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What age is a stud identified?

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    What age is a stud identified?

    My D has basically been written off at her club and placed on the lower team with very weak players. She is obviously the top player on this team but the majority of the players are very weak making it difficult or impossible to execute any sort of plays. There are a lot of politics driving decisions on player placements at the club. Do you know who your studs will be by age 11? Does she not have a chance? She works hard. How can my D at age 11 possibly grow when she is on a team with players who are well below her skill level? I see it as her being at a disadvantage and she is becoming more frustrated as the days go on. They don't win any games and there have been little goals scored. The coach is nice but of coarse the better coach is with the top team. Some advice would be appreciated.

    #2
    A stud in terms of longevity and those that will be good college players and beyond won't get identified until right around U14/15 for girls and U15/16 for boys. Those studs at U9-U11 are often middle tier players by U12.

    If she is good and way above the team she's playing on, look for a really good coach at another club. Don't worry about ECNL, DA, etc until U13 and up.

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      #3
      All are identified at U12 by U12 parents.

      This is a rule in CT.

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        #4
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        My D has basically been written off at her club and placed on the lower team with very weak players. She is obviously the top player on this team but the majority of the players are very weak making it difficult or impossible to execute any sort of plays. There are a lot of politics driving decisions on player placements at the club. Do you know who your studs will be by age 11? Does she not have a chance? She works hard. How can my D at age 11 possibly grow when she is on a team with players who are well below her skill level? I see it as her being at a disadvantage and she is becoming more frustrated as the days go on. They don't win any games and there have been little goals scored. The coach is nice but of coarse the better coach is with the top team. Some advice would be appreciated.
        if you're not happy then shop around, there's plenty of clubs in this state.

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          #5
          Your daughter should work hard, the less talented tram won't hurt her. It will allow her to increase her confidence and shine. Talent always rises to the top.

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            #6
            Also, the best predictor of "studdom" is not innate talent, but drive.

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              #7
              Obvious solution is to move. As said there's plenty of clubs out there. Usually it's tough to move back up once a club has written a player off the A team. Now they might have done that to help out the B team. Some clubs do that and if that's the case then run. It means they care more about sustaining teams than about individual development.

              However, it's more important to take an honest assessment of the situation - even if you don't like the answers. Was she a consistent starter on the A team? Did she play most of every game? Clubs don't move down A team starters; they move the minimal minute kids. Just because she shines on the B team doesn't mean she's an A team player.

              Whatever the case get her to some practices at other clubs during the winter so she can be at a better place for the spring. You'll get a better sense of where she fits in skill wise and you'll probably find better coaching and better fit for her. A smaller club may be a better bet as they're more likely to work with the players they have vs shuffle them around to suit their own needs.

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                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                Also, the best predictor of "studdom" is not innate talent, but drive.
                Not always. A degree of studdom involves genetics.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Not always. A degree of studdom involves genetics.
                  I did not say the ONLY thing needed was drive, but of all the factors in a top player it was the best predictor of how far they would go.

                  I have seen truly gifted players who could be superstars not get very far because they didn't try hard. An ECNL coach once told me he could pick out the kids who would play in college. It was not the ones with the most talent, it was those with the most drive.

                  OP, your kid will have setbacks, and how she and you handle them will determine if good comes from it, or not.

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                    #10
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    I did not say the ONLY thing needed was drive, but of all the factors in a top player it was the best predictor of how far they would go.

                    I have seen truly gifted players who could be superstars not get very far because they didn't try hard. An ECNL coach once told me he could pick out the kids who would play in college. It was not the ones with the most talent, it was those with the most drive.

                    OP, your kid will have setbacks, and how she and you handle them will determine if good comes from it, or not.
                    post op - totally agree. Without the drive the skill doesn't matter. But drive can't always compensate for lack of skill.

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                      #11
                      your post is exactly the problem with soccer in the USA. Its not in our DNA. We rely on others to define how good our kids are/can be becasue we have no innate feel for it.

                      The "solution" proposed by many is to go elsewhere and pay $$ to find out. Some talk about drive as being whats needed.

                      First question I would ask you is what is a stud to you? Its different things to different people. To me, its a player who can dominate at the highest levels of competition - Youth (Club and if applicable HS) and College.

                      Basis my definition, its pretty easy to identify kids who have that potential, but achieving it is clearly not so easy as it relies on several factors.

                      Are there kids who improve over time and get to a high level? sure. Are there many doing it on drive ? no. Talent is required. Its a misconception born of ignorance about the sport and the relatively low level that we think you can be a stud with limited talent and drive. No one would make the same comment is we were talking basketball or another US staple sport.

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                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Your daughter should work hard, the less talented tram won't hurt her. It will allow her to increase her confidence and shine. Talent always rises to the top.
                        I agree with this 100% but only for about 1 year. And be objective. There is likely something she is doing (or not) that makes the coach see her as a bottom of the A team (or B team) player. My youngest is in the exact same boat and her good plays are totally overlooked while her mistakes are always seen (it seems the opposite for the players our coach views as A players ..... More so for the top 5 kids or so there). It kind of sucks because it affects her confidence and her intensity for much of the game. We realise this and are tryung to get her to play much more carefree but the other right now, she seems overly concerned with playing not to make a mistake. We will definitely get something out of this year but not exactly what we thought. Playing harder all game is now the thing she needs to fix and not worrying about the mistakes. She makes better decisions than almost all ofbher teammates but right now coaches often reward size, speed and aggressiveness. I am not worried but we will look for a better fit for her for next year than her B team at one of the Big 3. Even the smaller clubs can offer a more competitive and better experience than what she is getting now day in and day out.I think my daughter will get there in anohtwr year or two (but may not) ..... But she is out of time at her current club. She is ahead of her older siblings no(and most of her peers) technically and soccer smarts-wise at the same age but they were all later bloomers in the areas of aggressiveness and confidence. Give her time and shop around a little bit but don't let her off the hook and make her feel helpless. There has to be something she can work on and fix (or two) to move up the ladder. If there isn't the coaches are right.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Also, the best predictor of "studdom" is not innate talent, but drive.
                          Words of wisdom, Lloyd. Words...of...wisdom.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            I agree with this 100% but only for about 1 year. And be objective. There is likely something she is doing (or not) that makes the coach see her as a bottom of the A team (or B team) player. My youngest is in the exact same boat and her good plays are totally overlooked while her mistakes are always seen (it seems the opposite for the players our coach views as A players ..... More so for the top 5 kids or so there). It kind of sucks because it affects her confidence and her intensity for much of the game. We realise this and are tryung to get her to play much more carefree but the other right now, she seems overly concerned with playing not to make a mistake. We will definitely get something out of this year but not exactly what we thought. Playing harder all game is now the thing she needs to fix and not worrying about the mistakes. She makes better decisions than almost all ofbher teammates but right now coaches often reward size, speed and aggressiveness. I am not worried but we will look for a better fit for her for next year than her B team at one of the Big 3. Even the smaller clubs can offer a more competitive and better experience than what she is getting now day in and day out.I think my daughter will get there in anohtwr year or two (but may not) ..... But she is out of time at her current club. She is ahead of her older siblings no(and most of her peers) technically and soccer smarts-wise at the same age but they were all later bloomers in the areas of aggressiveness and confidence. Give her time and shop around a little bit but don't let her off the hook and make her feel helpless. There has to be something she can work on and fix (or two) to move up the ladder. If there isn't the coaches are right.
                            there is so much wrong with this PoV, but in summary lets just say that to define a kids ability in the context of a TEAM at this age is not ideal. the US rush to push kids into competitive soccer and judge them on the basis of who makes winning NOW easier is a huge mistake IF the context is to develop studs.

                            Its also interesting that you have not responded to my request to define a stud. If its being eh best player on a local team then ignore me. I assume stud is a term that applies to the best of the best.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              there is so much wrong with this PoV, but in summary lets just say that to define a kids ability in the context of a TEAM at this age is not ideal. the US rush to push kids into competitive soccer and judge them on the basis of who makes winning NOW easier is a huge mistake IF the context is to develop studs.

                              Its also interesting that you have not responded to my request to define a stud. If its being eh best player on a local team then ignore me. I assume stud is a term that applies to the best of the best.
                              For me a study at any age, is a player that is one of the top 2 players in the field at every practice and every game (and it is that noticeable). The things that make them noticeable are their technical abilities, their athleticism (speed and quickness), and their soccer smarts (not just one or two of these tools but all 3) It is a n awesome individual player that makes everyone around them better players. The player can beat you as an individual and in a team game and often does in both manners. They always keep you off balance in this way. They are often noticeable becase they are always around the ball (offensively and defensively).

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