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Its ridiculous how are youth leagues are. For them to matter at all you have to pay big bucks. The cheaper almost free leagues are so crap they don't mean anything. I remember youth soccer in Texas and to be competitive for it matter you had to shell out quite a few dollars. The poorer, sometimes better kids played in cheaper useless leagues that went no where. I remember my youth team took in a terrific amazing poorer mexican kid from the cheap league and payed for his participation.
I don't know how things are run now. That was fifteen years ago. I can only imagine it now.
^
I was kind of surprised myself now on how much it costs to say play on an 'elite' team. Inflation sure hit that area in my estimation. Guess it's the price to pay if an individual wants to be 'seen' nowadays and wants to go on and play in college or the pros later on.
^
I was kind of surprised myself now on how much it costs to say play on an 'elite' team. Inflation sure hit that area in my estimation. Guess it's the price to pay if an individual wants to be 'seen' nowadays and wants to go on and play in college or the pros later on.
it's the price we pay for not having a proper pyramid. With a real football pyramid with promotion and relegation we'd have more pro clubs spread throughout the country and more club funded academies. This is how it works everywhere else in the world.
You mean those organized youth leagues actually haven't set that up as the bedrock in developing skills! Whoa and we're wondering about where our place is in the hierarchy of soccer playing countries?
I ask that because I have be away from the youth leagues for a bit but more knowledgeable on the college end nowadays. Amazing if that isn't set up by now. Kind if ridiculous if we think
about it.
The little club my boys are in is focused on footwork, "moves", and mostly one v one skills. Passing and shape gets taught later, I'm told. The boys are still small and I see many clubs do not focus on foot skills when I watch them play, they seem to focus more on passing and shape. Passing and shape will win games, even at the youth level, but I personally don't think it makes better soccer players. I guess I'll find out...
I drill into their heads that they need to focus on moves and do moves almost every time they get the ball. I say this before every game:
1. control the ball
2. dribble and make a move (scissors, step-over, cut back, etc)
3. decision (dribble more, pass, shoot)
It is sometimes hard to watch, because they lose the ball a lot, but at their age I just want them comfortable with the ball.
The little club my boys are in is focused on footwork, "moves", and mostly one v one skills. Passing and shape gets taught later, I'm told. The boys are still small and I see many clubs do not focus on foot skills when I watch them play, they seem to focus more on passing and shape. Passing and shape will win games, even at the youth level, but I personally don't think it makes better soccer players. I guess I'll find out...
I drill into their heads that they need to focus on moves and do moves almost every time they get the ball. I say this before every game:
1. control the ball
2. dribble and make a move (scissors, step-over, cut back, etc)
3. decision (dribble more, pass, shoot)
It is sometimes hard to watch, because they lose the ball a lot, but at their age I just want them comfortable with the ball.
How old are your boys, that seems similar to what my youth league taught in Ireland when I was a sprog but it was for a short time. Learn how to keep it then learn how to pass properly. Kids generally dont have the coordination to pass the ball. I say similar as I cant speak 100% as I was a keeper though and my training was focused. It wasnt till I was 14 that I joined a team that the manager loved "total football" and had tonnes of DVD's and tried to teach me to be comfortable with the ball at my feet. It worked somewhat but I stayed traditional.
I can tell by the state of keepers now that most others had different training to me, my manager would not pick me if I slapped/punched balls away like keepers do these days. I had to catch it all the time.
How old are your boys, that seems similar to what my youth league taught in Ireland when I was a sprog but it was for a short time. Learn how to keep it then learn how to pass properly. Kids generally dont have the coordination to pass the ball. I say similar as I cant speak 100% as I was a keeper though and my training was focused. It wasnt till I was 14 that I joined a team that the manager loved "total football" and had tonnes of DVD's and tried to teach me to be comfortable with the ball at my feet. It worked somewhat but I stayed traditional.
I can tell by the state of keepers now that most others had different training to me, my manager would not pick me if I slapped/punched balls away like keepers do these days. I had to catch it all the time.
My boys are 7, so really young. The coaches say the style of learning is Brazilian, but I wouldn't really know or not. The guy that started the club lived and played in Brazil then moved near where I live...like 15 years ago. He had a daughter start learning in Brazil and couldn't find a club he liked here, so he started this one. It sounds like how they are learning is similar to how it is set up in Ireland.
A bunch of the neighbor kids switched clubs and I was talking to one of the moms during the last Brazil game (we had a BBQ), she was going on and on about how they are learning new things...passing and body positioning...and how great it is. I just listened and said, "that is great, I'm happy your happy." I have no idea if this is better or worse in the long run, but I want my kids to be individually good before they are good team players. That may make me selfish, but that is what I am thinking right now. Either way, they are really young, so just playing a lot is good.
On goalkeeping...my wife was asking me the other day why everyone punches the ball now and doesn't catch it. My response (that I made up off the top of my head) was that maybe that is less risky, if you can punch it in the right direction...if you aren't really confident you can catch the ball. I converted to goal keeper when I was a teenager and my coach was all about catching the ball if possible, too.
We did corner and free kick practice for about 20 minutes a training session with outfiled players. I had to A) Yell the ball was mine and B) jump and catch it. I was always taught to lift my leg to protect myself which not many keepers do either. But that box was mine and I made sure everyone knew it. Not many keepers play that way.
In other regions soccer is a middle/upper class sport? That I had no idea of. Sure, I live in a region that is quite different than the rest of the country demographically, but here that just isn't the case. The poor people here are the ones who like soccer, but they're also mostly immigrants (not said in a negative way but just telling the truth).
I will say that money can be a factor as leagues are getting more and more expensive, but that's true for every sport.
In other regions soccer is a middle/upper class sport? That I had no idea of. Sure, I live in a region that is quite different than the rest of the country demographically, but here that just isn't the case. The poor people here are the ones who like soccer, but they're also mostly immigrants (not said in a negative way but just telling the truth).
I will say that money can be a factor as leagues are getting more and more expensive, but that's true for every sport.
Everyone plays soccer. The point is that for leagues to matter at all you have to pay big bucks. The cheap leagues you see immigrants play in at your local park don't lead to anywhere.
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