Looking for the fast track

[Unregistered]

Good Morning, My daughter has decided to change sports to soccer from hockey. I think there are many skills that can transfer over from her hockey experience. She has weak ball skills, but everything else about he game is pretty complete. She kicks the ball very good though and likes to score goals. Can you recommend a club that can really accelerate her skills so in a couple of years she can play at the top level. She is 13

[Unregistered]

Uh oh. If you are sincere, I am sorry, but you sound a great deal like our resident troll.

[Unregistered]

Good Morning, My daughter has decided to change sports to soccer from hockey. I think there are many skills that can transfer over from her hockey experience. She has weak ball skills, but everything else about he game is pretty complete. She kicks the ball very good though and likes to score goals. Can you recommend a club that can really accelerate her skills so in a couple of years she can play at the top level. She is 13

If you can afford it, talk her into sticking with hockey. Fun sport!

[Unregistered]

If you can afford it, talk her into sticking with hockey. Fun sport!

I tried. All of her friends play hockey and she says she doesn't like it anymore!

[Unregistered]

Good Morning, My daughter has decided to change sports to soccer from hockey. I think there are many skills that can transfer over from her hockey experience. She has weak ball skills, but everything else about he game is pretty complete. She kicks the ball very good though and likes to score goals. Can you recommend a club that can really accelerate her skills so in a couple of years she can play at the top level. She is 13

How do you know that everything else about her game is pretty complete? What aspects are you talking about?

How do you know that she kicks the ball very good? Compared to who - your 90 year old arthritic grandmother?


Why do you think she should aspire to play at the top level? What makes you think that she has the athletic ability or aptitude to play soccer at anything about a rec level?

You are either a troll or the dumbest youth sports parent on the planet.

[Unregistered]

I tried. All of her friends play hockey and she says she doesn't like it anymore!

Very common for kids to drop things/lose interest at this age. Try and get her into a decent club with good training, even if it's lower level for now. Over the summer have her practice in the yard a lot, play against siblings and kids in the neighborhood, maybe a camp. Then see where she takes it.

[Unregistered]

Very common for kids to drop things/lose interest at this age. Try and get her into a decent club with good training, even if it's lower level for now. Over the summer have her practice in the yard a lot, play against siblings and kids in the neighborhood, maybe a camp. Then see where she takes it.

Thank you. Maybe I should now ask for some recommendations for decent clubs in the area.

[Unregistered]

I tried. All of her friends play hockey and she says she doesn't like it anymore!

Sounds like burnout. Are you sure she is ready to focus on a new sport to try and compete at a "top" level?

The reality is you can't be an excellent hockey player without knowing how to skate like it's second nature and the best players learned to skate at a very young age. With soccer,

With soccer, the best players learned their technical skill with the ball at an early age. 13yo is somewhat old to be learning how to juggle, dribbling technique for possession and speed, use all surfaces of the feet to manipulate the ball, 1v1 skills, etc. Many of these foundation skills need to be hard wired by 13 so more advanced skills can be learned and tactics, positional play can be the focus. Ex., if you can't manipulate the ball with your peripheral vision while keeping your head up and surveying the field, your speed of play and decision making will suffer.

Your daughter will be focusing on learning (or relearning) the basics while the "Elite" player is refining their movements off the ball, advanced positional play and improving their speed of play. There are only so many hours available to train and play without injury and if her foundation isn't strong, she is likely too far behind to catch up to be a "top" player. I'd recommend letting her play for fun if she really wants to play soccer now.

FWIW, I guarantee you she isn't "kicking" the ball properly. Learning to use the "laces" and not the toe, proper technique like where to plant the foot for the type of kick and follow through on the swing takes lots of practice. More so to do it with either foot equally well. Maybe she is a natural, but in my experience, those who haven't had proper instruction at an early age who seem to shoot or kick hard are usually using the toe.

[Unregistered]

Thank you. Maybe I should now ask for some recommendations for decent clubs in the area.

DON'T ASK ON TS! If you're not a troll you'll get garbage answers anyway. Ask friends/neighbors/parents you know whose kids play to get the lay of the land in your area. She may not be ready for a higher level team and many of those teams play regionally anyway so its a big time commitment. Find somewhere nearby with a good coach willing to give her a shot. Confidence building will be as important as skill building. There's lots of great videos on line for at home work she can do. A summer camp can be helpful

[Unregistered]

Good Morning, My daughter has decided to change sports to soccer from hockey. I think there are many skills that can transfer over from her hockey experience. She has weak ball skills, but everything else about he game is pretty complete. She kicks the ball very good though and likes to score goals. Can you recommend a club that can really accelerate her skills so in a couple of years she can play at the top level. She is 13

GPS will take her for $2500 and promise you the world.
What more could you ask?

What a load of rubbish...

[Unregistered]

50 minutes from OP to GPS slam.

I am sorely disappointed with the performance of the TS team. Either some of you have found other interests, or you are just slacking off. Either way, I expect more out of you.

Shameful.

[Unregistered]

50 minutes from OP to GPS slam.

I am sorely disappointed with the performance of the TS team. Either some of you have found other interests, or you are just slacking off. Either way, I expect more out of you.

Shameful.

It's tryout season - the busiest time of the year. So many threads so little time. We'll step it up, chug some 5 Hour Energy Shots.

TS Team

[Unregistered]

Sounds like burnout. Are you sure she is ready to focus on a new sport to try and compete at a "top" level?

The reality is you can't be an excellent hockey player without knowing how to skate like it's second nature and the best players learned to skate at a very young age. With soccer,

With soccer, the best players learned their technical skill with the ball at an early age. 13yo is somewhat old to be learning how to juggle, dribbling technique for possession and speed, use all surfaces of the feet to manipulate the ball, 1v1 skills, etc. Many of these foundation skills need to be hard wired by 13 so more advanced skills can be learned and tactics, positional play can be the focus. Ex., if you can't manipulate the ball with your peripheral vision while keeping your head up and surveying the field, your speed of play and decision making will suffer.

Your daughter will be focusing on learning (or relearning) the basics while the "Elite" player is refining their movements off the ball, advanced positional play and improving their speed of play. There are only so many hours available to train and play without injury and if her foundation isn't strong, she is likely too far behind to catch up to be a "top" player. I'd recommend letting her play for fun if she really wants to play soccer now.

FWIW, I guarantee you she isn't "kicking" the ball properly. Learning to use the "laces" and not the toe, proper technique like where to plant the foot for the type of kick and follow through on the swing takes lots of practice. More so to do it with either foot equally well. Maybe she is a natural, but in my experience, those who haven't had proper instruction at an early age who seem to shoot or kick hard are usually using the toe.

Thanks for the time for a well thought out response. I knew this was the place to turn!

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the time for a well thought out response. I knew this was the place to turn!

Just curious: how did you know to ask on TS? How did you hear about the site? How did you not see all the numerous threads (including one about the best U13 teams with thousands of posts) and somehow decided to start your own thread?

...not expecting an answer to these questions. Trolls can't answer legit questions.

[Unregistered]

Just curious: how did you know to ask on TS? How did you hear about the site? How did you not see all the numerous threads (including one about the best U13 teams with thousands of posts) and somehow decided to start your own thread?

...not expecting an answer to these questions. Trolls can't answer legit questions.

I will gladly answer your question. I used google!