2011 Boys

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Field size means nothing if the team can't move the ball, if all they do is kick the ball in to space to leverage athleticism to score a smarter team will cut them off. In a bigger field the posession and patience will outsmart a high pressing team that hasn't been taught how to attack and defend intelligently. Look at Union and how they dominate most team's 2010 B teams. The teams are clueless on how to defend them and their attacks are highly predictable. Union has two or three fast players the rest are smaller less athletic players that have learned how to play their position and how to outsmart their bigger more athletic oponnents. Union beat the STA B 2010, Cedar Stars Bergen B 2010, Cedar Stars Staten Island B 2010 team, and PDA B 2010 team. It is no coincidence that they do this so efficiently.

Agree that field size means nothing if you cant move the ball, but on the same page, moving the ball means nothing if you cant run and get to the ball or shield it. Both parts of the game are important. If you play keep away for 90 minutes and never get close enough to shoot because you get run down by faster players or knocked off the ball by stronger players once you get close enough to shoot you aren't going to go very far. Its all about balance and working on all aspects of the game.

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Agree that field size means nothing if you cant move the ball, but on the same page, moving the ball means nothing if you cant run and get to the ball or shield it. Both parts of the game are important. If you play keep away for 90 minutes and never get close enough to shoot because you get run down by faster players or knocked off the ball by stronger players once you get close enough to shoot you aren't going to go very far. Its all about balance and working on all aspects of the game.

At this age you are 100% correct you will get run down and thrown off by bigger kids who are growing at faster pace. Guess what happens when they are all 14- 15 everyone has gone thru puberty...... the kids who actaully learned how to move the ball worked on that 1st touch .. developed IQ because they couldn't use physical ability to compete, they have the advantage now.... so its all a matter of your percepective if you want to dominate at U12 and below sure go with the fast strong teams... if you want to DEVELOP, i'd favor teams who work on moving ball and playing soccer.

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Settle down and get your facts straight. They beat the STA C team (USYS) and the PDA B team lost half their players this winter. They are a good 2011 team, but you need a reality check

They beat both 2010 B and C - The STA Pre NL and the USYS one. I am not saying Union is the best what I am saying is that ball movement and IQ beats size in response to the parent making excuses why Liverpool couldn't hang with AS in a small field.

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Agree that field size means nothing if you cant move the ball, but on the same page, moving the ball means nothing if you cant run and get to the ball or shield it. Both parts of the game are important. If you play keep away for 90 minutes and never get close enough to shoot because you get run down by faster players or knocked off the ball by stronger players once you get close enough to shoot you aren't going to go very far. Its all about balance and working on all aspects of the game.

Sounds like you never played the game, it's called ball to feet. You don't run to the ball, you run to the open space and receive the ball at your feet. The total opossite of kicking and running. A smaller less athletic player will know where to stand before the ball gets there and they are already in position to receive away from pressure and they are already 2 steps ahead and know where to go before the bigger player even realizes what is happening 😅 great coaching will teach that to a player. Poor coaching will tell the kid to shoot from the kick off to try their luck to score and the chance of loosing posession.

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Agree that field size means nothing if you cant move the ball, but on the same page, moving the ball means nothing if you cant run and get to the ball or shield it. Both parts of the game are important. If you play keep away for 90 minutes and never get close enough to shoot because you get run down by faster players or knocked off the ball by stronger players once you get close enough to shoot you aren't going to go very far. Its all about balance and working on all aspects of the game.

Can’t disagree more...there is a reason why youth sports have specific sizes. Can you imagine if your kid played baseball at you show to a field and the mound is 36 feet away instead of 46? Of course it has an impact. How about the corner kicks? All of the sudden the ball flies through the box or crossing? I bet a lot more balls go out of bounds. Or on starts from the GK the defense is right on top.

You’re making an assumption that all things are equal and the visiting team is used to playing on a small field. Right away the home team (ASJ) has a clear advantage at least for a few minutes while kids adjust. Call it gamesmanship I guess but I’m sure the opposition is not told the field sizes before in an email so they can practice and that makes it very suspect.

On the other side FA has been doing the opposite since days at CFC. Playing on 9v9 fields. Anyone who played them at their field knows it’s advantage that they are adjusted to. Again I’m sure there is no email before saying “hey coach our field is a 9v9 size” it’s more like show up and surprise.

In a data driven world how many goals does that equate to each game .5? By u14 let’s see who is still around. Look at the soccer wire top 100. See the NJ teams listed.

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C
On the other side FA has been doing the opposite since days at CFC. Playing on 9v9 fields. Anyone who played them at their field knows it’s advantage that they are adjusted to. Again I’m sure there is no email before saying “hey coach our field is a 9v9 size” it’s more like show up and surprise.

hahah is this true? that is ridicolous having these kids play in extra 30 yards of space. well of course the big fast FA team will win everytime. they get to show off there kick and run tactics... how is that even allowed!! i get its jsut youth sports and kids should learn to play in all situations, but having only 6 field players out there in a 80 yard field is obsurd.

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Can’t disagree more...there is a reason why youth sports have specific sizes. Can you imagine if your kid played baseball at you show to a field and the mound is 36 feet away instead of 46? Of course it has an impact. How about the corner kicks? All of the sudden the ball flies through the box or crossing? I bet a lot more balls go out of bounds. Or on starts from the GK the defense is right on top.

You’re making an assumption that all things are equal and the visiting team is used to playing on a small field. Right away the home team (ASJ) has a clear advantage at least for a few minutes while kids adjust. Call it gamesmanship I guess but I’m sure the opposition is not told the field sizes before in an email so they can practice and that makes it very suspect.

On the other side FA has been doing the opposite since days at CFC. Playing on 9v9 fields. Anyone who played them at their field knows it’s advantage that they are adjusted to. Again I’m sure there is no email before saying “hey coach our field is a 9v9 size” it’s more like show up and surprise.

In a data driven world how many goals does that equate to each game .5? By u14 let’s see who is still around. Look at the soccer wire top 100. See the NJ teams listed.

In the end both teams have to play on the same field, whether it is small or big, turf or grass, beautiful or ugly. Kids who know how to play soccer will adjust. Some fields do give an advantage to certain teams sure, but why not then adjust to deal with those advantages. If you cannot, then you will lose.

I also watched the ASJE vs Liverpool game and yes ASJE passes very nicely, but Liverpool also let them pass. Liverpool was not very organized and basically just chased after the ball. There were moments later on when Liverpool sat in waited for ASJE and that was when they intercepted many of their passes.

Lastly, who cares if you take a shot from the kickoff? There is skill there too. How many players can take that shot and put it just under the bar to score? Not that many. Shooting at the goal is part of soccer and if you can do so from far away why wouldn't you. And those who say what are you teaching the kid or what is the rest of the team learning...it is a 5 second moment within a game...there will be others moments and other decisions can be made then too.

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In the end both teams have to play on the same field, whether it is small or big, turf or grass, beautiful or ugly. Kids who know how to play soccer will adjust. Some fields do give an advantage to certain teams sure, but why not then adjust to deal with those advantages. If you cannot, then you will lose.

Then why are so many parents whining about winning? You are giving away 10 min of a game for kids to “adjust” and I agree there is a degree of adjustment. Over the course of a Sean it has to account for some number of goals. If you lose or tie 4-3 but play better after the “adjustment” then don’t complain. Count it as a win?

I agree if the coach doesn’t disclose this ahead of time it falls into a gray area of being shady. I know plenty of coaches would like to prepare a little. I get it we are not talking about field quality just the size. It’s an advantage either way.

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I mean, you can complain about almost every pitch, except maybe PDA, CSA, FA, and Red Bulls. Union plays on a small pitch. Liverpool has a pitch with long patchy grass and a ridiculous slope that's probably some of the reason they punt and run instead control the ball. South Jersey teams almost exclusively play on bad grass pitches. Good teams can win on all of them.

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They beat both 2010 B and C - The STA Pre NL and the USYS one. I am not saying Union is the best what I am saying is that ball movement and IQ beats size in response to the parent making excuses why Liverpool couldn't hang with AS in a small field.

In the past year, Union has played the STA C Team (USYS) 3 times. They have won 6-0, 2-0 and tied 3-3. Union lost to the A Team (pre-ECNL) 0-4. They haven’t played against the B team (NL EDP). Just look at any of the game history on ysr or gotsoccer. If I am wrong, please let everyone know that actual game you are referencing.

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I mean, you can complain about almost every pitch, except maybe PDA, CSA, FA, and Red Bulls. Union plays on a small pitch. Liverpool has a pitch with long patchy grass and a ridiculous slope that's probably some of the reason they punt and run instead control the ball. South Jersey teams almost exclusively play on bad grass pitches. Good teams can win on all of them.

My son has played 100+ games and literally every single field is a different size. Sure, sometimes its more dramatic than others, but I rarely see that it matters in the end. Most are turf, but some have grass. Frankly, the difference between grass and turf is a bigger game changer than size. I agree these things can be an advantage to a certain degree, but this isn’t about a single game at u10. Frankly I have grown to appreciate the differences because it forces the boys and coaches to adapt.

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My son has played 100+ games and literally every single field is a different size. Sure, sometimes its more dramatic than others, but I rarely see that it matters in the end. Most are turf, but some have grass. Frankly, the difference between grass and turf is a bigger game changer than size. I agree these things can be an advantage to a certain degree, but this isn’t about a single game at u10. Frankly I have grown to appreciate the differences because it forces the boys and coaches to adapt.

No one is talking about field quality. Who cares about grass, dirt etc. what I am reading is basically half of the parents who don’t care about the EDP guidelines and half of the parents who think there should be a minimum for age groups. Any coach who doesn’t like a field size can put a complaint in with EDP. Other than that it’s just a part of the game.

ASJ plays on a smaller field and they pass the ball very well, that’s playing to their strengths. FA plays on a big field and they have bigger kids and play big. That’s to their strengths. Eventually they will all even out and then you can see who is left.

BTW the debate in the forum is great and shows why having an outlet like this is just what we need. Rankings aside if you read in between the MFS crap you can get a real sense of the overall 2011 landscape. Hopefully this thread continues to at least get a temperature of the age group.

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I mean, you can complain about almost every pitch, except maybe PDA, CSA, FA, and Red Bulls. Union plays on a small pitch. Liverpool has a pitch with long patchy grass and a ridiculous slope that's probably some of the reason they punt and run instead control the ball. South Jersey teams almost exclusively play on bad grass pitches. Good teams can win on all of them.

The PDA field we played on this season was no longer than the ASJ field. Definitely wider but 100% not longer. CSA field and REdbulls have the largest in my opinion. FA indoor field is in between all of them.

No clue about Liverpool’s field but I am sure there parents will make excuses and justify regardless!

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Think about it

With Liverpool playing that way they play they were able to fit in the top 10 according to this group. I have seen them play just like most of you have and they have talented kids. So the day they start moving the ball the way you guys want them to it’s going to be fun to watch. Putting aside the fact that In two years most of those kids will go somewhere else. As of right now, if they start the moving the ball better , they are going to take a huge step forward.

You guys love to hate on FA , CS Bergen , Union , Red Bull’s and Liverpool the most and they happen to be in the top 5 rankings. Hmmmm....

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7v7 field size

7v7 Field Dimension I. Minimum Length < 55 Yards Minimum Width < 35 Yards II. Maximum Length < 65 Yards Maximum Width < 45