BS is BS

[Unregistered]

Funny, I heard he said the same thing about you.

Seriously, how about explaining your gripe, you obviously have one. Let's hear it.

I don't like how he leers at women and I'm a woman. It's very creepy.

[Unregistered]

I don't like how he leers at women and I'm a woman. It's very creepy.

I'm sure that the lower Fairfield county BS moms will not enjoy that much either.

[Unregistered]

I don't like how he leers at women and I'm a woman. It's very creepy.

He's Greek that's just the way they look at everyone. Don't take it personally.

[Unregistered]

Not sure you have accurate info. Even the weaker kids on 07/08 were top players in their towns.

Nevertheless, I think the team a u8/9 played on before BS says nothing. Our town had hundreds of little kids at travel tryouts and while they generally picked better players for the top teams, they definitely missed some of the stronger players and placed them on lower teams. Selecting 8 year olds for travel (or premier) based on some drills and a scrimmage is not an exact science.

I remember when our oldest was 9, we were moving so we had him try out in 2 towns because we weren't sure where we would end up. In 1 town with a VERY strong travel program, he made the A team. The town next door with a so-so program put him on the a C team (he ended up on the B team because not enough kids accepted their slots). I realized that when he was around strong players, he played well and had a good tryout. When he was around weak players, he "played down" and did not look good.

How a 8/9 year old looks at tryout is not as important as how they behave in practice, how they take direction, how quickly they learn, and how hard they are prepared to work. With multiple kids in premier, i've seen too many "stars" make the team and get passed by their teammates after a year or two. Meanwhile, a couple of the strongest players I've seen looked like fish out water when they first joined the premier teams.

Long story short... you never know anything until kids are at least 12.

I agree with you on 99.9 It's very hard to evaluate at U9 especially with new players coming in. You feel the weaker kids on BS 2007 were top players on their town? Have you seen them play?

[Unregistered]

He's Greek that's just the way they look at everyone. Don't take it personally.

Try to keep up jackhole, they're not talking about MK, but rather the the new DOC who is Syrian. Perhaps it's just a Syrian thing too?

[Unregistered]

I agree with you on 99.9 It's very hard to evaluate at U9 especially with new players coming in. You feel the weaker kids on BS 2007 were top players on their town? Have you seen them play?

Actually I have seen them play a few times. Is there a big separation between the top kids on the team and the weaker kids? You bet. A couple of the top kids are something very special (i'm pretty sure 2 of them are actually 08). The weaker kids are definitely noticeable but I didn't see anyone who didn't belong on a good premier team. In my opinion, the weaker kids had less ball mastery... which is something that comes with practice and repetition. The 2 weakest kids I observed made good decisions, read the game well, made (attempted) good passes, and defended well. They just need to dribble less (or better) and pass sooner/more decisively. Having had multiple kids start with travel, I can't recall a travel team where any of these "weak players" wouldn't be a top player.

[Unregistered]

How do you know affiliation is over was this formally announced or just pulling at straws.

Yes it's over and has been discussed. NYCFC doing its own thing

[Unregistered]

Try to keep up jackhole, they're not talking about MK, but rather the the new DOC who is Syrian. Perhaps it's just a Syrian thing too?

Syrian, Greek it's all the same. Thanks for clarifying azzhat.

[Unregistered]

Syrian, Greek it's all the same. Thanks for clarifying azzhat.

Yeah, I guess it's probably the same in your world moron.

[Unregistered]

Actually I have seen them play a few times. Is there a big separation between the top kids on the team and the weaker kids? You bet. A couple of the top kids are something very special (i'm pretty sure 2 of them are actually 08). The weaker kids are definitely noticeable but I didn't see anyone who didn't belong on a good premier team. In my opinion, the weaker kids had less ball mastery... which is something that comes with practice and repetition. The 2 weakest kids I observed made good decisions, read the game well, made (attempted) good passes, and defended well. They just need to dribble less (or better) and pass sooner/more decisively. Having had multiple kids start with travel, I can't recall a travel team where any of these "weak players" wouldn't be a top player.

Its not the players. Its the coaching. I'm not talking about A or J - who are solid coaches. I'm talking about the BS philosophy. They do ZERO technical training. Other than some juggling at start of practice, it's ZERO. At this age the good teams all focus on simple ball skills. My nephew does Redbulls RDS and the team does at least an hour of ball skill drills at EVERY practice. A college buddy has a kid on WorldClass (the team that crushed BS in the fall and spring) and he said at the start of each season they ONLY do ball mastery drills for the first few weeks. They also assign "homework" telling each kid what he needs to do at home and sending links to videos with drills to do at home.

MK forces a program on all the coaches & teams. If you watch the 07/08 practice and the 06 practice, they literally do the exact same drills on the same schedule. They even take water breaks at the same time. A great program runs practices tailored to the strengths/weaknesses of the players. A great program observes what happens in a game and then does practices the following week to address things that broke down in a game. I bet you $1M that if you go back last year or even several years ago and see what drills the teams were doing this week in the season, it will probably be the exact same drills they are doing this year. MK has made the "Beachside Way" a cult. At the older ages WITHOUT A DOUBT you need to develop a team style of play and organize the players around a common way of playing. At U-littles it should be about each kid and working to make them better players. So rather than working harder with some kids who aren't yet stars, it's easier to just recruit fresh kids.

[Unregistered]

He's Greek that's just the way they look at everyone. Don't take it personally.

My liberal side is offended, but that was just is so offensively funny.

[Unregistered]

Its not the players. Its the coaching. I'm not talking about A or J - who are solid coaches. I'm talking about the BS philosophy. They do ZERO technical training. Other than some juggling at start of practice, it's ZERO. At this age the good teams all focus on simple ball skills. My nephew does Redbulls RDS and the team does at least an hour of ball skill drills at EVERY practice. A college buddy has a kid on WorldClass (the team that crushed BS in the fall and spring) and he said at the start of each season they ONLY do ball mastery drills for the first few weeks. They also assign "homework" telling each kid what he needs to do at home and sending links to videos with drills to do at home.

MK forces a program on all the coaches & teams. If you watch the 07/08 practice and the 06 practice, they literally do the exact same drills on the same schedule. They even take water breaks at the same time. A great program runs practices tailored to the strengths/weaknesses of the players. A great program observes what happens in a game and then does practices the following week to address things that broke down in a game. I bet you $1M that if you go back last year or even several years ago and see what drills the teams were doing this week in the season, it will probably be the exact same drills they are doing this year. MK has made the "Beachside Way" a cult. At the older ages WITHOUT A DOUBT you need to develop a team style of play and organize the players around a common way of playing. At U-littles it should be about each kid and working to make them better players. So rather than working harder with some kids who aren't yet stars, it's easier to just recruit fresh kids.

The above is very accurate. It is why so many kids come from NYSC and Everton to take spots on the academy teams from kids brought up the "Beachside way".

[Unregistered]

The above is very accurate. It is why so many kids come from NYSC and Everton to take spots on the academy teams from kids brought up the "Beachside way".

Also agree 100%. Especially with the last sentence about recruiting fresh kids vs. working on the kids currently on the team. I know several clubs that identify the *struggling* players and offer optional extra practices and work EARLY in the season with the parents to ensure the kids are doing all they can to get better. I forgot the name of the club but I was talking to a dad at a tournament last year who told me about an amazing program his club had. They pair each u8/9/10 kid with one of the older HS academy kids for 1on1 training sessions. The HS kids come to the house (or a field) 1 or 2x per week and do private training sessions. The u-little has a big academy kid to look up to and aspire to. The HS kids have an opportunity to give back (and have a a nice bullet point on the college applications). The program is structured. The coaching staff meets with the HS kids every 2-3 weeks to discuss progress and plan drills/activities.

This is not revolutionary or is going to make dramatic changes... but clearly shows a club's attitude towards developing talent and giving kids every chance to reach their potential.

[Unregistered]

Yeah, I guess it's probably the same in your world moron.

Oh because TS is such a Worldly place. Take a look around Dingbat. We make fun of people, that's what we do here. Take your meds and go back to sleep.

[Unregistered]

Oh because TS is such a Worldly place. Take a look around Dingbat. We make fun of people, that's what we do here. Take your meds and go back to sleep.

Dingbat? Good one (if you're in 4th grade). Your wife won't let me go back to sleep, she's insatiable...and she took all my meds to boot. Keep making fun of people, sorry you were bullied as a kid.