would be nice but there's not.
    He is right where he belongs. He fits in fine with 6/7/8 yr olds.

    The rule is - if a kid turns 8 during the season then he can be on U8. If he turns 9 during the season then he'd be on U10.

    1) there's generally a bigger gap between a 6 yr old and a 9/10 yr old than freshmen vs senior. That's literally half the time the 6 yr old has been alive.
    2) skill level is a factor. sure, a newbie 9 yr old maybe I could see playing against a 6 yr old who has played prior. But an experienced 9 yr old vs a "experienced" 6 yr old? gimme a break
    It's especially a big factor when you have goalies. You got a big ass 9 yr old taking up half the damn goal just by standing there.
     

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