Turning Pro at 13

I’d argue tho that hard work is not a legitimate knock against OM. She seems to be an extremely hard worker. It actually seems I’d argue the other way. She’s so single minded at the expense of all else and it seems as if no one (parents, coaches, advisors) are helping her by teaching balance and well roundedness.

If it’s my kid and they are super gifted and other worldly in focus and single mindedness I’d be working extra hard to rein her in. How many examples do we need to see of prodigies in every walk of life whose entire identity is _______ and even if they reach the pinnacle of whatever they are broken and hurting people. That’s my take. They are putting her in this spot so early for what gain? Not that much money and a path to pro that would be open to her anyways. But the parents seem all about it. I’d be fighting hard for normal and as much balance of being a kid with a unicorn ability cuz we all know how fleeting childhood is and how long and painful life is if your foundation is shaky and identity is in something that can end at any moment and will end before you know it.


Her attitude is obvious!! She really believes she’s better than the girls she practices with! Mommy and daddy have made her ego what it is and they need to figure out a way to burst that bubble head of an ego before it’s too late! I don’t know for a fact but heard the only honesty she got from a coach was at the Blues. Apparently, mommy and daddy disagreed so they took her to another club willing to do what her parents demanded! Very sad!! So much talent with such little guidance that benefits her besides the money part!
 
Her attitude is obvious!! She really believes she’s better than the girls she practices with! Mommy and daddy have made her ego what it is and they need to figure out a way to burst that bubble head of an ego before it’s too late! I don’t know for a fact but heard the only honesty she got from a coach was at the Blues. Apparently, mommy and daddy disagreed so they took her to another club willing to do what her parents demanded! Very sad!! So much talent with such little guidance that benefits her besides the money part!

If you do not know for a fact, you might consider tempering your words about a 13-year old. As for her parents, she would not be unique in the world of club soccer having parents who think they know best -- that is more the norm. Nor would it be the first time a Blues coach (or any other club soccer coach, for that matter) claimed to be the only honest coach in soccer.
 
Her attitude is obvious!! She really believes she’s better than the girls she practices with! Mommy and daddy have made her ego what it is and they need to figure out a way to burst that bubble head of an ego before it’s too late! I don’t know for a fact but heard the only honesty she got from a coach was at the Blues. Apparently, mommy and daddy disagreed so they took her to another club willing to do what her parents demanded! Very sad!! So much talent with such little guidance that benefits her besides the money part!

Spoken like a true parent waiving their check book at the coach.

You understand this is youth sports, right? All it takes is a small group of ego bruised parents to complain and threaten to leave when a star shits on their kids playing time.

It's simple math. Bench the new kid or lose 2-3 core members of the teams success. OM parents I'm sure have had a tremendous time navigating the politics of club soccer. If she's as advertised her parents made a great decision moving into a professional environment.
 
[QUOTE=" I don’t know for a fact but heard the only honesty she got from a coach was at the Blues. Apparently, mommy and daddy disagreed so they took her to another club [/QUOTE]

Lol. What was the wisdom. She needs to be able to kick the ball 70 yds and throw the ball to the back post?
 
Watched the Thorns/Pride game...

As for the game, it was very exciting, a surprisingly entertaining game to watch in the second half, with some very good football (after a pretty uneven start for Orlando).

I watched it as well. Orlando would have won without the dreadful mistakes by their defense and keeper.
 
Her attitude is obvious!! She really believes she’s better than the girls she practices with! Mommy and daddy have made her ego what it is and they need to figure out a way to burst that bubble head of an ego before it’s too late! I don’t know for a fact but heard the only honesty she got from a coach was at the Blues. Apparently, mommy and daddy disagreed so they took her to another club willing to do what her parents demanded! Very sad!! So much talent with such little guidance that benefits her besides the money part!

I think therefore I am. This is the attitude of champions. I tell my player when she’s on the field to “lean back and strut” and never let them see you sweat. Why do you have a problem with confidence and what are teaching your player?
 
Her attitude is obvious!! She really believes she’s better than the girls she practices with! Mommy and daddy have made her ego what it is and they need to figure out a way to burst that bubble head of an ego before it’s too late! I don’t know for a fact but heard the only honesty she got from a coach was at the Blues. Apparently, mommy and daddy disagreed so they took her to another club willing to do what her parents demanded! Very sad!! So much talent with such little guidance that benefits her besides the money part!
Except she left Blues for a bigger challenge of playing with Boys at TFA, then moved to Beach to play up in age (‘03) in a different system.

My DD has traveled with her and had nothing but nice things to say about her on and off the field.
 
I think therefore I am. This is the attitude of champions. I tell my player when she’s on the field to “lean back and strut” and never let them see you sweat. Why do you have a problem with confidence and what are teaching your player?
I don’t know much about her personally but in general terms there is a difference between confidence and grit verses arrogance. No matter how great a player is it is a bit off putting to others when a dad says his Dd will be the best player in the world at the age of 13. She may be but I say it is too early to say that.
 
I agree that arrogance is not good. On the other hand, if you want something in life I’m a firm believer that you have to “name it and claim it.”
I think goals should be specific like my kid is going to be the best in the world. As opposed to we’re just gonna do our best.

Muhammad Ali once said “if my mind can conceive and my heart can believe it then I can achieve it.” Ali epitomizes confidence to me.
 
I agree that arrogance is not good. On the other hand, if you want something in life I’m a firm believer that you have to “name it and claim it.”
I think goals should be specific like my kid is going to be the best in the world. As opposed to we’re just gonna do our best.

Muhammad Ali once said “if my mind can conceive and my heart can believe it then I can achieve it.” Ali epitomizes confidence to me.
I agree with you. You have to see it , name it and claim it but what you have said here is different from the quote I read by her dad
 
Confidence is talking like this and then going out and scoring a hat trick - https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019...ic-i-hope-i-motivated-carlos-vela-my-comments.

Love how he flatly corrects the interviewer that he said "the whole league, not just Vela" o_O.

"I have my confidence and I believe in myself. People call it arrogant, I call it confidence. Ignorant people call it arrogant, intelligent people call it confidence," Ibrahimovic said - https://www.espn.com/soccer/la-galaxy/story/3903033/zlatan-a-mistake-to-compare-me-to-vela.
 
Confidence is talking like this and then going out and scoring a hat trick - https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019...ic-i-hope-i-motivated-carlos-vela-my-comments.

Love how he flatly corrects the interviewer that he said "the whole league, not just Vela" o_O.

"I have my confidence and I believe in myself. People call it arrogant, I call it confidence. Ignorant people call it arrogant, intelligent people call it confidence," Ibrahimovic said - https://www.espn.com/soccer/la-galaxy/story/3903033/zlatan-a-mistake-to-compare-me-to-vela.
Love this!!
 
Mom played college soccer. Dad played college basketball. Know both of them. Great people. They have the resources to take that risk and skip college scholarships etc. They are very well off so if things don’t work out she’ll be just fine. But getting to know her and her work ethic that she has is what makes her different. She wants it more than her parents want it for her.
Highest work ethic my dd and I have seen at such a young age (3 years ago). 100% her wanting this, with parents who have the means to help her live her dream. Live the dream is in the Nike commercial I think.
 
The reason Olivia went pro is simple..when you googled her or her parent's names, you'd find out that they sell Essential Oils. If you want the same training Olivia received, you'll be able to have that luxury by selling their pyr...Essential Oils.
 
Still hold to my statement - your post above said "But what he wanted for her is to challenge her even more than what she was already getting in her Beach DA Team. This would be the next step for her development to be challenged at a higher level than what she was getting out of the U17 team. " She had a challenge playing in the U15 concacaf games and didn't stand out. That was only 2 years up - and now she has to play with adult women to get a challenge? I wish her the best of luck and time will tell how this turns out.

The other significant issue in this discussion has always been the limited payout for professional female soccer players. It doesn't match the men's salaries and for me that is a no-go with having my DD skip college opportunities and the social-emotional growth that goes along with those experiences.
 
Still hold to my statement - your post above said "But what he wanted for her is to challenge her even more than what she was already getting in her Beach DA Team. This would be the next step for her development to be challenged at a higher level than what she was getting out of the U17 team. " She had a challenge playing in the U15 concacaf games and didn't stand out. That was only 2 years up - and now she has to play with adult women to get a challenge? I wish her the best of luck and time will tell how this turns out.

The other significant issue in this discussion has always been the limited payout for professional female soccer players. It doesn't match the men's salaries and for me that is a no-go with having my DD skip college opportunities and the social-emotional growth that goes along with those experiences.
Just spoke with a parent whose daughter also played on that CONCACAF team. For them a college education was the priority.
 
Mom played college soccer. Dad played college basketball. Know both of them. Great people. They have the resources to take that risk and skip college scholarships etc. They are very well off so if things don’t work out she’ll be just fine. But getting to know her and her work ethic that she has is what makes her different. She wants it more than her parents want it for her.

"played college basketball". that's a little bit of an embellishment. Do you know where he played?
 
... But he said if they weren’t in their current financial situation then he would not have risked it. But what he wanted for her is to challenge her even more than what she was already getting in her Beach DA Team ...
If her father told you that, it is nonsense. She was so challenged at that level that she was hurting the team. You just have to compare what that team did last year, with what they did this year after she left (and basically playing one year up). One thing is dribbling towards your goal, ballhogging and losing the ball more often than not because you do not care to defend and whether the team wins or loses (all they cared was to get right two out of ten to make a highlights video), and another thing is playing soccer at the level, physicality and team commitment required to beat teams like Legends, Surf, Blues or Texans (MIA in those games). When the coach positions all other players to make sure that you can get your video, you are allowed to ballhog, and you take every free kick and corner kick even before you start playing in the team, you will score a few goals (and your team will lose games that should not lose)
 
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