Stop saying ulittle doesn’t matter

[Guest]

For girls, U14. For boys, maybe U15 due to growth spurts usually being a drop later. You can see a physical difference in the games at these ages versus year prior.

See I don't go that late because by then many good or bad habits are already ingrained. If they don't have a solid foundation then size, speed and when puberty hits don't matter much. You see that once it does because kids who relied on size or athleticism start to get passed by kids who worked at their skills.

[Guest]

See I don't go that late because by then many good or bad habits are already ingrained. If they don't have a solid foundation then size, speed and when puberty hits don't matter much. You see that once it does because kids who relied on size or athleticism start to get passed by kids who worked at their skills.

You would have passed on Alex Morgan at 14yo.

I guess with zero bad habits ingrained since she never played it is slightly different.

[Guest]

There's some good advice in here

[Guest]

You would have passed on Alex Morgan at 14yo.

I guess with zero bad habits ingrained since she never played it is slightly different.

Love when know it alls pick extreme outliers

[Guest]

Love when know it alls pick extreme outliers

Amazing how quickly one can pick up the technical skills needed when you are athletic enough.

[Guest]

Amazing how quickly one can pick up the technical skills needed when you are athletic enough.

Well obviously. If you are not athletic chances are you are not playing soccer past age 12 - unless you are forced by a parent. All the kids are athletic at the higher levels. You know this when you go to HS and see the difference between a club player and regular "athlete".

[Guest]

Well obviously. If you are not athletic chances are you are not playing soccer past age 12 - unless you are forced by a parent. All the kids are athletic at the higher levels. You know this when you go to HS and see the difference between a club player and regular "athlete".

Not necessarily true. I've definitely seen some HS-aged players who were not very athletic but had incredible technique, vision and soccer IQ who would be a great addition to a lot of high-level teams.

[Guest]

Not necessarily true. I've definitely seen some HS-aged players who were not very athletic but had incredible technique, vision and soccer IQ who would be a great addition to a lot of high-level teams.

That all depends on how you define athletic. What you just described seems like an athlete. Being fast and strong is great, but being fast and strong in futbol is another. Many speedy kids are great younger but as they get older they struggle because speed alone isn't enough for soccer. But it definitely works for track.

[Guest]

Not necessarily true. I've definitely seen some HS-aged players who were not very athletic but had incredible technique, vision and soccer IQ who would be a great addition to a lot of high-level teams.

And then that HS player with "incredible technique" went to a club practice, left embarrassed, and you realized the kid only seemed good because HS soccer is so pitiful in contrast. She probably also complained about how tired and sore she was because the club required actual effort

[Guest]

And then that HS player with "incredible technique" went to a club practice, left embarrassed, and you realized the kid only seemed good because HS soccer is so pitiful in contrast. She probably also complained about how tired and sore she was because the club required actual effort

inane comment. HS aged players rarely try out for a club team. If they're in club by HS they've been at it for awhile. And btw - just being a HS aged club team doesn't mean the coaching or player talent is any good. Broad brushstrokes make for a messy painting

[Guest]

And then that HS player with "incredible technique" went to a club practice, left embarrassed, and you realized the kid only seemed good because HS soccer is so pitiful in contrast. She probably also complained about how tired and sore she was because the club required actual effort

No, she played on a high level club team (EDP D1). I said "HS-aged", not "HS-player" (although she did play as a starter on her HS team for 2 years). I'll say that she couldn't get recruited to a college she wanted to go to (she is very smart and wasn't looking just for any college-soccer program) as I think most college coaches will choose speed/athleticism over technique/soccerIQ. And no, not tired or sore...maybe one of the hardest-working youth players I've seen in terms of conditioning and training; she loves soccer and knows the only way she's playing in high-level games is by being as fit and as skilled as possible.

[Guest]

Not necessarily true. I've definitely seen some HS-aged players who were not very athletic but had incredible technique, vision and soccer IQ who would be a great addition to a lot of high-level teams.

I think your definition of high level team is different than most people here. High level teams demand a lot of running and the few girls that I've see that are not athletic are tall and strong and they never play the whole game they usually come off the bench. You can get away with that in HS soccer but not in ECNL or GA.

[Guest]

I think your definition of high level team is different than most people here. High level teams demand a lot of running and the few girls that I've see that are not athletic are tall and strong and they never play the whole game they usually come off the bench. You can get away with that in HS soccer but not in ECNL or GA.

This girl was on a good EDP 1 team. Yes, not ECNL or GA, but still on a level that has players going to play in college. She is not tall either. But she is strong, has great skill, technique and fitness and has great instinct and anticipation. She played outside back on an EDP 1 team that had good defense.

I knew another kid like this who was on my D's NPL team in younger ages who went on to play GDA with NYSC. You could argue that NYSC's GDA teams were terrible relative to other GDA teams, but she was still able to play at that level; and she did this as a midfielder. And again, she didn't end up getting recruited to play in college, but she was able to play on a high level youth team.

[Guest]

I think your definition of high level team is different than most people here. High level teams demand a lot of running and the few girls that I've see that are not athletic are tall and strong and they never play the whole game they usually come off the bench. You can get away with that in HS soccer but not in ECNL or GA.

Btw - not being particularly athletic doesn't mean you can't run. When I say "athletic", I am talking about having great speed, quickness, strength, balance, coordination, etc. And I agree that there is a minimum amount of "athleticism" that players need to play at a high level. I'm just noting that this particular girl was not particularly fast or quick or any of those things that you associate with being athletic (other than strong). Plenty of teams would see her and initially attack on her side because they would get the impression that she was a defensive weakness, but that would change as she was very effective in her role.