Purpose of Premier level Soccer

[Soccer Prof]

What is the goal and purpose of Premier level soccer? How is it different from Rec soccer and Comp rec soccer? Should there be minimum requirements for players to participate in Premier programs, or should clubs take anyone who is willing to pay its fees?

[Unregistered]

What is the goal and purpose of Premier level soccer? How is it different from Rec soccer and Comp rec soccer? Should there be minimum requirements for players to participate in Premier programs, or should clubs take anyone who is willing to pay its fees?

1.To play a higher level of competition
2. Better players (and hopefully coaches)
3. Yes, the minimum requirements are that you are better than rec players, and NO, clubs should not take anyone that is willing to play.
Are those the answers you were looking for, because I am the 10th person to read this and I think everyone else thought it was not worth answering, because the answer was so obvious.
I'm sure there are those that could elaborate, but that is it in a nutshell.

[MOFW]

1.To play a higher level of competition
2. Better players (and hopefully coaches)
3. Yes, the minimum requirements are that you are better than rec players, and NO, clubs should not take anyone that is willing to play.
Are those the answers you were looking for, because I am the 10th person to read this and I think everyone else thought it was not worth answering, because the answer was so obvious.
I'm sure there are those that could elaborate, but that is it in a nutshell.

undeniable

[Soccer Prof]

1.To play a higher level of competition
2. Better players (and hopefully coaches)
3. Yes, the minimum requirements are that you are better than rec players, and NO, clubs should not take anyone that is willing to play.
Are those the answers you were looking for, because I am the 10th person to read this and I think everyone else thought it was not worth answering, because the answer was so obvious.
I'm sure there are those that could elaborate, but that is it in a nutshell.

I appreciate your answer and am reminded of my doktorvater's dictum: There are such things as dumb questions, but you will not know how dumb they are until after you ask them.
I'm still trying to wade my way through club soccer so please indulge my obvious ignorance with some follow up questions:
1) If the goal is to play a higher level of competition, is this goal being accomplished? If so where?
2) Since you have agreed that there are minimum requirements for Premier players, what are they and how are they identified? If these requirements are not practiced by all clubs, what does this mean for the goal of "a higher level of competition"?

[Unregistered]

I appreciate your answer and am reminded of my doktorvater's dictum: There are such things as dumb questions, but you will not know how dumb it is until after you ask it.
I'm still trying to wade my way through club soccer so please indulge my obvious ignorance with some follow up questions:
1) If the goal is to play a higher level of competition, is this goal being accomplished? If so where?
2) Since you have agreed that there are minimum requirements for Premier players, what are they and how are they identified? If these requirements are not practiced by all clubs, what does this mean for the goal of "a higher level of competition"?

I am not a coach therefore I am not qualified to answer your question properly. It would seem that each club seems to have their own agenda on these matters, which is why there is no one club that has it all together, hence the difference in age groups and their success.

[Unregistered]

SF League for many age groups has enough teams to make three divsions. Premier, Div 1, and Div 2.

Let teams choose their division and where questions remain, have a preseason tournament to facilitate proper distribution of the teams.

[Soccer Prof]

I am not a coach therefore I am not qualified to answer your question properly. It would seem that each club seems to have their own agenda on these matters, which is why there is no one club that has it all together, hence the difference in age groups and their success.

Let me ask the question in a different way. Let's say that I stumble upon a soccer complex that is hosting a tournament and I have no knowledge of the clubs and teams represented other than this: the tournament was open to all teams regardless of alleged level so any one game could be played by two rec teams, 1 rec vs 1 Premier, 1 comp rec vs 1 premier, etc.

If I watched several games, how would I know if I were watching Premier teams, comp teams, or rec teams?

[Unregistered]

Let me ask the question in a different way. Let's say that I stumble upon a soccer complex that is hosting a tournament and I have no knowledge of the clubs and teams represented other than this: the tournament was open to all teams regardless of alleged level so any one game could be played by two rec teams, 1 rec vs 1 Premier, 1 comp rec vs 1 premier, etc.

If I watched several games, how would I know if I were watching Premier teams, comp teams, or rec teams?

Thats simple. Quality of soccer and scores of the games. Two premier teams could be nill to nill and two Rec teams could be nill to nill. The score says they are equally matched the quality of the passing, carry, holding, tackling, etc tells you what level the teams are at.

[Unregistered]

it's all about the money!!!!

[Dissident]

Let me ask the question in a different way. Let's say that I stumble upon a soccer complex that is hosting a tournament and I have no knowledge of the clubs and teams represented other than this: the tournament was open to all teams regardless of alleged level so any one game could be played by two rec teams, 1 rec vs 1 Premier, 1 comp rec vs 1 premier, etc.

If I watched several games, how would I know if I were watching Premier teams, comp teams, or rec teams?

Soccer is a very subjective sport.

You could watch several games and discuss them with different people and you would likely get very different responses from each. Some will go on and on about how brilliant a team played in a losing effort while others will tell you how awful another team played in a lopsided win.

Mainly I think premier level play comes down speed of play as a team. Usually when one team dominates the other it is because they were able to play at a speed that was uncomfortable for the other team.

When you watch professional teams you will notice that they move the ball incredibly fast and look like they have more players on the pitch than the other team.

[Unregistered]

Soccer is a very subjective sport.

You could watch several games and discuss them with different people and you would likely get very different responses from each. Some will go on and on about how brilliant a team played in a losing effort while others will tell you how awful another team played in a lopsided win.

Mainly I think premier level play comes down speed of play as a team. Usually when one team dominates the other it is because they were able to play at a speed that was uncomfortable for the other team.

When you watch professional teams you will notice that they move the ball incredibly fast and look like they have more players on the pitch than the other team.

I agree with this 100%. My daughter plays on a premier team (U-12) and the speed of play is the number one thing people notice when they are playing another premier level team. I would also add the ability to use controlled passes from the back field and not rely on "kick ball."

[Unregistered]

Soccer is a very subjective sport.

You could watch several games and discuss them with different people and you would likely get very different responses from each. Some will go on and on about how brilliant a team played in a losing effort while others will tell you how awful another team played in a lopsided win.

Mainly I think premier level play comes down speed of play as a team. Usually when one team dominates the other it is because they were able to play at a speed that was uncomfortable for the other team.

When you watch professional teams you will notice that they move the ball incredibly fast and look like they have more players on the pitch than the other team.

Good points but still I would add that it's not just speed of play. You must be able to see QUALITY for what it is. If the kids cannot perform individual acts properly it doesnt matter how fast they do it, they just aren't truly premier level. We've heard of some teams and players who are big and fast but limited in skills. At the end of the day, skills play an enormous role as do physical gifts of speed and quickness.

[Dissident]

Good points but still I would add that it's not just speed of play. You must be able to see QUALITY for what it is. If the kids cannot perform individual acts properly it doesnt matter how fast they do it, they just aren't truly premier level. We've heard of some teams and players who are big and fast but limited in skills. At the end of the day, skills play an enormous role as do physical gifts of speed and quickness.

Maybe I wasn't as clear as I could have been.

I was not talking merely about foot speed but rather speed of passing, reacting, moving, tackling, attacking, changing direction, shooting, organizing on defense, etc.

[Unregistered]

1.To play a higher level of competition
2. Better players (and hopefully coaches)
3. Yes, the minimum requirements are that you are better than rec players, and NO, clubs should not take anyone that is willing to play.
Are those the answers you were looking for, because I am the 10th person to read this and I think everyone else thought it was not worth answering, because the answer was so obvious.
I'm sure there are those that could elaborate, but that is it in a nutshell.

Yeah, obvious for those of us who have been around the block. However, there are people who are very new to this and really don't know. The beauty to Talking Soccer is that it doesn't matter what you know, it is place to find information to help you learn more.

...but then of course we all have to weed through all the abusive and misleading posts.

[Soccer Prof]

I hope that this is a fair summary of our conversation thus far:

Premier Level soccer = game played quickly at high work rate by players with technical/tactical sophistication (of course all categories relative to age level).

I think that this is helpful. So the goal of Premier soccer would be the attainment of the above. Of course, this assumes a team made up of quality players committed to the game and a coach who is able to motivate and teach the game (moral, technical and tactical aspects).

Have we missed anything?