ECNL Girls playing up a year

[Guest]

“The average height of a professional soccer player in top leagues ranges from 5'11” to 6'0″, while the average height of a female soccer player is around 5'5″ to 5'7″.”

That is very true but it doesn’t make for the amazing world players. It only works in the US. Once we play outside —teams like Japan run circles around the US. But in the US to compete it is difficult to play 5’2” against a 5’8” player with same skill, speed etc. the smaller players come High school and college get thrown off the ball too easily no matter how skilled and fast they are.

[Guest]

This is just a ton of bulls@#t especially in the sport of soccer. Messi was tiny - even had to be on HGH to increase stature size. But was his stature ever used to gain him special treatment? NO. Soccer is the rare sport, where your footskills, speed matter - size is secondary especially for field players. Infact I can argue that it is harder to be playing this sport if you are that tall, lanky kid, who keeps growing and loses touch with his/her stride and footskills. Shorter stature is an advantage in this sport especially in the younger years

Obviously, I agree foot skills, speed matters but just trying to isolate size for sake of this discussion. Assume ceteris paribus for everything except size. I think it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t matter.

[Guest]

So to conclude, size does matter in the end but it’s important for parents and coaches to remember that these players all develop at very different rates due to human biology. In youth clubs, girls who are early and late bloomers should be evaluated and prioritized using biological age rather than chronological age. In the long run, with these types on policies adopted, talent ID and US soccer should improve.

[Guest]

That is very true but it doesn’t make for the amazing world players. It only works in the US. Once we play outside —teams like Japan run circles around the US. But in the US to compete it is difficult to play 5’2” against a 5’8” player with same skill, speed etc. the smaller players come High school and college get thrown off the ball too easily no matter how skilled and fast they are.

On one hand you are saying small Japanese players run circles around the US, then saying small players get pushed off ball no matter how skilled they are. Which one is it?

[Guest]

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with playing up in age if the players can help the team. As a parent of the MFA ECNL 07’s team, I can tell you unequivocally that the two girls who played up in age, one a 09 and the other being a 08, absolutely did nothing for our team except take playing time away from much better players. It was once again shows Dom and Jordan appeasing parents by making the players seem much better than the kids on their age group team, which they are not. It also helps that their parents are completely involved with Match Fit.

[Guest]

In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with playing up in age if the players can help the team. As a parent of the MFA ECNL 07’s team, I can tell you unequivocally that the two girls who played up in age, one a 09 and the other being a 08, absolutely did nothing for our team except take playing time away from much better players. It was once again shows Dom and Jordan appeasing parents by making the players seem much better than the kids on their age group team, which they are not. It also helps that their parents are completely involved with Match Fit.

same stuff happening at younger mfa age groups as well.

[Guest]

On one hand you are saying small Japanese players run circles around the US, then saying small players get pushed off ball no matter how skilled they are. Which one is it?

I’m saying US soccer in our country is big, athletic, strong fast. However, when those players play outside the US as we saw during the World Cup- it didn’t matter our size or speed. But to do well in our country - those that want to play college, few that go to NWSL then size matters simply bc that is how we compete in the US. I don’t think it’s right, it will catch up to us and it will change -but it’s how it is right now.

[Guest]

That is very true but it doesn’t make for the amazing world players. It only works in the US. Once we play outside —teams like Japan run circles around the US. But in the US to compete it is difficult to play 5’2” against a 5’8” player with same skill, speed etc. the smaller players come High school and college get thrown off the ball too easily no matter how skilled and fast they are.

Pick a side. The best soccer player could be the height of an average US woman (5'4").Sick of hearing that US prefers tall kids on soccer teams.
Dunn, Swanson, Marta, Debinha, Bonmati, Miyazawa, (all women 5'4" or under) Messi, Maradona - are all examples of the very best of the best and all with below average heights. If your kid is short and not on the best level soccer team, it's because they don't have the skill and pace. So stop blaming tall kids for taking away the spots away from your average kid.

[Guest]

Pick a side. The best soccer player could be the height of an average US woman (5'4").Sick of hearing that US prefers tall kids on soccer teams.
Dunn, Swanson, Marta, Debinha, Bonmati, Miyazawa, (all women 5'4" or under) Messi, Maradona - are all examples of the very best of the best and all with below average heights. If your kid is short and not on the best level soccer team, it's because they don't have the skill and pace. So stop blaming tall kids for taking away the spots away from your average kid.

I agree. Besides Dunn 5'1 and Swanson 5'4, look at Rose Lavelle 5'4, Catarina Macario 5'4-5'5, Midge Purce 5'5, Alyssa Thompson 5'3, Ashley Sanchez 5'4 - they are all average height. So quit complaining and giving inaccurate data about how the US is different and how your poor, short statured kid is getting short changed by the system. Improve their skills and quit whining.

[Guest]

Do you live in Argentina? No, you live in the US. Size does matter where you live. How many girls under 5 foot 4 are on the Uswnt? Maybe 1. Love when parents use Messi as their logic but don’t look at the majority of US women players. To make the analysis easier just open your eyes and look around your club.

I live in the US and see plenty of parents like you, who are finding excuses for little Suzy, who is and was never seen as the chosen one on the team. News Flash - it's not because little Suzy is shorter than her teammates, it's because she doesn't have the skills and the speed.

[Guest]

Do you live in Argentina? No, you live in the US. Size does matter where you live. How many girls under 5 foot 4 are on the Uswnt? Maybe 1. Love when parents use Messi as their logic but don’t look at the majority of US women players. To make the analysis easier just open your eyes and look around your club.

And somebody typed out a list of average and below average height USWNT players for little Suzy's whiny parent. And the list is more than "maybe 1".

[Guest]

I live in the US and see plenty of parents like you, who are finding excuses for little Suzy, who is and was never seen as the chosen one on the team. News Flash - it's not because little Suzy is shorter than her teammates, it's because she doesn't have the skills and the speed.

Maybe little Suzy can try out for the Cheer squad?

[Guest]

The two PDA 2009 YNT finalists did not make the final cut in California. Making it that far should mean they are capable of playing up on the 08 PDA team. The 08 PDA team did not progress. It would be better for the development of those two 09's to play up and practice up on a regular basis.

As long as the team one year up is better than their current team… which may not be the case with this age group at PDA. They are better off training with the boys, which I hear many of them do already, not just the two girls who made YNT this year.

[Guest]

So to conclude, size does matter in the end but it’s important for parents and coaches to remember that these players all develop at very different rates due to human biology. In youth clubs, girls who are early and late bloomers should be evaluated and prioritized using biological age rather than chronological age. In the long run, with these types on policies adopted, talent ID and US soccer should improve.

blah blah Chat GPT

[Guest]

The general rule of thumb, and a good one, is the younger player needs to be a top 5 starter on the older team to kind of justify the move. Like someone said, a player that will really help the older team. Lots of parents think that because their kid may be the 'top player" on their age appropriate team that means they should move up. Nope, it doesn't work that way. Same with a "top' B teamer wanting to move to A. Won't happen if they are simply interchangeable with most A team players. They have to be an impact player. All of this is to help keep whiny parents at bay. Some clubs won't play younger kids up at all no matter what. For a club's perspective I get it. Keeps it clean and simple.