Announcement

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 12:46 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Any thoughts on kids playing up 1 year with respect to player development? Is it better for kids to play at age or at skill? Thanks

The folks responsible for our National teams, US Soccer, encourages this in the DAP program.

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 12:47 PM

It didn't do Freddy Adu any good.

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 01:05 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Any thoughts on kids playing up 1 year with respect to player development? Is it better for kids to play at age or at skill? Thanks

IMHO it depends on the age. U10 no. u12 maybe. U14+ yes.

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 01:11 PM

I think that the physical stature of a player should be considered. I have seen many players that are technically and tactically capable of playing with older players. However, if he can't adequately compete on a physical level, it can be demoralizing for the player. Case in point, Blackwatch U13 boys had an 11 year old starting forward. He is a very skilled player, but he was constantly being shouldered off of the ball and couldn't keep possession based on his size/speed. Through balls were wasted...he made excellent runs, but his lack of speed based on the other 13 year olds was very evident.

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 01:16 PM

All depends on the kid in question, regardless of age.

JB

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 01:41 PM

Tougher for boys, where there can be as much as a 5 years difference in physical development between kids in the same age group. For girl's, starting about U14, good players can often benefit by playing with older competition. Stars has had girls playing as much as 3 years up. Your daughter ought to be clearly the best player on her team for you to consider doing this. If not, she could probably get as much, or more, out of playing coed pickup with a mix of skilled players of various ages, practicing in the yard, and sticking with her existing team.

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 06:24 PM

player development

Please help,
My son is playing U13 with a well known club team I belive he is losing interest in a sport
that was/is? his favored sport. please give me your ideas on clubs that will develop the individual and the team. I believe that there is little individual instruction with the current
club.

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 06:33 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

All depends on the kid in question, regardless of age.

JB

Exactly, my daughter played on a guy's high school age team while at U14 level as a goalkeeper and when she switched to high school here after we moved, the speed of play and ability in both club and high school levels were much, much easier for her to adapt to.

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 06:55 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Please help,
My son is playing U13 with a well known club team I belive he is losing interest in a sport
that was/is? his favored sport. please give me your ideas on clubs that will develop the individual and the team. I believe that there is little individual instruction with the current
club.

The first thing you need to do is talk with your son to find out why he might be losing interest. There could be any number of reasons--which may or may not be related to his current club. Until you have a better sense of what those reasons are, you won't have a good idea about whether any specific advice you get would help with your son's particular situation.

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 07:02 PM

player development

Thanks for your reply!
I took the time to read the nefc(?sp) thread- it had some very good points.
but to get to your point he, as his friends , are not the most talkative at 13.
My bias is the boys team is an afterthought and it infects every aspect of
the experience. guess my original question stands: no negatives- could
someone offer up CURRENT good U14 BOY club experiences?

**Unregistered** · 11-08-2010, 07:50 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

It didn't do Freddy Adu any good.

There were many things that didn't do Freddy Adu any good, but playing up wasn't one of them.

**Unregistered** · 11-09-2010, 11:47 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Tougher for boys, where there can be as much as a 5 years difference in physical development between kids in the same age group. For girl's, starting about U14, good players can often benefit by playing with older competition. Stars has had girls playing as much as 3 years up. Your daughter ought to be clearly the best player on her team for you to consider doing this. If not, she could probably get as much, or more, out of playing coed pickup with a mix of skilled players of various ages, practicing in the yard, and sticking with her existing team.

I have always been told that Stars likes to keep kids playing in the appropriate age groups. What team has girls playing up 3 years?

**Unregistered** · 11-09-2010, 12:45 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I have always been told that Stars likes to keep kids playing in the appropriate age groups. What team has girls playing up 3 years?

Scorpions, not Stars. How many times must we go through this? Scorpions had a policy that kids had to play on age appropriate teams even if they were capable of playing at an older age group and were in a class ahead of their soccer teammates. Scorpions have lost several players to the Stars because of this policy. PV who is at BC is one of them.