08 Girls Complete Discussion Thread

[Guest]

Correct. Pretty disappointing to watch. They showed lack of field vision and organization. They took big kicks from midfield to goal and prayed it will go in when there were open players in front of them to pass to. When a player got the ball they ran up the line and didn’t look up and shot straight into goalie hands —even when there was a wide open player in front of the goal. It seems the kids are trying to prove themselves to the coach and playing alone. When you are U13 and below big kicks to goal can work because goalies cannot stop the ball. But as they get older with talented goalies and strong defenders it doesn’t work on the stronger teams. At this level and age - speed and athletics isn’t enough.

Good points Are you referring to blue 09 or 08?

[Guest]

Good points Are you referring to blue 09 or 08?

2008 Girls. Smith coach. Or lack thereof.

[Guest]

Good points Are you referring to blue 09 or 08?

08. This is the 08 thread right?

[Guest]

O’Neil has lost touch with the club. The English contingency is ruining PDA. One could argue that the Blue program is misguided.

[Guest]

08. This is the 08 thread right?

Yeah I realize that dyck. But somehow the 09’s always manage to be mentioned so I just wanted to be sure. You good now bro?

[Guest]

O’Neil has lost touch with the club. The English contingency is ruining PDA. One could argue that the Blue program is misguided.

Plus he has been coaching this same age since they were little. Now they are older and he doesn’t have the experience with the older teams and it shows. Another thing I noticed was the 10 kids sitting on the bench. That I just don’t get. Again goes back to the point/ if you want to learn and play soccer you would not tolerate sitting on a bench. That’s how you know the kids that want it and those whose parents want to say they want it.

[Guest]

Plus he has been coaching this same age since they were little. Now they are older and he doesn’t have the experience with the older teams and it shows. Another thing I noticed was the 10 kids sitting on the bench. That I just don’t get. Again goes back to the point/ if you want to learn and play soccer you would not tolerate sitting on a bench. That’s how you know the kids that want it and those whose parents want to say they want it.

He has an ‘04 team

[Guest]

Aren’t those kids finished? Did he have them all through HS? Thought those kids were with MO.

[Guest]

If you want your kid screamed at, taught to kick the ball long, and the art of a relentless high press than Mick Smith is your man. If you want your kid to become a soccer player, well than you are looking in the wrong place.

[Guest]

Don’t forget the 25 player roster and perpetual recruitment. Guess it didn’t prove useful against a quality “Team” in Penn Fusion.

[Guest]

If you want your kid screamed at, taught to kick the ball long, and the art of a relentless high press than Mick Smith is your man. If you want your kid to become a soccer player, well than you are looking in the wrong place.

If you know some of these parents you will realize that they truly believe their kid is so special it doesn’t apply to them. Others think it makes their kid a better player to be belittled and that fighting for a spot is the way to success. They think there is some sort of “process”. What that ignorant parent doesn’t realize is that all the research shows it does the complete opposite and has long term negative effects. The USWNT have been working for years (current and former) players/coaches advocating to make youth soccer healthier for our girls. Yet this behavior it’s celebrated by the biggest club in our state. And please don’t say it happens everywhere- that’s not the point.

[Guest]

Don’t forget the 25 player roster and perpetual recruitment. Guess it didn’t prove useful against a quality “Team” in Penn Fusion.

It’s just sad - when you see 11 on the field and 10 girls freezing on the bench. All of them have worked hard, showed up at every practice to sit on a bench it’s just pathetic.
They are not in college, they are not pros. They are not even in HS. They are paying youth players.

[Guest]

So, just poking around the ECNL rosters around the country specifically Mid-Atlantic, SouthEast and Texas (since these are some of the better teams) and looked at the top 4 teams in the 08 age and see that...All but 1 has less then 18 with a few having 16. No bloated rosters of 20+, why? Because you can only dress 18. What good is it to have extra on a team that don't get used? All it does is bread animosity among the players and parents. Clubs like PDA like to believe or sell the idea of competition but this does more harm then good as really good players who could develop into great ones sit on bloated rosters rotting away on the bench. ECNL especially but US Soccer and US Club need to set the rules on this as currently allowing teams to have 25-30 players is way to much.

[Guest]

If you know some of these parents you will realize that they truly believe their kid is so special it doesn’t apply to them. Others think it makes their kid a better player to be belittled and that fighting for a spot is the way to success. They think there is some sort of “process”. What that ignorant parent doesn’t realize is that all the research shows it does the complete opposite and has long term negative effects. The USWNT have been working for years (current and former) players/coaches advocating to make youth soccer healthier for our girls. Yet this behavior it’s celebrated by the biggest club in our state. And please don’t say it happens everywhere- that’s not the point.

It’s inexcusable. The clubs and parents are both at fault. The girls are the ones paying the price. For what? To get a few pennies for college and bragging rights at work? Shameful.

[Guest]

It’s inexcusable. The clubs and parents are both at fault. The girls are the ones paying the price. For what? To get a few pennies for college and bragging rights at work? Shameful.

Completely agree. I was told by the boss at PDA it was for money only. PDA pays their coaches by player. So the more players the more money. That’s really it. They don’t care about the kids, their development, college nothing. It’s a business to them - but at the expense of young girls- gross.