Tophat begging to get out

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Sometimes I wonder if staying with the same teammates and coach is good for player development. I guess it probably depends, but I kind of feel like it's important for player development to hear from different coaches, play with different players, play in different formations and systems, etc.

Its very important to mix it up. Teams should have a new coach every 2 years or so. Players need to be able to adapt to change, not get too comfortable, especially if they want to play past high school. Some coaches also aren't up to the different challenges as kids get older, competition changes etc.

Playing with the same teammates is all well and good, but not if the coach or club lets unqualified players hang on while ignoring outside players that can make a team stronger. Cuts aren't the end of the world and in fact are a part of life.

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Its very important to mix it up. Teams should have a new coach every 2 years or so. Players need to be able to adapt to change, not get too comfortable, especially if they want to play past high school. Some coaches also aren't up to the different challenges as kids get older, competition changes etc.

Playing with the same teammates is all well and good, but not if the coach or club lets unqualified players hang on while ignoring outside players that can make a team stronger. Cuts aren't the end of the world and in fact are a part of life.

Isn't it important for players to also play with different teammates so they can adapt to change, not get too comfortable, etc?

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Isn't it important for players to also play with different teammates so they can adapt to change, not get too comfortable, etc?

Yes but less so than the coach. They definitely will have new teammates come and go in high school and college. Like I said teams shouldn't be kept together just because it's nice. If new players can make a team stronger bring them on. That also challenges existing members for PT, another huge battle for players in college

Another problem with teams getting too comfortable with the status quo is keeping everyone in the same positions all the time. It's important for player development to play all positions, even GK if only in practices. Changing things up makes for better players and a coach might find some hidden gems in the process. HS and especially college coaches like players who know the whole field and are willing to move to where they're needed. Telling a coach you'll only play one spot isn't good self promotion (GK excepted although field experience means you've probably got much better footskills than a GK that never plays the field).

Many coaches will not so the above however. They're too afraid of losing so they stick with what seems to be working - even if it's not working lol

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Yes but less so than the coach. They definitely will have new teammates come and go in high school and college. Like I said teams shouldn't be kept together just because it's nice. If new players can make a team stronger bring them on. That also challenges existing members for PT, another huge battle for players in college

Another problem with teams getting too comfortable with the status quo is keeping everyone in the same positions all the time. It's important for player development to play all positions, even GK if only in practices. Changing things up makes for better players and a coach might find some hidden gems in the process. HS and especially college coaches like players who know the whole field and are willing to move to where they're needed. Telling a coach you'll only play one spot isn't good self promotion (GK excepted although field experience means you've probably got much better footskills than a GK that never plays the field).

Many coaches will not so the above however. They're too afraid of losing so they stick with what seems to be working - even if it's not working lol

My D played for a township team U8-U10 where the DOC wanted every player to play every position at U8 and U9. She moved to one of the bigger "elite" clubs at U11 (when things moved to large-sided), and we were pretty surprised to see that the players there that had been there since U8 for the most part had been already locked into their positions since U8. D's understanding of formations and keeping shape was noticeably more advanced than any of the existing players there, even though maybe individually those players were very good at their individual positions. Was an eye-opener for me, and really reenforced my opinion that changing things up is important for development.

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My D played for a township team U8-U10 where the DOC wanted every player to play every position at U8 and U9. She moved to one of the bigger "elite" clubs at U11 (when things moved to large-sided), and we were pretty surprised to see that the players there that had been there since U8 for the most part had been already locked into their positions since U8. D's understanding of formations and keeping shape was noticeably more advanced than any of the existing players there, even though maybe individually those players were very good at their individual positions. Was an eye-opener for me, and really reenforced my opinion that changing things up is important for development.

Have seen players who were put into positions due to athletic ability and size at the u8-u12 ages only to either average out on speed and thin out, sprout or get thicker by u13-u14. Then get moved only to not understand how the position works. Good players can adapt to the new positions while poor ones sink.

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We are the shore!

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Have seen players who were put into positions due to athletic ability and size at the u8-u12 ages only to either average out on speed and thin out, sprout or get thicker by u13-u14. Then get moved only to not understand how the position works. Good players can adapt to the new positions while poor ones sink.

Parents can also hinder their kids development in this regard also. They either see getting moved as a failure or that it's a risk their player won't perform as well. Yeah, they probably won't perform well at first and that's ok. Its making them a stronger player in the long run. Coaches and parents get too fixated on the immediate term, wins, notbthe long term goal of crafting stronger players. If the coach wants to move your kid, do it. If your kid gets upset about it talk with them about why it's happening and how they can learn from it

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We are the shore!

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Have seen players who were put into positions due to athletic ability and size at the u8-u12 ages only to either average out on speed and thin out, sprout or get thicker by u13-u14. Then get moved only to not understand how the position works. Good players can adapt to the new positions while poor ones sink.

Kids who only play GK from an early age also limit themselves. Tomorrow a better GK can come along and take your spot. Then what? Or what if they love it at 9 but hate it at 13? Parents of GKs should find a team where their GK can play the field half the time, ideally through middle school. Not only is it good for their skills but it gives them more options.

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I am a DBag loser!

More like it Shore Man

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For anyone pretending to be a MF Shore parent on here, just stop. Everyone knows it's not us. We don't have to come on here and brag about our teams, the records speak for themselves. Its a shame your little princess couldn't make one of our teams. No reason to hate, just accept that shes not that good and move on.

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Have seen players who were put into positions due to athletic ability and size at the u8-u12 ages only to either average out on speed and thin out, sprout or get thicker by u13-u14. Then get moved only to not understand how the position works. Good players can adapt to the new positions while poor ones sink.

Saw the bad effects of this when D went to an ID clinic with one of her teammates. Teammate played defense for the majority of her club soccer with occasional spots at forward (she was very fast). At the clinic, there was an overabundance of D and F players, so they put her at midfield for much of the scrimmaging. She looked like a deer in headlights, very obvious that she had never really played midfield before, and eventually she just gave up and had to ask to switch to another position. It was pretty shocking, as we had always thought of her as a strong player.

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We are the shore!

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Kids who only play GK from an early age also limit themselves. Tomorrow a better GK can come along and take your spot. Then what? Or what if they love it at 9 but hate it at 13? Parents of GKs should find a team where their GK can play the field half the time, ideally through middle school. Not only is it good for their skills but it gives them more options.

Most of the ones I've seen who hate it at 13 end up playing basketball.

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most of the ones i've seen who hate it at 13 end up playing basketball.

we are the shore!