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Post by tnsoccerparent on Nov 13, 2019 17:56:25 GMT -5
This question is for any person with competitive coaching experience and knowledge.
My child is a boys U12, and has been playing soccer since he was four years old (Three years academy club soccer, four years competitive club soccer). He has attended numerous extracurricular club sponsored camps, as well as a number of one-on-one training sessions over the years. The point being...he's extensively experienced and trained for an 11 year old.
He is athletic, lean, and usually one of the taller kids on his team. He has impressive ball handling skills (usually better than anyone on the field), He traps and settles the ball well, and makes good touch passes. He defends as well as anyone else and can really play anywhere on the field. He has decent foot speed but isn't the fastest player on the team...about average.
He has primarily played either midfield or center back. His heart is at midfield. but coaches always seem to want to push him to center back.
I am trying to understand why his coaches insist on putting the most skilled player at a position that doesn't require a ton of skills. My soccer knoweledge is paltry, so perhaps I just don't understand the logic. It has been a consistent experience with multiple coaches and at both clubs he has played at over the years. I don't want to keep lobbying coaches for midfield playing time on his behalf, but don't want him to miss development oppurtunities at the position he loves.
It would be easier to accept if I understood why. What is it about him that screams centerback to coaches. Can I get an objective opinion from someone with coaching knoweledge?
Any feedback is appreciated.
Just an added note. This is an '08 team but they always play up, so they do play 11v11.
I appreciate all the feedback.
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Post by footyfan on Nov 13, 2019 18:25:31 GMT -5
This question is for any person with competitive coaching experience and knowledge. My child is a boys U12, and has been playing soccer since he was four years old (Three years academy club soccer, four years competitive club soccer). He has attended numerous extracurricular club sponsored camps, as well as a number of one-on-one training sessions over the years. The point being...he's extensively experienced and trained for an 11 year old. He is athletic, lean, and usually one of the taller kids on his team. He has impressive ball handling skills (usually better than anyone on the field), He traps and settles the ball well, and makes good touch passes. He defends as well as anyone else and can really play anywhere on the field. He has decent foot speed but isn't the fastest player on the team...about average. He has primarily played either midfield or center back. His heart is at midfield. but coaches always seem to want to push him to center back. I am trying to understand why his coaches insist on putting the most skilled player at a position that doesn't require a ton of skills. My soccer knoweledge is paltry, so perhaps I just don't understand the logic. It has been a consistent experience with multiple coaches and at both clubs he has played at over the years. I don't want to keep lobbying coaches for midfield playing time on his behalf, but don't want him to miss development oppurtunities at the position he loves. It would be easier to accept if I understood why. What is it about him that screams centerback to coaches. Can I get an objective opinion from someone with coaching knoweledge? Any feedback is appreciated. Could be his coach(es) want a player they can trust back there. It helps them win games, and therefore the hearts of parents that want the team to win first. Could be they just think that is the best position for him. Could be ... Best thing to do have your CHILD take ownership and ask the coach to play him more at midfield. If the coach says no, have your son ask(in the same conversation) what he can do to become considered for midfield, because that is what he considers fun. The coach's answers to your son should dictate your next steps: Work to become middie on the team; Be the best CB on the team; drop down a team to play middie; leave the club to play middie. |
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Post by Keeper on Nov 13, 2019 18:40:47 GMT -5
This question is for any person with competitive coaching experience and knowledge. My child is a boys U12, and has been playing soccer since he was four years old (Three years academy club soccer, four years competitive club soccer). He has attended numerous extracurricular club sponsored camps, as well as a number of one-on-one training sessions over the years. The point being...he's extensively experienced and trained for an 11 year old. He is athletic, lean, and usually one of the taller kids on his team. He has impressive ball handling skills (usually better than anyone on the field), He traps and settles the ball well, and makes good touch passes. He defends as well as anyone else and can really play anywhere on the field. He has decent foot speed but isn't the fastest player on the team...about average. He has primarily played either midfield or center back. His heart is at midfield. but coaches always seem to want to push him to center back. I am trying to understand why his coaches insist on putting the most skilled player at a position that doesn't require a ton of skills. My soccer knoweledge is paltry, so perhaps I just don't understand the logic. It has been a consistent experience with multiple coaches and at both clubs he has played at over the years. I don't want to keep lobbying coaches for midfield playing time on his behalf, but don't want him to miss development oppurtunities at the position he loves. It would be easier to accept if I understood why. What is it about him that screams centerback to coaches. Can I get an objective opinion from someone with coaching knoweledge? Any feedback is appreciated. It’s 9v9 right? So there’s really not any true midfielders yet. One center backs are far more important then a dime a dozen midfielder. They have to be strong, smart and leaders on the field. Though to be a midfielder you have to be able to see multiple plays down the road. Know where the ball is going and how to get it there in multiple steps and maybe your kid just lacks that type of vision. Honestly it’s U12s so stop worrying. Most players have significant position changes from U12s to U14s so if he wants to play midfield trust the process or let him talk it out with his coach. |
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Post by footyfan on Nov 13, 2019 18:41:46 GMT -5
This question is for any person with competitive coaching experience and knowledge. My child is a boys U12, and has been playing soccer since he was four years old (Three years academy club soccer, four years competitive club soccer). He has attended numerous extracurricular club sponsored camps, as well as a number of one-on-one training sessions over the years. The point being...he's extensively experienced and trained for an 11 year old. He is athletic, lean, and usually one of the taller kids on his team. He has impressive ball handling skills (usually better than anyone on the field), He traps and settles the ball well, and makes good touch passes. He defends as well as anyone else and can really play anywhere on the field. He has decent foot speed but isn't the fastest player on the team...about average. He has primarily played either midfield or center back. His heart is at midfield. but coaches always seem to want to push him to center back. I am trying to understand why his coaches insist on putting the most skilled player at a position that doesn't require a ton of skills. My soccer knoweledge is paltry, so perhaps I just don't understand the logic. It has been a consistent experience with multiple coaches and at both clubs he has played at over the years. I don't want to keep lobbying coaches for midfield playing time on his behalf, but don't want him to miss development oppurtunities at the position he loves. It would be easier to accept if I understood why. What is it about him that screams centerback to coaches. Can I get an objective opinion from someone with coaching knoweledge? Any feedback is appreciated. Could be his coach(es) want a player they can trust back there. It helps them win games, and therefore the hearts of parents that want the team to win first. Could be they just think that is the best position for him. Could be ... Best thing to do have your CHILD take ownership and ask the coach to play him more at midfield. If the coach says no, have your son ask(in the same conversation) what he can do to become considered for midfield, because that is what he considers fun. The coach's answers to your son should dictate your next steps: Work to become middie on the team; Be the best CB on the team; drop down a team to play middie; leave the club to play middie. I should clarify, I say that not as a coach, but as a parent of a child that was in the same situation in the past. His coach, academy director and Technical director (all having played and/or coached at the professional level) noted that was exactly the way to handle it. He was in fact a comfort to the coach at back, but that coach recognized his request and worked him in as at midfield as well from then on. |
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Post by zico on Nov 13, 2019 19:00:59 GMT -5
Not a coaching expert but lived the exact scenario myself for 20 years as a half decent player and have kids in same position or have been. 3 experiences.
1. Myself. Natural CB but delusional. Always saw myself as a playmaking midfielder and pined for it. But always got “stuck” at CB. When I made sr squad and started playing with grown ups fighting for jobs, finally got a coach who told me why. He said “you’re no good absorbing pressure with your back against the goal and can’t turn with a big guy on your back to save your life. But your ballhandling skills, calmness under pressure, passing range, and ability to spot a line breaking pass or carry the ball and create something from deep makes you an ideal CB. Just accept it and be proud of it. You’re the youngest player on my squad for a reason. Play where I tell you...”. This coach was right.
2. Kid 1. Played at CB to win games. Best player on most of his teams until recently and on a rather strong team. Fast, technical and nose for goal. Little kid and can’t head ball. But more often than not playing as CB for 3 seasons a few years back. When I finally asked coach “why” he said “if kid doesn’t play at CB team gets murdered”. That moment I decided to move the kid to a different club. Not right for this kid as his coach all about winning versus development at age 10/11. In different environment kid is turning into a decent winger or attacking mid.
3. Kid 2. Late bloomer. Played CB at low level teams for years as he read game fine but not good w ball, slow, etc. Lately - improved tremendously and suddenly a rather decent CDM when given chance. But as his current coach realized he lacks defenders and kid knows where to be in that role, that’s where he plays - with freedom to take risks and express himself. Not a bad option
Scenario 1 and 3 - perfectly fine. Scenario 2 - less so...
Only advice I can give is
1. CB is a good spot. Nothing wrong. CBs have won my home country’s “best player” award for 3 years running and national heroes. Maybe not a bad spot for a player?
2. Ask your coaches or have the kid ask “why” and get some proper feedback. If “to win games” at u12, leave. If for good reasons, maybe recalibrate your views and let kid find his/her way.
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