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Post by 04gparent on May 31, 2017 8:49:27 GMT -5
Here is a question for someone with older players who are being recruited. Is it better to be a starter on the 2nd team or a bench player on the top team? Or is better to go to a different club to compete to be the starter on the top team?
Thanks!
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Post by infoguy on May 31, 2017 9:40:06 GMT -5
Playing near full time at your kid's appropriate level is the goal, I would say.
With regards to club, another club's top team may be the same or lower level than your current club's second team. I would pick the club with good coaching with growth opportunity.
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Post by Futsal Gawdess on May 31, 2017 11:00:27 GMT -5
From my experience one can't get any better unless they are actively involved in playing. Touches on the ball and becoming familiar with the oddities and bounces of the ball will only make you better. So given a choice of starting and playing more on a second team as opposed to riding the bench mainly on a top team, I would go with the former. Also remember, it's primarily about where your kid will be comfortable and develop. Hardware is good but is the club/team meeting or exceeding your goals and expectations.
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Post by forsythsd on May 31, 2017 11:11:05 GMT -5
IMO, most kids would be far better off as a second-team active player than a first-team benchwarmer.
Here's how it goes: kid sits, starts questioning ability to contribute and belong, thinks coach doesn't value them, loses confidence, becomes very self-conscious, stops having fun, starts dreading games and even practices, begins thinking about quitting the sport.
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Post by soccerfutbolfam on May 31, 2017 11:59:45 GMT -5
IMO, most kids would be far better off as a second-team active player than a first-team benchwarmer. Here's how it goes: kid sits, starts questioning ability to contribute and belong, thinks coach doesn't value them, loses confidence, becomes very self-conscious, stops having fun, starts dreading games and even practices, begins thinking about quitting the sport.I could I could not agree with this more. I've watched it with my own kids. It's even worse when there's a 'team' pet who can 'do no wrong'....and should be on the bench more. Sigh..... soccer.
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Post by goteam on May 31, 2017 18:48:05 GMT -5
The most important is the quality of the coach. Does not matter if you are on 1st , 2nd , 5th team or on the field off the field for games. If your child has a great coach- your child will develop into a fine player.
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Post by setpieces on May 31, 2017 19:53:08 GMT -5
The most important is the quality of the coach. Does not matter if you are on 1st , 2nd , 5th team or on the field off the field for games. If your child has a great coach- your child will develop into a fine player. This is correct! I've observed this with both of my children. Regardless of what level they've played on, they've ALWAYS improved more with the better coaches. In the early years (up to U13/U14) it's most important to have the "right" coach for your child. Level of play would be a close 2nd as they get older.
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Post by spectator on May 31, 2017 21:41:15 GMT -5
A great coach once told my kid that the game is the best teacher.
Playing time trumps level IMO
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Post by fridge on Jun 1, 2017 12:32:51 GMT -5
I think it is a VERY tough decision with no perfect or right answer. You obviously want great coaching, playing time and challenging competition. Meanwhile, you want your kid to have fun and confidence in the process.
90% of the touches occur in practice. This game is about speed of play and I think the difference in speed of play is at least 15% per level. And the speed of play gets faster quicker with the higher level team thereby expanding the gap. So, the more you play with good, talented and fast players, the more you will improve. And the inverse is true--resulting in minimized improvement or stagnation. Of course, confidence is huge and so, if the kid loses confidence sitting, than you defeated the purpose. So, I would recommend perhaps (1) playing lower level but try and practice with the high level team; or (2) develop on the high level team and then, switch to a team in the same league at a different club where you are more likely to play.
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Post by justaparent on Jun 1, 2017 12:55:55 GMT -5
As others have mentioned, the coach is the key to your answer. If there is a really big drop off in coaching quality from the first team to the second, then being a starter on the second team might not be as productive as you'd think. A lot of us are paying a lot of money for club soccer and it's because of the coaching. Focus on the coaches on the potential teams your kid might be on.
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Post by forsythsd on Jun 1, 2017 14:01:44 GMT -5
For anyone that would prefer first-team bench-sitter, I must ask: have you ever actually been in that situation? Have you had a year where your kid sat a lot, and would make the same choice again?
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Post by Soccerhouse on Jun 1, 2017 14:36:45 GMT -5
Yea, been through it. don't do it.
We were promised one thing, and another thing occurred. I don't need to go into great detail, but riding the bench on a first team that travels a lot is a painful experience. Your kid loses interest and starts to not care. Sometimes its not even your kids "fault" regardless of what they do or don't do, they don't get the opportunity. I've seen kids be told, over an over they have 5 minutes in a game to prove themselves..... And funny thing is they did, they would score, have an assist, or have some positive impact on the game. Didn't matter, next game, next weekend, next tourney, kid rode the bench.
Youth soccer is taking way to seriously at times and is treated like its the world cup.
find a good coach and ride it out with them. Its not always that easy given coaches change teams so often, but the grass isn't always greener on that top team.
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Post by soccerinsider on Jun 4, 2017 13:42:01 GMT -5
play.
ride the bench? its pay to play, not pay to sit
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Post by guest on Jun 5, 2017 14:36:56 GMT -5
For anyone that would prefer first-team bench-sitter, I must ask: have you ever actually been in that situation? Have you had a year where your kid sat a lot, and would make the same choice again?
I have been in that situation before. At U13 Fall season, we made the second team as a bubble player. Was co-captain of the team and was generally one of the better players. Practiced three nights a week. We asked the 1st team coach if we could practice with them on the 4th night and he agreed. The players and coach were, honestly, better. Definitely got a lot out of that 4th night. 1st team coach got to know the player and when someone went down with an injury, it was an easy choice of who to call up. Never looked back; now a starting member of the 1st team.
As people have said, it depends on the coach. A coach is who is honestly developing and selecting the best players, this would work. Someone who is always looking to recruit or playing favorites, maybe not.
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