What does a niche player mean?

[Unregistered]

I was talking to a coach who was watching my kid play told me that my kid
was a niche player. He explained that my kid was different in the sense that my kid was
very technical, fast, and strong lefty but can not be easily interchangeable with other kids
on the team. Can a huge impact player if know how to play well with the team and
not disturb the flow of the team. Confused I am, for sure. If this is a problem, how can
I help my kid? What kind of questions should I ask a coach/trainer for help? Is this
the correct term to use?
Thanks!

[Unregistered]

I was talking to a coach who was watching my kid play told me that my kid
was a niche player. He explained that my kid was different in the sense that my kid was
very technical, fast, and strong lefty but can not be easily interchangeable with other kids
on the team. Can a huge impact player if know how to play well with the team and
not disturb the flow of the team. Confused I am, for sure. If this is a problem, how can
I help my kid? What kind of questions should I ask a coach/trainer for help? Is this
the correct term to use?
Thanks!

No idea what the hell he means. Never heard of that description of a player. I'm guessing the dominant left foot? Always desired on a soccer team.

[Unregistered]

I was talking to a coach who was watching my kid play told me that my kid
was a niche player. He explained that my kid was different in the sense that my kid was
very technical, fast, and strong lefty but can not be easily interchangeable with other kids
on the team. Can a huge impact player if know how to play well with the team and
not disturb the flow of the team. Confused I am, for sure. If this is a problem, how can
I help my kid? What kind of questions should I ask a coach/trainer for help? Is this
the correct term to use?
Thanks!

It means while he looks like a nice player, I don't have a spot for him on the pitch....he's not going to play much.

[Unregistered]

Maybe it means he's got great skills and athleticism, but needs more game awareness and how to combine with other players off the ball?

[Unregistered]

Maybe it means he's got great skills and athleticism, but needs more game awareness and how to combine with other players off the ball?

Might not even mean great skills so much as has skills that only work best for certain positions/not interchangeable with other players. I suspect soccer IQ is also part of it as well, knowing the entire field etc. A player with good soccer IQ that can play just about any where is invaluable

[Unregistered]

I was talking to a coach who was watching my kid play told me that my kid
was a niche player. He explained that my kid was different in the sense that my kid was
very technical, fast, and strong lefty but can not be easily interchangeable with other kids
on the team. Can a huge impact player if know how to play well with the team and
not disturb the flow of the team. Confused I am, for sure. If this is a problem, how can
I help my kid? What kind of questions should I ask a coach/trainer for help? Is this
the correct term to use?
Thanks!

Means your kid is a ball hog and can only play one position and thus probably won't get much playing time

[Unregistered]

I have seen a few "niche" players. Usually means they only know how to play one position or one style of play and can't adapt to other positions or styles.

I'm guessing your kid plays left wing given he is a natural lefty. If he is athletic, he can run down the wing and beat his opponent with his pace, but he may not have the field awareness to play more central roles like midfield, may not have the 1v1 skill and natural aggression to goal of a striker, may be weak on his off foot so limited on right side play, and/or doesn't defend well or transition well on possession changes, so can't play outside back or holding mid.

The best thing you can do for you player is have him work on his off foot and soccer IQ/field awareness so that he can play multiple positions and fill in when his coach and team need it.

My kid primarily plays midfield because he is two footed, has excellent technical skill and great field awareness. He sometimes fills in at wing, striker and outside back when the team needs better matchups in those positions because he is adaptable and a good student of the game. Other players see limitied play time and only play certain positions because they are missing a key skill, field awareness or soccer IQ.

[Unregistered]

I have seen a few "niche" players. Usually means they only know how to play one position or one style of play and can't adapt to other positions or styles.

I'm guessing your kid plays left wing given he is a natural lefty. If he is athletic, he can run down the wing and beat his opponent with his pace, but he may not have the field awareness to play more central roles like midfield, may not have the 1v1 skill and natural aggression to goal of a striker, may be weak on his off foot so limited on right side play, and/or doesn't defend well or transition well on possession changes, so can't play outside back or holding mid.

The best thing you can do for you player is have him work on his off foot and soccer IQ/field awareness so that he can play multiple positions and fill in when his coach and team need it.

My kid primarily plays midfield because he is two footed, has excellent technical skill and great field awareness. He sometimes fills in at wing, striker and outside back when the team needs better matchups in those positions because he is adaptable and a good student of the game. Other players see limitied play time and only play certain positions because they are missing a key skill, field awareness or soccer IQ.

Wow.... your kid is great dad! Way to turn someone else's question into an opportunity to tout your kid. Where is little Messi committed to?

[Unregistered]

I was talking to a coach who was watching my kid play told me that my kid
was a niche player. He explained that my kid was different in the sense that my kid was
very technical, fast, and strong lefty but can not be easily interchangeable with other kids
on the team. Can a huge impact player if know how to play well with the team and
not disturb the flow of the team. Confused I am, for sure. If this is a problem, how can
I help my kid? What kind of questions should I ask a coach/trainer for help? Is this
the correct term to use?
Thanks!

Please don't take this the wrong way and get snarky with me, but that was coach speak for "your kid has something but just not enough". He was being polite. If you are objective you will take a step back and realize that coach just told you that your son was reaching the ceiling of his potential and now was indistinguishable from an average player. Most parents don't listen and you even have a few here who want to redesign all of American youth soccer to focus on the "crafty" or "technical" player that gets overlooked by coaches like the one that you talked with because they too are niche players.

[Unregistered]

Wow.... your kid is great dad! Way to turn someone else's question into an opportunity to tout your kid. Where is little Messi committed to?

poster is probably a Revs parent

[Unregistered]

Please don't take this the wrong way and get snarky with me, but that was coach speak for "your kid has something but just not enough". He was being polite. If you are objective you will take a step back and realize that coach just told you that your son was reaching the ceiling of his potential and now was indistinguishable from an average player. Most parents don't listen and you even have a few here who want to redesign all of American youth soccer to focus on the "crafty" or "technical" player that gets overlooked by coaches like the one that you talked with because they too are niche players.

I regularly note US soccer needs to focus more attention on skills and soccer IQ, because right when other countries expect more our kids typically play less. My soccer playing child was not a niche player. You can discredit or ignore my opinion if you want. I can't tell you how to feel. I can say you're wrong.

[Unregistered]

I regularly note US soccer needs to focus more attention on skills and soccer IQ, because right when other countries expect more our kids typically play less. My soccer playing child was not a niche player. You can discredit or ignore my opinion if you want. I can't tell you how to feel. I can say you're wrong.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding. You can chalk 1-2 coaches misreading a player's potential, but not a whole country's worth. Sometimes no matter how crafty or technical a player appears their inability to separate themselves from the masses is what pidgeon holes them as niche players.

[Unregistered]

As they say, the proof is in the pudding. You can chalk 1-2 coaches misreading a player's potential, but not a whole country's worth. Sometimes no matter how crafty or technical a player appears their inability to separate themselves from the masses is what pidgeon holes them as niche players.

Now you lost me. A poster complains about the overall level of skill in the U.S. A point I tend to agree with, especially the comment about most players playing less right when other countries ramp up the training, yet you bring the argument back to an individual pigeon holed player. Unless you are saying the entire level of U.S. play is pigeon holed compared to major soccer countries?

[Unregistered]

"Niche player" is the equivalent of "don't give up your day job"

[Unregistered]

Here's what I've learned over my many years in youth soccer at every level... a stud vital player at lower levels can become a niche player as they rise up to higher levels. So if your child is a niche player but plays on a top team, that might be ok and worth the trade-off for your family, but if it's not, then move them down to a level where they become a stud again. Might be only a level or two. On the other hand, if you have a kid that is a "niche" player on a low level club or travel team, well then it might be time to explore other sports.