Wow. FSA is bad

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FSA always picks up a few kids from Miss Porters and Taft. They’ll improve.

No one from Porters is going to FSA now that Avi is gone

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Another smart move from FSA. Avi was a huge draw for them

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Another smart move from FSA. Avi was a huge draw for them

laughable

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Still shocked how bad FSA younger teams are. They used to be middle of the pack in ecnl. Then they fall off. Now they are bottom of the table and still will fall lower.

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Still shocked how bad FSA younger teams are. They used to be middle of the pack in ecnl. Then they fall off. Now they are bottom of the table and still will fall lower.

Most non-CT teams are probably practicing more effectively - it’s not just FSA. I never considered how much this could mean until I took a US Soccer coaching course last year. The curriculum is patterned more after what AJAX has been doing for decades in how they introduce young players to the game. Instead of over focusing on footwork/skill moves for years - literally years like most premier U-little programs do. The system focuses on team tactics, game situations, and offers an entry point into the creative side of the game that most of us love.

Let’s face it. Beating someone 1 v 1 in the open field starts to really drop with each year you move up. But the focus of training and evaluation U9 and under is on this. Yet I personally feel now after taking this and using it with my team like an incredible amount of time is generally wasted on individual drills between U4 to U9 and you lose athlete interest in the game and really do not produce a team player capable of navigating a large field with 5 other teammates. I remember literally having to walk my 6 year old through where to be on the field at different times ahead of games because the coaching curriculum was teaching stopovers and not more fundamental elements like running into space, playing out of the back, fwd/def positional play, or the basics of playing defense.

Until this approach shifts the youth of FSA and other clubs will not rise. The stepover works for like a year until kids just watch for ball movement. Yet the passion for this move makes me question the club - yet at the lower levels there isn’t much of an alternative. I am not surprised that the quality has dropped because I wouldn’t know when they would finally get around to teaching off-ball runs, field vision, etc. My kid will be good, but only because of his interest in learning and my experience/awareness of the game. His teammates however are another story.

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Most non-CT teams are probably practicing more effectively - it’s not just FSA. I never considered how much this could mean until I took a US Soccer coaching course last year. The curriculum is patterned more after what AJAX has been doing for decades in how they introduce young players to the game. Instead of over focusing on footwork/skill moves for years - literally years like most premier U-little programs do. The system focuses on team tactics, game situations, and offers an entry point into the creative side of the game that most of us love.

Let’s face it. Beating someone 1 v 1 in the open field starts to really drop with each year you move up. But the focus of training and evaluation U9 and under is on this. Yet I personally feel now after taking this and using it with my team like an incredible amount of time is generally wasted on individual drills between U4 to U9 and you lose athlete interest in the game and really do not produce a team player capable of navigating a large field with 5 other teammates. I remember literally having to walk my 6 year old through where to be on the field at different times ahead of games because the coaching curriculum was teaching stopovers and not more fundamental elements like running into space, playing out of the back, fwd/def positional play, or the basics of playing defense.

Until this approach shifts the youth of FSA and other clubs will not rise. The stepover works for like a year until kids just watch for ball movement. Yet the passion for this move makes me question the club - yet at the lower levels there isn’t much of an alternative. I am not surprised that the quality has dropped because I wouldn’t know when they would finally get around to teaching off-ball runs, field vision, etc. My kid will be good, but only because of his interest in learning and my experience/awareness of the game. His teammates however are another story.

This here is exactly why ALL FSA girls' teams will always be near the bottom of the ECNL standings. After having multiple girls go through the FSA program, I can say this with certainty. They have the athletes...that's not the problem. The coaches don't teach them how to play the game as a team, just as an individual, which as the OP stated, doesn't work at the older ages. And this is why as the teams age, they continue to fall in the standings. There are FSA coaches here and there who understand what needs to be done, but since most before them didn't teach tactics and team play, there is too large of a hurdle to overcome in the 2 years an FSA coach is given to make a difference. I blame it on the DOC who has very little interaction with any of these teams. He never watches practices...but only games one in a while. So he has no idea what is being taught, nor does it appear like he cares.

At the younger ages, the girls who constantly attack with the ball are praised and rewarded. These same girls hold onto the ball too long, attack into multiple defenders, lose the ball and then aggressively try and win it back. Those are the ones who get the most play time. The other girls are told to play like that too. Those that pass "too much" are thought of as too timid to attack and not worthy of play time.

I personally encourage anyone with girls at younger ages to find a coach who is committed to teaching them the game of soccer, regardless of what club he/she is at. Someone who will stay with the team for more than two years. If you can find that coach, stay with him/her until HS age when you can determine at that point if your child is committed and skilled enough to play ECNL. And at that point, make the decision to move.

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This here is exactly why ALL FSA girls' teams will always be near the bottom of the ECNL standings. After having multiple girls go through the FSA program, I can say this with certainty. They have the athletes...that's not the problem. The coaches don't teach them how to play the game as a team, just as an individual, which as the OP stated, doesn't work at the older ages. And this is why as the teams age, they continue to fall in the standings. There are FSA coaches here and there who understand what needs to be done, but since most before them didn't teach tactics and team play, there is too large of a hurdle to overcome in the 2 years an FSA coach is given to make a difference. I blame it on the DOC who has very little interaction with any of these teams. He never watches practices...but only games one in a while. So he has no idea what is being taught, nor does it appear like he cares.

At the younger ages, the girls who constantly attack with the ball are praised and rewarded. These same girls hold onto the ball too long, attack into multiple defenders, lose the ball and then aggressively try and win it back. Those are the ones who get the most play time. The other girls are told to play like that too. Those that pass "too much" are thought of as too timid to attack and not worthy of play time.

I personally encourage anyone with girls at younger ages to find a coach who is committed to teaching them the game of soccer, regardless of what club he/she is at. Someone who will stay with the team for more than two years. If you can find that coach, stay with him/her until HS age when you can determine at that point if your child is committed and skilled enough to play ECNL. And at that point, make the decision to move.

This is completely ass backwards. Tactics should not be taught at younger ages. Tactics at younger ages creates robots with no instincts and squelches creativity. The main focus should be technical development and most importantly playing freely in varying field sizes to allow a development of creativity. The better players learn tactics by watching professionals play, it does not need to be taught early. There is not one top professional player in the world that you can point to that was taught tactics first as a priority in their youth ages. They were recognized first for their skill and creativity then taught tactics secondarily.

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This is completely ass backwards. Tactics should not be taught at younger ages. Tactics at younger ages creates robots with no instincts and squelches creativity. The main focus should be technical development and most importantly playing freely in varying field sizes to allow a development of creativity. The better players learn tactics by watching professionals play, it does not need to be taught early. There is not one top professional player in the world that you can point to that was taught tactics first as a priority in their youth ages. They were recognized first for their skill and creativity then taught tactics secondarily.

Agreed individual footskill should be taught first and early. Problem is FSA never teaches tactics.

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This is completely ass backwards. Tactics should not be taught at younger ages. Tactics at younger ages creates robots with no instincts and squelches creativity. The main focus should be technical development and most importantly playing freely in varying field sizes to allow a development of creativity. The better players learn tactics by watching professionals play, it does not need to be taught early. There is not one top professional player in the world that you can point to that was taught tactics first as a priority in their youth ages. They were recognized first for their skill and creativity then taught tactics secondarily.

Correct, and the most important aspect of a top player is a complete mastery of basic skills as a foundation. The last group of people that I would look to for “ curriculum” and guidance regarding the youth player are Organizations who have been the enablers of the near destruction of the sport.

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Most non-CT teams are probably practicing more effectively - it’s not just FSA. I never considered how much this could mean until I took a US Soccer coaching course last year. The curriculum is patterned more after what AJAX has been doing for decades in how they introduce young players to the game. Instead of over focusing on footwork/skill moves for years - literally years like most premier U-little programs do. The system focuses on team tactics, game situations, and offers an entry point into the creative side of the game that most of us love.

Let’s face it. Beating someone 1 v 1 in the open field starts to really drop with each year you move up. But the focus of training and evaluation U9 and under is on this. Yet I personally feel now after taking this and using it with my team like an incredible amount of time is generally wasted on individual drills between U4 to U9 and you lose athlete interest in the game and really do not produce a team player capable of navigating a large field with 5 other teammates. I remember literally having to walk my 6 year old through where to be on the field at different times ahead of games because the coaching curriculum was teaching stopovers and not more fundamental elements like running into space, playing out of the back, fwd/def positional play, or the basics of playing defense.

Until this approach shifts the youth of FSA and other clubs will not rise. The stepover works for like a year until kids just watch for ball movement. Yet the passion for this move makes me question the club - yet at the lower levels there isn’t much of an alternative. I am not surprised that the quality has dropped because I wouldn’t know when they would finally get around to teaching off-ball runs, field vision, etc. My kid will be good, but only because of his interest in learning and my experience/awareness of the game. His teammates however are another story.

exactly. find a coach that can teach the nuances of the game and early in their development. Can't skill build only at practice. Can't bog practice down with involving the bigger game. Movement on and off ball. Find a coach that can help your kids see the bigger game and the earlier the better

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FSA lost all of their good coaches. Does anyone know why? From what I hear, the owners and DOC are very difficult people to work with.

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FSA lost all of their good coaches. Does anyone know why? From what I hear, the owners and DOC are very difficult people to work with.

Jumping off the Titanic before it cracks in half and sinks. Just a guess.

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Jumping off the Titanic before it cracks in half and sinks. Just a guess.

People need to relax. It's not about soccer, it's about paying the bills. Every club is doing the same

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Agreed individual footskill should be taught first and early. Problem is FSA never teaches tactics.

Or technical. They rely on speed size and strength to win games at younger ages. The kids are not technical nor do they even attempt team play. The game passes them by at u14 and u15 and no one comes to replace these players. By these ages many opponents also have players that are as fast, big, and athletic.

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Or technical. They rely on speed size and strength to win games at younger ages. The kids are not technical nor do they even attempt team play. The game passes them by at u14 and u15 and no one comes to replace these players. By these ages many opponents also have players that are as fast, big, and athletic.

FSA has to focus on wins at an early age to attract players - most parents base their choice of club based on results. Clubs know this and they choose the big, fast kids as a result.
This is not a long term strategy to develop players, and it is just pandering to parents/customers that pay the bills.

FSA has no reason to focus on player development as it is not in their strategic interest to do so.