What happens when kids don't practice as much

[Unregistered]

I hear parents getting bent out of shape when other children don't make practices for other activities. Oddly enough these often are very good players. It makes me wonder if you can be a very good player without practicing as much. How much is practice and how much is talent? Will all the practice in the world make a mediocre player good? Finally, what can be done about those kids who have very strong technical skills and can juggle like no one's business but they never get to the ball due to lack of speed? As a parent, this is one of the most frustrating things that I watch and bite my tongue over.

With this push to always practice more, play more and get private trainers I am not convinced that it works.

[Unregistered]

Winning is development

You are totally right. Practice and technical skills are unimportant. Neither the players nor the game they are playing will ever change.

Unskilled athletes will always dominate and the kids bodies never change, whoever is biggest and fastest now will always be the biggest and fastest. They will also always be playing jungle ball where everyone runs around like headless chickens, they will never mature and start playing more of a deliberate and controlled game, on a larger field, where those technical players can be passed the ball by their teammates, allowing them to use their skills to create.

Concentrate on winning now, make sure to show up to every game and emphasize every little thing that happens and don't sweat practices and training and for gods sake never play with a ball or watch a game on your own time.

[Unregistered]

I think that there should be balance with soccer and life in general. Parents are getting way too into the sport.... it isn't even about the parents and yet we can't seem to keep from screwing up a good thing.

[Unregistered]

no hope, or all the hope in the world

I hear parents getting bent out of shape when other children don't make practices for other activities. Oddly enough these often are very good players. It makes me wonder if you can be a very good player without practicing as much. How much is practice and how much is talent? Will all the practice in the world make a mediocre player good? Finally, what can be done about those kids who have very strong technical skills and can juggle like no one's business but they never get to the ball due to lack of speed? As a parent, this is one of the most frustrating things that I watch and bite my tongue over.

With this push to always practice more, play more and get private trainers I am not convinced that it works.

you can't teach talent.

yes, practice can make horrible players good, maybe even very good. but not great (this is why the us has not "produced the next messi")

a lack of speed is usually not the thing preventing those players from getting the ball, but a lack of aggression.

you can teach someone to run "better"/faster, but similarly you can't turn someone into an olympic champion if they're not naturally quick.

[Unregistered]

I hear parents getting bent out of shape when other children don't make practices for other activities. Oddly enough these often are very good players. It makes me wonder if you can be a very good player without practicing as much. How much is practice and how much is talent?

Will all the practice in the world make a mediocre player good?

The short answer is NO. Our club practices 3 times per week. Many of the kids are there for all 3 practices every week. Some of the best players only make 1 or 2, depending on the season. Yet, those best players continue to get better more quickly than the "C" team players who don't miss any practices. Some kids just have a lot more "soccer potential" than others and no amount of practicing is going to make any of them better than their potential.

If I had to simplify it, I would say that for players who are correctly placed on teams below the top 6 or 8 in the state, missing practices for other activities isn't that big of a deal. While competitive, this level of soccer is more social. These players aren't headed for D1 college or pro careers so cut them some slack.

For players correctly placed on the top teams, going to practices is more important because all of the other kids on the team should also be "high potential" and will quickly leave the "practice misser" behind, both technically and tactically. This will impact PT and enjoyment of the game. These "high potential" yet "uncommitted" players are often better off long term to play on lower level teams where they can make a strong contribution yet still enjoy other activities outside of soccer.

[VanBasten]

One person's opinion

Both my daughters play. My youngest will be a much better player than the older (she started with technical training at an earlier age, has better footwork/skills, etc). The older is more aggressive and just has the passion--the younger has the skill set and COULD be good--if she had the passion and the desire---it comes easy to her and she has had some success.
That said, both play basketball too. We get the 'dirty look' and 'stink eye' from a lot of the parents during the basketball season (say from mid-November until end of February)---in the past, we have ALWAYS tried to make at least 1 practice per week....basketball takes priority during basketball season and soccer takes priority from March thru November. Neither misses or skips practices otherwise. They attend all of the scheduled/mandated practices and trainings, all of the games and all of the off-season summer tournaments (to the detriment of missing family vacations over the years). I finally told my wife recently: What difference does it make? Both of our girls go to everything--they are both decent players (not great, but they can hold their own)----yet both only play about 1/2 of the game. The coaches have said 'game play time' is dictated by 'practice time'---if you come to the practices and trainings, you WILL play more in the games. This has NOT been true in our situation. So--from now forward, we will take those 1-2 weeks off in the summer and enjoy a nice family vacation. We will let them both continue to play basketball, as long as they enjoy it and and continue to have some success. End of the day----I really DO NOT care what the other parents say or think and the coaches all change to suit their needs as opposed to holding true to their original statements.....end of the day, winning is MUCH more important and takes a priority over loyalty, team committment, being there year round, showing up in 100 degree heat as well as 30 degree sleet/ice. It makes no difference---you can attend everything and only play 1/2 of the game or you can sparsely attend practices/trainings and play in 3/4 of the game.

[Unregistered]

For players correctly placed on the top teams, going to practices is more important because all of the other kids on the team should also be "high potential" and will quickly leave the "practice misser" behind, both technically and tactically. This will impact PT and enjoyment of the game. These "high potential" yet "uncommitted" players are often better off long term to play on lower level teams where they can make a strong contribution yet still enjoy other activities outside of soccer.

Many D1 athletes play multiple sports. Practice is all relative.

[Unregistered]

Many D1 athletes play multiple sports. Practice is all relative.

I think you can say that it isn't uncommon to find D1 athletes who play multiple sports, but to say many is not correct. One sport is time consuming enough. Two is really difficult to do, and to do well enough at the D1 level.

[Unregistered]

I think you can say that it isn't uncommon to find D1 athletes who play multiple sports, but to say many is not correct. One sport is time consuming enough. Two is really difficult to do, and to do well enough at the D1 level.

I am not saying multiple club sports which would be problematic. I think it would be more uncommon to go to a D1 college soccer roster and find more kids that played only soccer than those who played multiple sports. This is especially true of High school sports. As an example, most of the good soccer players run track because they are fast.

[Unregistered]

Both my daughters play. My youngest will be a much better player than the older (she started with technical training at an earlier age, has better footwork/skills, etc). The older is more aggressive and just has the passion--the younger has the skill set and COULD be good--if she had the passion and the desire---it comes easy to her and she has had some success.
That said, both play basketball too. We get the 'dirty look' and 'stink eye' from a lot of the parents during the basketball season (say from mid-November until end of February)---in the past, we have ALWAYS tried to make at least 1 practice per week....basketball takes priority during basketball season and soccer takes priority from March thru November. Neither misses or skips practices otherwise. They attend all of the scheduled/mandated practices and trainings, all of the games and all of the off-season summer tournaments (to the detriment of missing family vacations over the years). I finally told my wife recently: What difference does it make? Both of our girls go to everything--they are both decent players (not great, but they can hold their own)----yet both only play about 1/2 of the game. The coaches have said 'game play time' is dictated by 'practice time'---if you come to the practices and trainings, you WILL play more in the games. This has NOT been true in our situation. So--from now forward, we will take those 1-2 weeks off in the summer and enjoy a nice family vacation. We will let them both continue to play basketball, as long as they enjoy it and and continue to have some success. End of the day----I really DO NOT care what the other parents say or think and the coaches all change to suit their needs as opposed to holding true to their original statements.....end of the day, winning is MUCH more important and takes a priority over loyalty, team committment, being there year round, showing up in 100 degree heat as well as 30 degree sleet/ice. It makes no difference---you can attend everything and only play 1/2 of the game or you can sparsely attend practices/trainings and play in 3/4 of the game.

I am so in agreement with you. Parents are the ones who make the club soccer over the top ridiculous drama. In general, the kids don't really care. I know someone is going to rail back with a "if they are committed ...." but I call nonsense. I think commitment also means not letting your teammates down during the game... not just showing up at practice. Why is it that the most judgmental parents are also the ones whose children don't like to run?

[Unregistered]

D-1 athletes

Many D1 athletes play multiple sports. Practice is all relative.

Very, very few D-1 athletes play more than one sport. I'm not sure where you got that idea, but it's not true now in top D-1 programs.

[Unregistered]

Very, very few D-1 athletes play more than one sport. I'm not sure where you got that idea, but it's not true now in top D-1 programs.

From my daughter and her team and my son and his team. Believe what you will.

[Unregistered]

Very, very few D-1 athletes play more than one sport. I'm not sure where you got that idea, but it's not true now in top D-1 programs.

I can tell you where I got that idea: from the rosters at PAC 12 colleges.

[Unregistered]

Maybe phrased the wrong way??

I think you can say that it isn't uncommon to find D1 athletes who play multiple sports, but to say many is not correct. One sport is time consuming enough. Two is really difficult to do, and to do well enough at the D1 level.

I would say that it may be common for high school athletes that COULD be potential D1 athletes to play more than 1 sport in High School but very,very rare for an actual D1 athlete to compete, at a high level, to play 2 sports, while in college. Too many demands on their time.
I have seen it most common with D1 football players that may possibly run track. Your skill players (WRs and RBs) may run the sprints, on the track team but if you are on any other sort of team sport (Football, basketball, baseball, soccer)---you just DO NOT have time to play or compete in 2 D1 sports. Those are pretty much 'year round' while in college.

On the other hand, I have known high school athletes that are D1 recruits that have played in 2-3 sports, all at the varsity level, while in high school but have gone on to college to just focus on one. I know a couple varsity high school soccer athletes that are now playing on D1 teams that ran track--just to stay in shape. They probably WILL NOT run track in college though.

[Unregistered]

I would say that it may be common for high school athletes that COULD be potential D1 athletes to play more than 1 sport in High School but very,very rare for an actual D1 athlete to compete, at a high level, to play 2 sports, while in college. Too many demands on their time.
I have seen it most common with D1 football players that may possibly run track. Your skill players (WRs and RBs) may run the sprints, on the track team but if you are on any other sort of team sport (Football, basketball, baseball, soccer)---you just DO NOT have time to play or compete in 2 D1 sports. Those are pretty much 'year round' while in college.

On the other hand, I have known high school athletes that are D1 recruits that have played in 2-3 sports, all at the varsity level, while in high school but have gone on to college to just focus on one. I know a couple varsity high school soccer athletes that are now playing on D1 teams that ran track--just to stay in shape. They probably WILL NOT run track in college though.

I am the one that is suggesting that it is not uncommon for D1 athletes to have played multiple sports in high school. You may have just hit upon what the poster was having a difficult time believing. ie multiple sports in college. Yes, I too think it is rare for a D1 athlete to play multiple college sports. I still say that it is more common for D1 athletes to have experimented with multiple sports in high school.