Coaching in Oregon

[Unregistered]

The blame here falls entirely on the players. The coaching is more than good enough. Players don't spend nearly enough time playing recreationally, training weaknesses on their own, or studying the game to expect to achieve what other countries are achieving. Our top club kids play 8 hours/week while theirs play 20-25hrs/wk. This happens for years as the kids grow up. The result is a massive training difference by the time they're ready to compete internationally.

The best coach on earth couldn't take players with that large a training disadvantage and do much better than we're doing already. It's a fundamental commitment problem, not a magic bullet training program problem. Kids don't inherently know this so it's up to the parents to provide the guidance on what it takes.

Yeah, coaches should just sit back and watch. It's all up to the player! You're an idiot.

It takes all: players who work hard, coaches who teach, and parents who support.

[Unregistered]

Yeah, coaches should just sit back and watch. It's all up to the player! You're an idiot.

It takes all: players who work hard, coaches who teach, and parents who support.

Yeah, recommending coaches sit back an watch was the message. Here's a less complicated version for you to more easily understand:

The coaching is good overall. Players aren't playing enough to compete with other kids who are playing 2-3x more every week. Parents can either empower their kids with advice and support through opportunities to play more or just get out of the way.

Blaming the coach or system is lazy and gets us nowhere as it creates young adults who blame everybody else for their own shortcomings.

[Unregistered]

Yeah, recommending coaches sit back an watch was the message. Here's a less complicated version for you to more easily understand:

The coaching is good overall. Players aren't playing enough to compete with other kids who are playing 2-3x more every week. Parents can either empower their kids with advice and support through opportunities to play more or just get out of the way.

Blaming the coach or system is lazy and gets us nowhere as it creates young adults who blame everybody else for their own shortcomings.

Dude, I get your point... your point is not that enlightening and you're really NOT that smart. Try taking your arrogant attitude to an even less intellectually challenging topic than youth sports. You'll likely find a better bit.

Others might be, but I am not, blaming only the coaches. I blame all three: players (who on average likely are not committed enough, as you say and I agree), coaches (generally the con man who sells a useless track record, keeps trying to win games rather than teach), and parents (for supporting the scam of youth soccer as a business). My point to you is simply that saying "coaching is good overall" is utterly laughable. Coaching today is NOT good overall.

[Unregistered]

Dude, I get your point... your point is not that enlightening and you're really NOT that smart. Try taking your arrogant attitude to an even less intellectually challenging topic than youth sports. You'll likely find a better bit.

Others might be, but I am not, blaming only the coaches. I blame all three: players (who on average likely are not committed enough, as you say and I agree), coaches (generally the con man who sells a useless track record, keeps trying to win games rather than teach), and parents (for supporting the scam of youth soccer as a business). My point to you is simply that saying "coaching is good overall" is utterly laughable. Coaching today is NOT good overall.

Who are you to judge? What are your qualifications? Do you know them all?
Im not the OP, but your reply here is definitely the one with the arrogant attitude.

[Unregistered]

Dude, I get your point... your point is not that enlightening and you're really NOT that smart. Try taking your arrogant attitude to an even less intellectually challenging topic than youth sports. You'll likely find a better bit.

Others might be, but I am not, blaming only the coaches. I blame all three: players (who on average likely are not committed enough, as you say and I agree), coaches (generally the con man who sells a useless track record, keeps trying to win games rather than teach), and parents (for supporting the scam of youth soccer as a business). My point to you is simply that saying "coaching is good overall" is utterly laughable. Coaching today is NOT good overall.

DUH....
you are in Oregon. Move to Washington and you’ll notice a difference

[Unregistered]

Good point but doesn’t give them bragging rights right now. also most of the families spending thousands on youth soccer are wealthy to begin with and can afford to pay for soccer and college and give extra help. In those cases, why not?

West Salem coach by far the worst

[Unregistered]

Who are you to judge? What are your qualifications? Do you know them all?
Im not the OP, but your reply here is definitely the one with the arrogant attitude.

Does the OP know them all?

[Unregistered]

DUH....
you are in Oregon. Move to Washington and you’ll notice a difference

doubtful

[Unregistered]

Who are you to judge? What are your qualifications? Do you know them all?
Im not the OP, but your reply here is definitely the one with the arrogant attitude.

She is pretty qualified. Her kids have played for a new club every year, so she knows.

[Unregistered]

Dude, I get your point... your point is not that enlightening and you're really NOT that smart. Try taking your arrogant attitude to an even less intellectually challenging topic than youth sports. You'll likely find a better bit.

Others might be, but I am not, blaming only the coaches. I blame all three: players (who on average likely are not committed enough, as you say and I agree), coaches (generally the con man who sells a useless track record, keeps trying to win games rather than teach), and parents (for supporting the scam of youth soccer as a business). My point to you is simply that saying "coaching is good overall" is utterly laughable. Coaching today is NOT good overall.

I don't think you're getting my point at all. Coaching is not the problem with our players competing at the international level...which was the original topic. At the highest levels of youth soccer, the coaching today is better overall than it has ever been with the help of a licensing system to standardize the message. Of course there will still be the self-proclaimed mavericks who care more about the trophy than the skills, but those guys are a dying breed in today's coaching circles.

The kids in other countries are playing a lot more than ours. That's my point. That's the part of the system that's broken and could be solved by kids organizing more time on their own to play and practice. It's the players who need to have the skills to implement even the most basic strategies at a high level. There's absolutely no value in searching for a coach with the magic system that eliminates the need for players be able to use their left foot or control the ball with their first touch or move correctly when they don't have the ball.

[Unregistered]

I don't think you're getting my point at all. Coaching is not the problem with our players competing at the international level...which was the original topic. At the highest levels of youth soccer, the coaching today is better overall than it has ever been with the help of a licensing system to standardize the message. Of course there will still be the self-proclaimed mavericks who care more about the trophy than the skills, but those guys are a dying breed in today's coaching circles.

The kids in other countries are playing a lot more than ours. That's my point. That's the part of the system that's broken and could be solved by kids organizing more time on their own to play and practice. It's the players who need to have the skills to implement even the most basic strategies at a high level. There's absolutely no value in searching for a coach with the magic system that eliminates the need for players be able to use their left foot or control the ball with their first touch or move correctly when they don't have the ball.

Licensing is a joke. A near trump university scam.

The odds are the higher the license the worse the coach.

Wake up

[Unregistered]

I don't think you're getting my point at all. Coaching is not the problem with our players competing at the international level...which was the original topic. At the highest levels of youth soccer, the coaching today is better overall than it has ever been with the help of a licensing system to standardize the message. Of course there will still be the self-proclaimed mavericks who care more about the trophy than the skills, but those guys are a dying breed in today's coaching circles.

The kids in other countries are playing a lot more than ours. That's my point. That's the part of the system that's broken and could be solved by kids organizing more time on their own to play and practice. It's the players who need to have the skills to implement even the most basic strategies at a high level. There's absolutely no value in searching for a coach with the magic system that eliminates the need for players be able to use their left foot or control the ball with their first touch or move correctly when they don't have the ball.

Actually, the point of the post you replied to wasn't referring to competing at an international level. It simply mentioned foreign coaches and their quality.

Allow me to put my point into a broader scheme, so you don't get your undies so wound up. It is all our fault. All of us.

My kids have had good coaches. One might have an exceptional coach today. Coaches put in their time and effort. The problem is the whole system. It's ALL our faults.

Getting my point yet?

[Unregistered]

I don't think you're getting my point at all. Coaching is not the problem with our players competing at the international level...which was the original topic. At the highest levels of youth soccer, the coaching today is better overall than it has ever been with the help of a licensing system to standardize the message. Of course there will still be the self-proclaimed mavericks who care more about the trophy than the skills, but those guys are a dying breed in today's coaching circles.

The kids in other countries are playing a lot more than ours. That's my point. That's the part of the system that's broken and could be solved by kids organizing more time on their own to play and practice. It's the players who need to have the skills to implement even the most basic strategies at a high level. There's absolutely no value in searching for a coach with the magic system that eliminates the need for players be able to use their left foot or control the ball with their first touch or move correctly when they don't have the ball.

I think the problem is standardizing to quickly on one sport. Practice 4 times a week, soccer specific trainers and pushy parents and all this by U11. The best athletes at some point might be turning away because they are getting benched and lose interest. Maybe we are pushing to hard and turning the best away?

[Unregistered]

Actually, the point of the post you replied to wasn't referring to competing at an international level. It simply mentioned foreign coaches and their quality.

Allow me to put my point into a broader scheme, so you don't get your undies so wound up. It is all our fault. All of us.

My kids have had good coaches. One might have an exceptional coach today. Coaches put in their time and effort. The problem is the whole system. It's ALL our faults.

Getting my point yet?

Frankly, no. You're doing everything you can to insulate the players from having to face the reality that players from other countries are working harder and achieving more...which was the point of the post I responded to originally. They're not getting markedly better advice from coaches. If they are, then there are certainly 100's of books/blogs/videos of those coaches communicating their philosophies and methods for our players to read and learn from.

The 'whole system' being bad isn't a legitimate criticism and certainly doesn't help solve the problem. However, having players who are fit, skilled, and know where to go when they don't have the ball will improve the game locally. All of this can be done without a coach at all.

[Unregistered]

Frankly, no. You're doing everything you can to insulate the players from having to face the reality that players from other countries are working harder and achieving more...which was the point of the post I responded to originally. They're not getting markedly better advice from coaches. If they are, then there are certainly 100's of books/blogs/videos of those coaches communicating their philosophies and methods for our players to read and learn from.

The 'whole system' being bad isn't a legitimate criticism and certainly doesn't help solve the problem. However, having players who are fit, skilled, and know where to go when they don't have the ball will improve the game locally. All of this can be done without a coach at all.

It's the whole culture, folks.

* Coaching quality is part of it, but probably the most important issue. I've known some good coaches and some bad ones. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to tell.

* Many parents can't tell the difference, especially if they don't know anything about worldwide soccer. Many parents also confuse "good coach" with "coach that starts/likes my kid".

* Even well-meaning coaches and parents can conspire to stagnate development. Coaches who skip technique and move straight to tactics (in the hope that organization will overcome a lack of skill or athletic ability) are a problem. Parents who assume the coach is playing to win and get angry when his "tactics" obviously backfire (i.e. continuing to play out of the back when the other team knows what is coming and presses high, or getting mad when a teammate is moved to an unfamiliar position and makes mistakes)

* Yes, many kids don't work on their games outside of organized practice. They don't play pickup soccer. They don't go to the park with a ball and practice shooting, or dribbling, or working off a wall.

* The perverse incentives of pay-to-play; and coaches who feel they HAVE to put winning or development lest their kids leave.

* A lack of objective evaluation standards--or at least subjective ones that are written down and communicated. While there is a lot of art to soccer, many things can be measured and tracked for improvement. Unfortunately, the only metric that really gets tracked well is win/loss %, and this is a zero sum metric.