College Recruiting - Tournaments v "Clinics"

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Doubtful. He would have been ignored during the early years in favor of the larger more athletic built players. Since he was so small, he was given growth hormones so help him along. I find it improbable that any American coach would have been able to identify his skill at such a young age when they were too busy salivating over the 6 year old "studs" that could boot the ball halfway up with field....jmo

He probably would have gotten so discouraged that he would have quit soccer

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Doubtful. He would have been ignored during the early years in favor of the larger more athletic built players. Since he was so small, he was given growth hormones so help him along. I find it improbable that any American coach would have been able to identify his skill at such a young age when they were too busy salivating over the 6 year old "studs" that could boot the ball halfway up with field....jmo

This is garbage and the typical excuse for people with kids who don't make it (whatever "make it" in their cases means). From U6 on through the teenage years I've seen many examples of very small but very skilled players being noticed and featured. Even run of the mill evaluators at the town level can pick out super-skilled kids even if they are small. This is a complete red herring, and in part we know this because someone who has been hurt by their kid not delivering decided to interject this issue into a Messi thread.

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This is garbage and the typical excuse for people with kids who don't make it (whatever "make it" in their cases means). From U6 on through the teenage years I've seen many examples of very small but very skilled players being noticed and featured. Even run of the mill evaluators at the town level can pick out super-skilled kids even if they are small. This is a complete red herring, and in part we know this because someone who has been hurt by their kid not delivering decided to interject this issue into a Messi thread.

NEFC's Derrick Boateng - starter at Boston College, ACC All Freshmen Team,
#17 on Top Drawer Soccer's Top 100 Freshmen list. 5"9' 145 lbs

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This is garbage and the typical excuse for people with kids who don't make it (whatever "make it" in their cases means). From U6 on through the teenage years I've seen many examples of very small but very skilled players being noticed and featured. Even run of the mill evaluators at the town level can pick out super-skilled kids even if they are small. This is a complete red herring, and in part we know this because someone who has been hurt by their kid not delivering decided to interject this issue into a Messi thread.

That may be true in soccer cases but not all- know this firsthand cause our kid went through it- at the first travel club he was at as a kid, it was pretty much acknowledged by the coaches and other players that he had the most skills, but was played less then the "biggest kids" as were the other kids in the same situation- and there was vey little technical training, all practices/game oriented towards "booting" it to the biggest kid up front who would take 10 shots to make a goal or two---not being a soccer coach but just a parent I didnt know anything else different existed and thought only most muscular at 10 or 12 years old would be considered the best everywhere

Luckily, at tournaments, multiple times parents from ohter "better" clubs that would happen to be watching our game suggested what is your kid doing here, hes too skilled for this team-I couldnt believe it cause he was considered a sub by his own coach behind the biggest other kids on the team.

Since then years later kid went to better club/great technical coahes and made their academy (not in Mass.), ID'd nationally etc, and kid is acknowledged positively in the soccer community for his skills (yes hes still small, but that Doesnt mean hes not very quick as some parents here think about all smaller kids, dont know why this is)- point being that if he had listened to his first club/coaches he never would have been developed or have reached his potential- and the other "smaller" 10 or 12 year old kids that had innate technical talent that stayed at the old club mostly quit or absolutely never reached there potential (as their skills never developed) and they were never even encouraged positively by their coaches, and sadly its too late now to catch up.

So would disagree that in this country young skilled talent from a smaller player would usually be discovered and developed as a longer term prospect- (but absolutely would in the soccer countries)- and unfortunately the parents here (as we are talking little kids) have to make sure there kids are in the right club/coaches who value skills and want to/able to develop players long term- the majority of the youth clubs are too focused on getting money by winning u10 tournaments and playing physical u10 soccer to do this, and would not "discover" and elevate any kids that dont fit this mold (messi might have been the rare exception as used to score at least 5 goals a game as a kid, hard to ignore that for any typical coach even if small)- ironically it is the best most elite national clubs in this country that has the deepest roster/longest view and confidence that will accomodate and value these type of kids- the typical club wont, too focused on winning that u10 tournament to "prove" something whatever that is.

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What is skilled at 10 years old? We all see this year after year. Usually it is some small kid who is just plain faster than everyone else. They score a ton of goals at that stage by running through everyone. The problem they face as they get older is getting pushed off the ball or just being physically over powered. I don't care how smoothly you can juggle a ball or pass it in practice, if you can't hang on to the ball while you are getting bounced around in a real game situation you are not going to standout much. If a player is a true Messi they will get noticed but more often than not parents just don't understand that in contact sports like soccer the laws of physics apply.

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What is skilled at 10 years old? We all see this year after year. Usually it is some small kid who is just plain faster than everyone else. They score a ton of goals at that stage by running through everyone. The problem they face as they get older is getting pushed off the ball or just being physically over powered. I don't care how smoothly you can juggle a ball or pass it in practice, if you can't hang on to the ball while you are getting bounced around in a real game situation you are not going to standout much. If a player is a true Messi they will get noticed but more often than not parents just don't understand that in contact sports like soccer the laws of physics apply.

Actually There is Plenty of skill that can be identified at age ten, regardless of the muscularity of the little kid one way or the other,by a skilled evaluator that is outside the realm of physics that you mention. For example many of the youth academies around the world for example identify prospects at this age- and size of kid could be no or small- doesn't matter.

The focus at the high level is not strictly focused on who would be less likely "bounced around in a game" at age ten- balance, technique, coordination, focus, speed of learning, acceleration and agility , mental speed of play, work in tight spaces, etc etc would be looked at a kid that could create time and space to make an impact would be valued- and if the kid can do this against kids 50 pounds heavier that is a positive not a negative aspect.

Also, not your fault, but you've been brainwashed by a low level club coach when you dismiss juggling ability- the kid who is a superior juggler works on his own, is taking lots of extra time working on touch, micro muscle control of the foot,coordination, and controlling space - and also balance/comfort on one foot--- no "you dont juggle in a game" but the kid with netter touch and control can reach higher levels in a game, juggling an other activities help with this.

The first 15 minutes of Liverpool youth academy is spent on juggling related activity- is that a higher level then the local coach that doesn't understand the value of juggling for elite bound kids? Also, that good passing ability that you dismiss regarding the 10 year old that can get bounced around in a game shouldn't be dismissed either- if the kid is a superior passer/accurate touch that of course is of value when the ki grows up and not so easily bounced around anymore -

You seem like a nice parent that means well, but from your post think it may be helpful to surround your kid with a higher level club where the focus is technical, not who less likely to be "bounced around" at age ten - this is particularly true if you are a parent of a relatively big and muscular kid- if they are saying your kid is "elite" cause if these qualities they are wasting valuable technical focus time- if your kid relies just on this because the club isn't focusing on his technical side instead (being "strong is easier to maintain)- your kid will be toast when he plays with more technically oriented teams later (full of kids of all sizes by the way).

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NEFC's Derrick Boateng - starter at Boston College, ACC All Freshmen Team,
#17 on Top Drawer Soccer's Top 100 Freshmen list. 5"9' 145 lbs

Scott Caldwell also. ID'ed by ODP by age 11 or 12 when much smaller than all the other kids, and still fairly small now.

Same with Diego F.

The long poster above is clueless. His kid wasn't that good obviously.

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Scott Caldwell also. ID'ed by ODP by age 11 or 12 when much smaller than all the other kids, and still fairly small now.

Same with Diego F.

The long poster above is clueless. His kid wasn't that good obviously.

I am the long poster and am not clueless at all- who ever said my kid wasnt identified, or good (and I even mentioned academy club outside of mass)? If I told you the level you wouldnt beleive it anyway, and try not to brag like the other parents here- but will say that kid is small skilled and my post about pro youth academy level (outside us) comes from firsthand experience.

Point was that in this country not all clubs/coaches have the equal will/ability to id the technical player at a young age- youd like to believe its otherwise, but its simply fact. Its great that scott caldweel was id's by odp at age 11; there are simply other kids (not talking about yours or mine specifically) that given the proper training and attention to their innate ability, would be id'd later then 10 or 11, by odp , but just as good or better.

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Own oinion is that between the two posters, one who talks up juggling and technical skill for young kids, vs the other who talks more run and kick, ie kid who whould get bounced around at age 10 in a game is less of a long term elite pospect- would bet my money on the juggling oriented poster as being clearly more tuned in to elite identification- am sure others would disagree having seen the playing style and roster choices of some of the so called "elite" youth teams around here.

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I am the long poster and am not clueless at all- who ever said my kid wasnt identified, or good (and I even mentioned academy club outside of mass)? If I told you the level you wouldnt beleive it anyway, and try not to brag like the other parents here- but will say that kid is small skilled and my post about pro youth academy level (outside us) comes from firsthand experience.

Point was that in this country not all clubs/coaches have the equal will/ability to id the technical player at a young age- youd like to believe its otherwise, but its simply fact. Its great that scott caldweel was id's by odp at age 11; there are simply other kids (not talking about yours or mine specifically) that given the proper training and attention to their innate ability, would be id'd later then 10 or 11, by odp , but just as good or better.

And my point is that small, very skilled players get noticed all the time, whether they are 8, 12 or 16.

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And my point is that small, very skilled players get noticed all the time, whether they are 8, 12 or 16.

and the whole point of my post was to respectfully disrespect with that statement in many (not all) cases- per the original post, our own kid was a bench player at 11 for an "A" team (run and kick and didnt know better as a parent) at a second tier club- but when multiple top ranked national academy clubs saw him play- same kid, different clubs , he was "recruited" at that age by muliple academy club parents (as club couldnt approach him directly by rules) as one of the top few starter "prospects" on their national tournament team, and eventually academy and national coach radar.

so my firsthand experience is that many of the smaller technical kids like my own would not be considered top "elite" at all by some travel clubs- but the same kid absolutely considered elite by the highest level clubs--

so own experience is that yes, smaller kids get noticed, but not all the time but have to be in the right club/coach who can spot this type of technical skill at a young for it to happen-- and the typical US clubs, in my opinion, miss out on spotting these types of kids more often then you think- the situation is VERY different overseas where advanced technical proficiency is spotted easily--

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and the whole point of my post was to respectfully disrespect with that statement in many (not all) cases- per the original post, our own kid was a bench player at 11 for an "A" team (run and kick and didnt know better as a parent) at a second tier club- but when multiple top ranked national academy clubs saw him play- same kid, different clubs , he was "recruited" at that age by muliple academy club parents (as club couldnt approach him directly by rules) as one of the top few starter "prospects" on their national tournament team, and eventually academy and national coach radar.

so my firsthand experience is that many of the smaller technical kids like my own would not be considered top "elite" at all by some travel clubs- but the same kid absolutely considered elite by the highest level clubs--

so own experience is that yes, smaller kids get noticed, but not all the time but have to be in the right club/coach who can spot this type of technical skill at a young for it to happen-- and the typical US clubs, in my opinion, miss out on spotting these types of kids more often then you think- the situation is VERY different overseas where advanced technical proficiency is spotted easily--

Then you had a bad experience which causes you to overgeneralize whihc adds to a very distorted impression and continues the crutch that som many use to explain away why their kid isn't playing or didn't end up playing in college or whatever. In my experience, even a moderately experienced town coach (who perhaps has had some exposure to better soccer via their own kid's club team or the like) can EASILY discern skilled kids from non-skilled kids, ESPECIALLY at the level your kid was or is at. Touch, dribbling, capacity to evade, vision, etc, etc are all easy to see in any 4v4 or 6v6 small-sided format which even most towns use in their tryouts.

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Then you had a bad experience which causes you to overgeneralize whihc adds to a very distorted impression and continues the crutch that som many use to explain away why their kid isn't playing or didn't end up playing in college or whatever. In my experience, even a moderately experienced town coach (who perhaps has had some exposure to better soccer via their own kid's club team or the like) can EASILY discern skilled kids from non-skilled kids, ESPECIALLY at the level your kid was or is at. Touch, dribbling, capacity to evade, vision, etc, etc are all easy to see in any 4v4 or 6v6 small-sided format which even most towns use in their tryouts.

ok well we can agree to disagree then- my own kids first club did see the skill and put him on the A team, but as a bench player to the bigger kids who played run and kick, even though he could dominate easily in the small sided game with those kids- (but not run and kick)-in any event it worked out eventually

we both feel that there are other coaches'higher level clubs that ID kids differently and can play a more possession style to accomodate early technical bloomers--and if Im wrong on my "generalization" and there are more clubs that recognize this type of long term developmnent, so much the better.

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I agree (for field players too) - clinic can specifically isolate and show technical skills (or lack therof) that coaches are looking for- great opportunityfor strong players to show individual skills more effriciently then in a game/tournament in many cases

coach in a game looking to win, focusing on team- college id camp clinic emphasis looking for individual skill (as well as team skill)- which wont show as well with 10 game touches vs 500 clinic touches

If you are truly elite, this is a chance to show it and will absolutely shine and get recruited-- in a tournament, the ball may be on your side of the field 2x while the coach is there for ten minutes, spottier odds.

Cant believe that 100 dollar fee is truly the issue - if you are that good 100 dollars gets you a scholarship - if not elite well you might be wasting the 100 but a tournament (which costs more then 100 dollars in gas food and hotel) wont get you there either in that case-

its a no brainer to pick the schools you want, show up at camp and if you are the best WILL be seen and recruited- if not means you werent the best thats the real truth.

Agree.

Don't forget that these clinics also give the player a feel for what type of person the coach is and more importantly some info about the school. Most of these clinics include a campus tour and a Q&A session with current players.

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What age should one be to attend a clinic? My son received an invite a few days ago but he is only a Freshman and figure he might be a bit young. Thoughts appreciated from those who have done this.