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**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 04:27 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

my daughter plays left, right and center forward for her team. she sometimes starts, but
mostly she can sub left, right, and center in the game. she actually gets a lot of
play time since she can sub for all three positions in the same game.
she is equally strong in either foot and score goals at three positions. she is a top scorer
on the team, so it must be working pretty good.

however, i am concerned because the starters are mostly single position, like left or center.
they are sometimes switched around, but not even close to the frequency of my kid.
i am concerned that she is becoming too much of utility player and becoming too
diluted to be a starter, a jill-of-all-trades player.

coach wants try her out in an center mid position as a sub this winter/spring in addition to her forward positions. isn't 4 positions too much dilution? is the coach showing
confidence in her abilities to allow her to play so many different positions? or is she
just not good enough to start? is there a downside of being too versatile and not starting in one or two positions? she wants to do ecnl and she is on a top team.
thanks.

and, you left out her age... TROLL

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 06:31 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

and, you left out her age... TROLL

Yup. No age and she plays three positions - forward, forward, and forward
And lets not forget the ECNL plug. Why not DAP dad?

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 10:43 AM

You mentioned that she is "younger" and pre ecnl. Your coach is doing the rest of the team a major disservice by having them play set positions at a young age. Good, versatile players need to know how to attack and defend. Your daughter could play an entirely different position in high school and college. Start looking elsewhere.

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 02:22 PM

equally strong in either foot and score goals at three positions. she is a top scorer
on the team... and yet she doesn't start.... HMMMM!!!!

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 02:24 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

equally strong in either foot and score goals at three positions. she is a top scorer
on the team... and yet she doesn't start.... HMMMM!!!!

Referring to practice? Maybe kept stats in practice.

"She had 2 goals and 5 assists in 3v3 drills last night."

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 05:00 PM

with the cra-cra people on ts, can you blame me for being cautious about giving more info
than needed? ok, she is under u-14 and she has started about 25% of the time but usually
starts in the 2nd half. example, subs in at left/right/center in 1st half until end of half. starts as left/right/center in 2nd half. subbed out. gets subbed back in center/right/left until end of game. overall she gets alot of pt, but not contiguously. developmentally, this is great for her to experience this variety.

but i am concerned that the coach wants to throw in center mid into the mix. coach likes
to throw kids into deep end and swim or sink. variety is great, but worried about lack
of depth in the positions. trying to get feedback on upside or downside to this and
how affects development. yes, she is truly both footed.
thanks.

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 05:55 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

with the cra-cra people on ts, can you blame me for being cautious about giving more info
than needed? ok, she is under u-14 and she has started about 25% of the time but usually
starts in the 2nd half. example, subs in at left/right/center in 1st half until end of half. starts as left/right/center in 2nd half. subbed out. gets subbed back in center/right/left until end of game. overall she gets alot of pt, but not contiguously. developmentally, this is great for her to experience this variety.

but i am concerned that the coach wants to throw in center mid into the mix. coach likes
to throw kids into deep end and swim or sink. variety is great, but worried about lack
of depth in the positions. trying to get feedback on upside or downside to this and
how affects development. yes, she is truly both footed.
thanks.

This is exactly what the coach should be doing u-13 and under. Consider yourself lucky that your player is actually being well developed. If she can add CM to the mix, she'll be even better off, as that is a tough position to play well and requires loads of soccer IQ and quick thinking.

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

with the cra-cra people on ts, can you blame me for being cautious about giving more info
than needed? ok, she is under u-14 and she has started about 25% of the time but usually
starts in the 2nd half. example, subs in at left/right/center in 1st half until end of half. starts as left/right/center in 2nd half. subbed out. gets subbed back in center/right/left until end of game. overall she gets alot of pt, but not contiguously. developmentally, this is great for her to experience this variety.

but i am concerned that the coach wants to throw in center mid into the mix. coach likes
to throw kids into deep end and swim or sink. variety is great, but worried about lack
of depth in the positions. trying to get feedback on upside or downside to this and
how affects development. yes, she is truly both footed.
thanks.

Center Mid is the most important position on the field. Don't be scared of it. It's great that your child is playing multiple positions. Coaches love flexibility. My child went through the same (although did start), and always played multiple positions and frequently was moved around mid game to exploit the opposition or to stop the bleeding. It sounds like she is in the game at critical times.... it's not who starts, it's who finishes.

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 05:58 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Center Mid is the most important position on the field. Don't be scared of it. It's great that your child is playing multiple positions. Coaches love flexibility. My child went through the same (although did start), and always played multiple positions and frequently was moved around mid game to exploit the opposition or to stop the bleeding. It sounds like she is in the game at critical times.... it's not who starts, it's who finishes.

I would somewhat disagree that center mid is mot important, but I agree multi-position is great, it all changes when your player moves to high school and college. be prepared at all positions!

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 06:26 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I would somewhat disagree that center mid is mot important, but I agree multi-position is great, it all changes when your player moves to high school and college. be prepared at all positions!

^^^^ this. coaches often times are lazy and stick players in one spot because they know it will always work. they don't try to develop players, just win with what works. playing all over is great for development. once you hit the hs years players start to settle more, but a decent hs coach will love having a flexible player

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 10:01 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

variety is great, but worried about lack
of depth in the positions. trying to get feedback on upside or downside to this and
how affects development.

Also, don't think that just because she's not playing in a certain position that she's not still learning about that position while playing in another role. Example: You have a girl that only plays right forward. Just because she's spending more time in that position doesn't necessarily give her more depth there, as she's only getting the one viewpoint of her position on the field. Whereas your daughter, after she is does a few shifts playing center mid, will come back to right forward with a better sense of where she needs to be moving or runs that she can be making so that the center mid can get the ball to her more easily or can set up a better attack.

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 10:13 PM

My daughter was pigeonholed into playing defense her entire year at u9, despite conversations with the coach about it nothing change and needless to say we left. His reason was that he didn't have many options for defenders and at that age many kids only want to score and never stay in the defense position. My daughter is in middle school now and after playing all positions, she has settled in as a midfielder. Starting is not as important as everyone thinks.

**Unregistered** · 01-09-2017, 10:57 PM

In town and early club soccer my daughter mostly played midfield, not really wanting to defend much. Freshman year she joined a large club and they utilized her as an outside back, on either side of the field, and as a center back when another player was injured. This was a huge positive as she gained experience and confidence. The next few years she played for the same club, moved all over the field, depending where needed. In college, she was a holding midfielder as a freshman, and again moved all over the field over the next 4 years, playing every position except goalie. We encouraged her to not whine or question her coaches. Play where asked. On the field, anywhere, is better than waiting on the bench for a favored position. Versatility is a huge asset.

**Unregistered** · 01-10-2017, 09:05 AM

I was relieved recently when my U14's coach finally started putting him in different positions. He's great up top and actually used to play GK, but has not experience as a defender or in the mid. I didn't ask for it, but knowing that this coach has a reputation of developing players I took it as a good sign. I know it's good for his overall development, even if the new spots prove not to be his wheelhouse

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playing different positions at younger age

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