Are all u12 teams playing up adding u13 players to their rosters, or are they true u12 (02-03), also what caliber are these u13 players playing on these mixed teams? Also if there are tournaments with u12 11v11 what will the true u12 teams play?
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For the most part, there are two groups. First, teams that just far superior or believe they arw far superior than other teams at this age group and want a better challenge. Second, smaller clubs that just want their team to survive at an older age level and cant field two teams so just grab as many players as they can. Beware of both groups first group is trying to prove they are top level,, but if your kid is in the second group you are already on borrowed time. -
Many rush kids into 11 v 11, consequently skipping a lot of development along the way. It is true that some teams are far above the pack, and they go to seek out better competition, but I think it would be better for the kids to master all the needed skills on the smaller field, with the smaller ball. Once you go 11 v 11, you focus on playing as a team, instead of focusing on the developmental skills needed on the bigger field. It would never hurt to keep a team back one more year on the smaller field, and just work on triangle passing, playing the ball from the back, one touch passes, etc so once they get to the big field, they will not feel lost. You have to find a coach that knows how to play good soccer if you want you kid to learn.Comment
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Its more complicated than that since the few coaches out there that know how to play good soccer are in most cases too obsessed with winning to spend a year entirely on developmental skills. it is extremely rare (like a freakin unicorn) to find a coach that knows how to play good soccer and teach it AND is not interested in proving to the world that he is the best soccer coach in a particular area. It's human to have an ego. Once the ego gets involved the lure to "play up" or play against the best is irresistible.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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You can tell by the drills they do one day into practice which coaches can teach triangle passing, playing the ball from the back, one touch passes, etc. and which do not or cannot. And it also depends on the kids you are playing with. The problem I have is that unfortunately the coaches that can and do teach this skills well tend to have outsized egos and come accompanied by groupie, my son will be a soccer stars in Europe type parents. The bottom line is that we need more quality soccer coaches. In my area I can think of 3-4 guys that can really teach the skills you mentioned above, and these guys are so into their egos as a top coach and so surrounded by crazy parents that it is a turnoff for most well-adjusted individuals.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Not quite as harsh on just the coaches, its starts at the DOC & Club President which emphasize winning today at every age group from U9 & up. This is heavily influenced by us as parents who put our kids at the clubs we think are better because they win...and so the cycle begins.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
The coaches that win now are perceived as better. Who do they want on their team? Too many time they choose speed, size and athleticism over technique, skill & soccer iq. This comes back to many of the previous comments. There are not enough coaches with the backing of their club to develop the players properly.Comment
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We seem to agree. To the point of this thread, the pull of playing U13 is irresistible, for all the wrong reasons. I almost feel like holding my son back on a B team playing U12, with a solid coach.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Too funny. I'm thinking about the same thing. My son is a U11 with a very good coach, who coaches the right way, but he will lose the team next year when they go U12 but play at the U13. It'll depend on who the coaches are for next year.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
I'm concerned because the likely coaches favor kick & run with tall fast athletic kids. I'd prefer my son have a coach emphasise technique, tiki-taka, and soccer iq.
I'm not against him playing up at U13's but need the right coach. We've played up the last 3 years as a team but have had the right coach.
To the point of the thread, I think it comes down to the preference or vision of your son's development and does that match the coach & team.Comment
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one of the reasons given by a few coaches for playing up is "everybody is doing it." REALLY ???!!!
or another classic is "it will prepare them for next year when they are U13" REALLY??!!
i guess ignorance is bliss!
There are so many reasons why 11 year olds should not play on an adult size field. I'll give a few, and I'm sure you all can fill in some
1) Their poor lungs are not fully developed to handle the extra running required on a big field. they are physically not ready
2) it stunts their development because they get much less touches of the ball when they're playing on a big field.
3) a lot of these poor kids have not even mastered the basic techniques required to play the game. Not to mention mastering the basic tactics of 1v1 and 2v1
but hey, everybody is doing it, so it must be right! right??Comment
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I think that playing up to U13 as a true 12 can be taken on a kid by kid basis. Some kids are not ready for it and some kids are. I have a son who is an early 03, meaning 1st quarter 03 birth, and he is big for his age and an above average athlete. We have played in a few 11 v 11 tournament, one at the end of last year and a couple so far this year. From what I see, they have not struggled physically all that much with the proper substitution pattern. Some of the smaller kids have not been as successful dealing with the size and strength of the older players. The bigger players have had a noticeable improvement in their games, as if they are freer with more space and a little more time on the ball. Now, I understand about the fewer touches on the ball, but I worked with him constantly outside of practice with is touch, passing, dribbling, shooting out of small spaces. Also, in practice for three 1.5 hour sessions, all that is worked on is short side, small space scrimmages and games. We do nothing in training with a larger field and we do not scrimmage on a larger field. On the rare occasion they do walk through positioning on a larger field, but now much. I think that 1 game in a regular league or 3/4 games in a tournament is not alot of time as a whole to not be working on small space soccer. Also, you are giving them an early education on full field tactics and positioning.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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With your kid, it seems like it makes some sense. My son will be average height and is an average 11 yr old. He has very good technical ability. I would prefer he stay in the small field for another half year to year. I think the adult field is too much for him and he needs some more time to not just understand but master the technical side of the game. I am not criticizing your specific situation; I am critical of the mentality that all good U12s are playing U13 and agree with the other guy in this thread that it does the majority of kids a disservice.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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I agree with all the posts, and you all sound like educated parents, not caught up with the hype of playing up. If a kid has all the skills in the world, great, do it, but most kids could use and extra year to refine their skills and strengthen their development.
About the coaches with the egos.....we have a lot of them in South Florida. I think most of them forgot it was about the kids, and not them getting the glory. It is very hard to find a coach that is approachable and will listen the a parent, understands the game, and can reach the kids by communicating effectively.
We have a average division 1 team that might find some success this year now that all the stronger teams are playing up. Our coach put our team 11 v 11 in the preseason, but registered us 8 v 8 for the regular season. I like this approach as it will give the kids a chance to do a little of both.Comment
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There's this academy in Miami that's the poster child for this 11v11 craze, they have 10 years old playing in big fields, can't tell what the outcome will be can only watch and see if they actually develop talent there it thru just crash and burn.Comment
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u12 players should NOT be plying 11 a side. if they want to dabble in a couple 11 a side games at end of year to see what it is like, then fine, but it is stated in the FA courses and UEFA youth that players should play small sided until u15. they play 9v9 at that point. it is about touches and development. the clubs i see pushing kids into 11 a side with u11's are simply doing it to make the parents think they are better than they are. it is an absolute mistake!!Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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My daughters u12 team is playing u13 this season. In NF, there's three clubs doing it (for both boys and girls). One club has a long standing history of pushing their top tier team into the next age division which of course pushes other clubs to follow. I do believe her coach is a fantastic coach who is balancing their development with learning to play 11v11. I'm not sold on them playing up this season but they are also being given opportunities to continue to play 8v8, which they'll play in region cup.
So far, my only concern has been size. When you have a younger 02/03 playing against an older 01/02 there can be quite the size difference. Quite a few times so far, I have held my breath as one of the 12s face is right at the level of a 13s elbow.Comment
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