What makes a player stand out (by position)?

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Keep chasing down those pesky posters that believe GPS is substandard. You're doing a great job!

I know the site is filth at times, but those with an agenda just popping it in wherever is more of an unhealthy obsession

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I know the site is filth at times, but those with an agenda just popping it in wherever is more of an unhealthy obsession

But GPS will take anyone. The OP needs to know this. They can always play there.

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But GPS will take anyone. The OP needs to know this. They can always play there.

A) No, that's not the case as I know kids who have been cut
B) It's unrelated to the question, so the OP doesn't need to know that.
Extra Credit) Get a life

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But GPS will take anyone. The OP needs to know this. They can always play there.

Any club that has open spots will take anyone. Period.

And I have heard of players not making the lowest GPS regional team.

It's all a numbers game.

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As observers of the game we all have opinions on what a standout player looks like. What attributes do you consider a stand out by position? Esp. High school aged female players.

Work rate, any college coach recruiting a HS aged player will believe that can develop other areas of their game. But instilling and underlying work ethic, determination and resilience is one of the hardest things to do.

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Work rate, any college coach recruiting a HS aged player will believe that can develop other areas of their game. But instilling and underlying work ethic, determination and resilience is one of the hardest things to do.

Work Ethic is certainly something to look for, but if you do not have the skill, ball control, vision, the kid is not going anywhere.

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Coaches don't have time for projects.

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Work Ethic is certainly something to look for, but if you do not have the skill, ball control, vision, the kid is not going anywhere.

While true...there is always a home for a kid who works hard and is improving. There isn't always a home for a lazy, skillful kid.

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Forwards, I need to see situational awareness, when to pass, when to shoot, when to dribble. The ability to excel at passing, shooting and dribbling is needed. Right up there would be the first touch. Now I've just described many top forwards so what separates the best from the good? Communication, constantly moving to space and anticipation of where the ball will be. I just narrowed it down so what's next? I look for aggressive/Nasty players, no issues with giving up a foul on a defender until you get that first yellow. All things being equal I want the ultra-aggressive/nasty player. Just my opinion.

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Forwards, I need to see situational awareness, when to pass, when to shoot, when to dribble. The ability to excel at passing, shooting and dribbling is needed. Right up there would be the first touch. Now I've just described many top forwards so what separates the best from the good? Communication, constantly moving to space and anticipation of where the ball will be. I just narrowed it down so what's next? I look for aggressive/Nasty players, no issues with giving up a foul on a defender until you get that first yellow. All things being equal I want the ultra-aggressive/nasty player. Just my opinion.

Defenders HATE aggressive forwards. HATE them. Not used to being treated as some treat others, and it gets them off their game.

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While true...there is always a home for a kid who works hard and is improving. There isn't always a home for a lazy, skillful kid.

Lazy, but skillful gets found out sooner or later and passed up. What gets me are all the lazy coaches who would rather take pure athleticism over skill and vision. I've seen it time and again and it rarely works out unless the more athletic kid has the desire and work ethic to work their skills, especially on their own outside of practice.

It's almost like they didn't see Michael Bradley score a goal against Mexico from 40 yards out because he was able to pick his head up and see the keeper well off his line amd had the skill to put the ball in the net over the keeper's head. Bradley is not fast, but he has vision and skill. Too bad most club coaches (not all, but most) don't understand this simple concept and prefer to have kids who fly around the field very fast with little thought to why? The ball moves faster than the player, but that would require coaches to understand and teach movement off the ball.

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Lazy, but skillful gets found out sooner or later and passed up. What gets me are all the lazy coaches who would rather take pure athleticism over skill and vision. I've seen it time and again and it rarely works out unless the more athletic kid has the desire and work ethic to work their skills, especially on their own outside of practice.

It's almost like they didn't see Michael Bradley score a goal against Mexico from 40 yards out because he was able to pick his head up and see the keeper well off his line amd had the skill to put the ball in the net over the keeper's head. Bradley is not fast, but he has vision and skill. Too bad most club coaches (not all, but most) don't understand this simple concept and prefer to have kids who fly around the field very fast with little thought to why? The ball moves faster than the player, but that would require coaches to understand and teach movement off the ball.

There's a difference between working hard and working smart. The kid who flails his arms and goes a hundred miles an hour while dribbling into the corner, and eventually out of touch...we have half a team of them.

Sideline gets all excited with "go mia go mia go mia" and a few of us just cringe. Like watching a car skid flying toward a patch of ice. You know what's going to happen, you want to help, but know there's no chance.....

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Midfielders- High work rate (get back and help on defense, identify and perform the correct runs off the ball), able to see and deliver the killer through ball but smart enough to take the easy pass, "not every pass wins the game". So intelligence and composure. First touch (of course). What separates the top from the really good? Communication, intelligence and the ability to move all game providing passing options for teamates, switching with players who are making runs anticipating where the ball will be. I think central mid is the most difficult position on the field.

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Defenders - Speed, the ability to contain the forward with goalside D, strong tackling, intelligence on when to challenge, communication. At later ages, the ability to win the high balls. Ideally I'd want a fast, physical, intelligent defender with some size. I'd like some aggressiveness but tempered with intelligence, no fouls around the 18 but out at midfield? OK to send a message to the forwards. What separates the best from the good? Know when to challenge and when to contain speed (of course) and intelligent distribution out of the back. Outside D, would need to see overlaps (along with the aforementioned traits).

[Unregistered]

There's a difference between working hard and working smart. The kid who flails his arms and goes a hundred miles an hour while dribbling into the corner, and eventually out of touch...we have half a team of them.

Sideline gets all excited with "go mia go mia go mia" and a few of us just cringe. Like watching a car skid flying toward a patch of ice. You know what's going to happen, you want to help, but know there's no chance.....

This is a GREAT point. There are 4 pillars (physical, mental, technical, and tactical) in the game and being great in one can easily be nullified by lacking any of one or more of the others.