Development or Winning

[Unregistered]

New to the conversation but you sound like someone who should coach my son-

He's a middie and technically very strong, some of the sharpest foot skills his age (late 2005) but plays up to 2004. I don't want to mention to club and get off track, but now that he has had time to adapt to 11 v 11 I find he chooses the safe pass to keep possession when on the smaller field he was more comfortable taking more risks.

I asked him why he plays it safe and not try to beat his man one on one and says its what he's been told, his job is first and foremost not to lose the ball.

I think he's become almost 'robotic' in his passing, his first touch is so dependable, and he's so reliable, his teammates look for him. Most attacks go through him, so unless he can make a high % pass forward, he doesn't do it.

To coach him with the reality that all the players on the team will quit by age 16?

I don't know your son, but sounds like you have higher goals than that...

[Unregistered]

To coach him with the reality that all the players on the team will quit by age 16?

I don't know your son, but sounds like you have higher goals than that...

You're twisting what I said. Some of my players are moving on to "elite". Others are dropping out of our middle tier program because they aren't serious about soccer. The net result is we don't have the numbers to continue. See how many non-"elite" teams you can find that stay together after U16. There are some out there, but they are rare. Now try to find a tournament for kids like that....a tournament with a U16 bracket where non-"elite" teams can still be competitive. For every kid who starts playing soccer at U16, there are at least three who are dropping out. Has nothing to do with the ability of the coach or even the club. I've watched a female U16 player start crying because there was nowhere for her to play at the rec level and she wasn't good enough for elite. Literally crying tears.

[Unregistered]

You're twisting what I said. Some of my players are moving on to "elite". Others are dropping out of our middle tier program because they aren't serious about soccer. The net result is we don't have the numbers to continue. See how many non-"elite" teams you can find that stay together after U16. There are some out there, but they are rare. Now try to find a tournament for kids like that....a tournament with a U16 bracket where non-"elite" teams can still be competitive. For every kid who starts playing soccer at U16, there are at least three who are dropping out. Has nothing to do with the ability of the coach or even the club. I've watched a female U16 player start crying because there was nowhere for her to play at the rec level and she wasn't good enough for elite. Literally crying tears.

"I coach a winning team. But now that my team is at the end of U16, most of the kids are losing interest in soccer and this will likely be our last year."

Face it...your comment blew up. You are coaching for a result, and results come in all shapes and sizes; on all courts and fields. Coach to learn the game, to play the game, and be passionate about the game.

Not the result.

Otherwise, they quit when they aren't winning. Because...that's all they have and there can only be one winner.

As for nowhere to play...there is ALWAYS a place to play if you've fostered the love of it. There are co-ed leagues, there are adult leagues, there are summer leagues stock full of kids and adults of all ages.

Heck, the league I play in has age ranges from 30 to over 80. It's there, if you want it to be.

[Unregistered]

"I coach a winning team. But now that my team is at the end of U16, most of the kids are losing interest in soccer and this will likely be our last year."

Face it...your comment blew up. You are coaching for a result, and results come in all shapes and sizes; on all courts and fields. Coach to learn the game, to play the game, and be passionate about the game.

Not the result.

Otherwise, they quit when they aren't winning. Because...that's all they have and there can only be one winner.

As for nowhere to play...there is ALWAYS a place to play if you've fostered the love of it. There are co-ed leagues, there are adult leagues, there are summer leagues stock full of kids and adults of all ages.

Heck, the league I play in has age ranges from 30 to over 80. It's there, if you want it to be.

Whatever. Dam right I coach for a result. To win and keep winning. The team consistently won games from about U14 to U16 once we hit our stride...we still dominate, again this season but this is our last season. The kids love the game and some are moving on to the highest levels available locally after this. Sounds like you're hearing what you want to hear. Not everyone will continue to play, and play adult league. I suppose some will. It's stupid to think that all of them will. My team had a great run and some are very sad that its ending.

[Unregistered]

Whatever. Dam right I coach for a result. To win and keep winning. The team consistently won games from about U14 to U16 once we hit our stride...we still dominate, again this season but this is our last season. The kids love the game and some are moving on to the highest levels available locally after this. Sounds like you're hearing what you want to hear. Not everyone will continue to play, and play adult league. I suppose some will. It's stupid to think that all of them will. My team had a great run and some are very sad that its ending.

Dominate. In rec. Sad it's ending, because they lost interest.

Really, the more you type the more evident the problem is.

You say there are no option, I say there are. You say it's stupid to think they all will pursue it...but maybe if you taught them to love the game, not the result, they would...

[Unregistered]

Dominate. In rec. Sad it's ending, because they lost interest.
Really, the more you type the more evident the problem is.
You say there are no option, I say there are. You say it's stupid to think they all will pursue it...but maybe if you taught them to love the game, not the result, they would...

Lets not bury this guy--he's a rarity in TS Land: A real human coach who is willing to relate his experience--warts and all. This is valuable insight amidst the usual petty squabling that goes on. Of course the BIG wart in them middle of his forehead is his desire to "dominate". He'll never recognize this as a problem--he's just not wired that way.

[Unregistered]

Lets not bury this guy--he's a rarity in TS Land: A real human coach who is willing to relate his experience--warts and all. This is valuable insight amidst the usual petty squabling that goes on. Of course the BIG wart in them middle of his forehead is his desire to "dominate". He'll never recognize this as a problem--he's just not wired that way.

True, and I'll dial it down.

[Unregistered]

Whatever. Dam right I coach for a result. To win and keep winning. The team consistently won games from about U14 to U16 once we hit our stride...we still dominate, again this season but this is our last season. The kids love the game and some are moving on to the highest levels available locally after this. Sounds like you're hearing what you want to hear. Not everyone will continue to play, and play adult league. I suppose some will. It's stupid to think that all of them will. My team had a great run and some are very sad that its ending.

Reality is most kids will leave the sport before college as they move on to other things. It is what it is. Enjoy what' left of the ride and the memories. Chances are the boys will have lots of good memories as well, even if they probably won't appreciate them right not

[Unregistered]

Lets not bury this guy--he's a rarity in TS Land: A real human coach who is willing to relate his experience--warts and all. This is valuable insight amidst the usual petty squabling that goes on. Of course the BIG wart in them middle of his forehead is his desire to "dominate". He'll never recognize this as a problem--he's just not wired that way.

Thanks, I think. I opened with a strong opinion on the importance of winning so perhaps I am wired that way. I can say that in the lower rungs of youth soccer, parents (and kids) are less likely to buy into the "we're getting our butts kicked because we are building better players" line of thinking for the simple reason that those parents, and kids, wouldn't be in the lower levels of soccer if they were very hung up on development in the first place. In simple terms, people who seek "elite" level soccer are interested more in development and less on winning. But the converse is also true...people seeking a soccer experience without an emphasis on development are there for the thrill of victory...otherwise why are they there?

As a rec to intermediate level coach, I've seen teams suffer from horrific attrition and then fold up because the coach was either under-qualified and didn't know how to win, or over-qualified and thought their main focus was to develop (and not necessarily win) while the parents and kids were there primarily to win. I've seen first-hand that once a win streak develops, it is no longer a problem finding players...the players and their families find you and you start ending up with something close to "select" soccer (whether intentional or unintentional). Some of these kids can be pretty good. Then kids also stay with you for long periods of time, and the team morphs into more of a family. It's actually pretty great, and I often think that players and parents who jump from team to team chasing a carrot in pursuit of a college scholarship that doesn't materialize really missed out on something special. There's a lot to be said for low-pressure, results-driven intermediate level soccer that forges friendships and isn't a grade point average killer. as a life style choice

One thing I've figured out is that with rec or intermediate level soccer, you only have a couple hours a week to work with your team. If you spent half of your time conditioning your kids, that would still only be an hour a week and what kind of impact could you make? Likewise, if you spent half of your time doing footwork, the kids aren't going to learn much of that either on an hour a week. So instead, a good coach will try to inspire the kids to do the lion's share (but not all) footwork and conditioning on their own time. So what does that leave for practices? Mostly drill's that create team cohesion and better decision-making....like 2 vs. 2 or offense vs. defense. So often, the end-product of the lower and intermediate soccer program (who come from winning teams) are players with high soccer IQs. And if those players have some natural talent or they actually do their "homework", they can be difference makers when they move on to the elite level (if they choose). They can't juggle the ball, but they know how to get past a defender because they've done it so many times in practice.

[Unregistered]

No thanks necessary, and I really mean that ;-)