# When or reasons why to switch positions?



## Fishtacos (Aug 22, 2017)

Hey all,
      Lurker coming in from the dark. Have ulittle dd who plays forward positions. No complaints. Recently, coach moved temporarily girls around to experience different positions and field awareness. All good. She played left/right back which made sense since she plays winger alot. She didn't like it too much, but made sense when she joined in the attack and knew how forwards play. She is one of the top goal/assist makers, so that isn't the issue. But would be good if she knew how to play left/right back.

Made me thunk a bit of what if scenarios. I recall a post about someone's kid switching
positions in high school and now is a stud in college. When or reasons why someone would
switch positions. Forced by the coach? By own choice? How would one know when to switch?
Or am I overthinking things. Thoughts or experiences?


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## chargerfan (Aug 22, 2017)

Fishtacos said:


> Hey all,
> Lurker coming in from the dark. Have ulittle dd who plays forward positions. No complaints. Recently, coach moved temporarily girls around to experience different positions and field awareness. All good. She played left/right back which made sense since she plays winger alot. She didn't like it too much, but made sense when she joined in the attack and knew how forwards play. She is one of the top goal/assist makers, so that isn't the issue. But would be good if she knew how to play left/right back.
> 
> Made me thunk a bit of what if scenarios. I recall a post about someone's kid switching
> ...


You're overthinking. Be happy you have a coach that isn't pigeon holing your child and is playing them in different position. Have fun with it.


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## Fact (Aug 22, 2017)

Ulittles should learn every position!


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## chargerfan (Aug 22, 2017)

Fact said:


> Ulittles should learn every position!


Not to mention there are girls who are great forwards when they are young but don't cut it at the older ages due to size, speed, skill deficiency.


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## MWN (Aug 23, 2017)

chargerfan said:


> You're overthinking. Be happy you have a coach that isn't pigeon holing your child and is playing them in different position. Have fun with it.


Agree.  

If the goal is to have your kid play a single position really good at a key development level and then later on have them benched and lose potential scholarship opportunities because they don't understand every position, they are not as fast now that puberty has done its work, or there are 2 other players a little better and smarter at her position ... then this coach is clearly not for you.

If on the other hand the goal is to have your kid "develop" as a fully rounded soccer player, with knowledge and understanding of all the positions from GK to Forward and everything in between, which will create additional opportunities as she gets older to play in positions that are "team needs," which eventually may translate into multiple scholarship offers because the college coaches see a player that is rounded and can help the team, then buy your coach a gift card, and thank your lucky stars you have a uLittle coach that puts development of players over winning a extra game or two.

What is the most important position on the soccer field?  Forwards and Wingers because they score goals?  Midfielders because the defense and attack flow through them?  Defenders because defense wins championships?  Goalkeepers because you can't lose if the other team can't score?

Answer: Every single position is important (but a good GK is worth their weight in gold)


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## rainbow_unicorn (Aug 23, 2017)

Pigeon-holing into positions = Good for team in short-term for winning games, Bad for players in long-term as they don't become complete players.


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## Deadpoolscores! (Aug 23, 2017)

Then you have that old saying "Jack of all trades but, Master of nothing" this applies when you constantly change their positions. Have them master 1 position 1 at a time and let nature take its course. Some kids are just natural strikers some are not. Just like some kids are naturally fast and some are not...you can improve their speed but doesn't mean that one day they will be as fast as other kids that are naturally fast. Some kids are just naturally book smart and some more street smart very rare to have both....See where I'm getting at.
I have seen old videos of Leo Messi when he was a kid always played the same position and eventually played another one but never as a defender or goalie as a example.  One would think a well rounded player would be one that understand the concepts of playing offensively and defensively not the position itself.


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## bruinblue14 (Aug 23, 2017)

I think it sort of depends on the coach and the kid's strengths. At the younger ages, yes, play everywhere, but as you start to get into key development years, start to specialize in a couple different ones. Mine has been "pigeon holed" as a holding mid (a notoriously unglamorous position) for quite a few years and has become a bit of a specialist in a good way. It's the position that makes the best use of her strengths and tendencies and is a hard position that takes time to learn. But I do wish she had more comfort/familiarity playing other positions and I've heard many times that versatility is key. My advice would also be to let the coach do his/her job and put your kid where they want. Too many times I've heard of parents complaining that the coach is forcing their kid to play defense when really they should be a forward. I think that just comes from parents wanting the feeling of "woo hoo, my kid scored a goal" and not in the interest of the player's development. And coming from a parent of a kid who loves defense, defenders get no love!


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## Simisoccerfan (Aug 23, 2017)

I believe it is good to learn to play all positions at an early age.  Ultimately you want your kid playing a position that they enjoy and excel at.  There many reasons and circumstances as they get older to switch positions.  Do their skills not fit their current position?  Is there a stud ahead of them getting all of the playing time at their position?  Does the team need them somewhere else?   A good coach will work with your kid to find the best position for their skill set.  Recognize that this skill set will change over time.


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## Soccer_newbie (Aug 23, 2017)

bruinblue14 said:


> I think it sort of depends on the coach and the kid's strengths. At the younger ages, yes, play everywhere, but as you start to get into key development years, start to specialize in a couple different ones. Mine has been "pigeon holed" as a holding mid (a notoriously unglamorous position) for quite a few years and has become a bit of a specialist in a good way. It's the position that makes the best use of her strengths and tendencies and is a hard position that takes time to learn. But I do wish she had more comfort/familiarity playing other positions and I've heard many times that versatility is key. My advice would also be to let the coach do his/her job and put your kid where they want. Too many times I've heard of parents complaining that the coach is forcing their kid to play defense when really they should be a forward. I think that just comes from parents wanting the feeling of "woo hoo, my kid scored a goal" and not in the interest of the player's development. And coming from a parent of a kid who loves defense, defenders get no love!


Definitely agree with everything you said.  My dd is not quite  uolder yet but has played for several different coaches.  One coach had her pigeon holed as a defender, mainly holding mid, because of her defensive tendency.  And although she was one of the smallest on the team, her heart and tenacity made for a strong holding mid.  Another had her pigeon holed higher up on the field, striker/attacking mid, because of her speed and agility.  And another had her playing different positions.  She's just fortunate enough to be able to explore the different positions and develop at all of them.  I think it's great that they learn all the positions because you never know what a particular team needs.


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## labanLB (Aug 23, 2017)

I'm no expert.  Green to the soccer scene.  IMO, what is important is finding a coach that allows the players to play multiple positions.  That coach also needs to teach skill, skill, skill, skill.  With technique and skill you can play anywhere on the field.


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## MakeAPlay (Aug 23, 2017)

Deadpoolscores! said:


> Then you have that old saying "Jack of all trades but, Master of nothing" this applies when you constantly change their positions. Have them master 1 position 1 at a time and let nature take its course. Some kids are just natural strikers some are not. Just like some kids are naturally fast and some are not...you can improve their speed but doesn't mean that one day they will be as fast as other kids that are naturally fast. Some kids are just naturally book smart and some more street smart very rare to have both....See where I'm getting at.
> I have seen old videos of Leo Messi when he was a kid always played the same position and eventually played another one but never as a defender or goalie as a example.  One would think a well rounded player would be one that understand the concepts of playing offensively and defensively not the position itself.


So you use the example of a singular talent like Lionel Messi to generalize to ALL youth players...   I'm not sure that is equivalent.  I can tell you from experience and conversations with actual coaches above the youth level and versatility is valued.  One of my players teammates who is the focus of their offense used to start on defense and prior to that offense.  Taylor Smith for the NC Courage who just burst onto the scene with the USWNT played forward in college but starts at defender.  I can go on but anyone that follows the women's game at the highest levels already knows that what I am saying is true.

Sorry but your post is incorrect.


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## MakeAPlay (Aug 23, 2017)

bruinblue14 said:


> I think it sort of depends on the coach and the kid's strengths. At the younger ages, yes, play everywhere, but as you start to get into key development years, start to specialize in a couple different ones. Mine has been "pigeon holed" as a holding mid (a notoriously unglamorous position) for quite a few years and has become a bit of a specialist in a good way. It's the position that makes the best use of her strengths and tendencies and is a hard position that takes time to learn. But I do wish she had more comfort/familiarity playing other positions and I've heard many times that versatility is key. My advice would also be to let the coach do his/her job and put your kid where they want. Too many times I've heard of parents complaining that the coach is forcing their kid to play defense when really they should be a forward. I think that just comes from parents wanting the feeling of "woo hoo, my kid scored a goal" and not in the interest of the player's development. And coming from a parent of a kid who loves defense, defenders get no love!


What happens when a superstar holding mid joins your kid's team?  And by that I mean what if the coach says that the new kid is the 6 and your kid only gets 0-10 minutes a game at holding mid?  I'm curious because most coaches try to get their best 10 field players on the field and will adjust tactics and formations accordingly and if you happen to have two great 6's (or 8's or 10's) among the first 10 then what?


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## bruinblue14 (Aug 23, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> What happens when a superstar holding mid joins your kid's team?  And by that I mean what if the coach says that the new kid is the 6 and your kid only gets 0-10 minutes a game at holding mid?  I'm curious because most coaches try to get their best 10 field players on the field and will adjust tactics and formations accordingly and if you happen to have two great 6's (or 8's or 10's) among the first 10 then what?


Then she'll have to learn to be good at something else.  And her skills in general (touch, passing, defending, vision) are solid so I'm sure she could adapt. And if not, well, then we find another coach that has a need and values her for who she is.


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## watfly (Aug 23, 2017)

Positions evolve over time and to a great degree it is not necessarily based upon the position that is best suited for your child but based upon the need of the team and the perception of the coach.  A good developmental coach will have the youngers play all positions.  Unfortunately, IMO kids get pigeon-holed far too early.  All coaches are different, some put their best players in attacking positions while others put them at defensive positions.  Specialization should wait until a player is much older.

Keep in mind that if your child is on an A team at a decent club, odds are pretty good that most of the players on that team were the scoring stud on their previous rec or ulittle club team.  Additionally, many parents base their kids soccer worth on how many goals they score.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard from parents "my child can't play defense".  What they really mean is "I don't want my kid to play defense".  Of course, not everyone can play forward.  It seems that the U11, U12 is where the players transition to playing other roles as the competition for forward positions increases.  At this point, both kids and parents need to understand that players can contribute in many other ways and that their worth is not based on how many goals they score.

Some parents may have a different opinion based on their experience, but it doesn't seem to me that you "flip a switch" and change positions, more so that a child evolves into a position over time, and some of those factors for the evolution you have absolutely no control over.  So I'm going to sit back and let it happen (although that might not have been my attitude two years ago).


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## Deadpoolscores! (Aug 23, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> So you use the example of a singular talent like Lionel Messi to generalize to ALL youth players...   I'm not sure that is equivalent.  I can tell you from experience and conversations with actual coaches above the youth level and versatility is valued.  One of my players teammates who is the focus of their offense used to start on defense and prior to that offense.  Taylor Smith for the NC Courage who just burst onto the scene with the USWNT played forward in college but starts at defender.  I can go on but anyone that follows the women's game at the highest levels already knows that what I am saying is true.
> 
> Sorry but your post is incorrect.


I was referring when Leo Messi was young not as a adult. Also I agree with Simissoccerfan "  Ultimately you want your kid playing a position that they enjoy and excel at." Hence letting nature take its course. When they are little they will enjoy certain position let them enjoy it, sooner or later they will want to learn a different one. Hence the mastering of a position then learning another. Like other people had mention worst scenario are coaches that pigeon them because the coach wants them to play that particular position. No kid will have fun if they are dictated in one spot. Going back to Messi if you hear his interview he even states that he enjoyed the position he played and to this dates loves. I'll try to find it and post it. Also you can't compare American soccer methods vs other countries. Refer to the post "Thoughts on Italian Youth Soccer"


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## MakeAPlay (Aug 23, 2017)

bruinblue14 said:


> Then she'll have to learn to be good at something else.  And her skills in general (touch, passing, defending, vision) are solid so I'm sure she could adapt. And if not, well, then we find another coach that has a need and values her for who she is.


So are you saying that she would play another position on the same team?  Or are you saying that she would just leave if someone is better than her?


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## MakeAPlay (Aug 23, 2017)

watfly said:


> Positions evolve over time and to a great degree it is not necessarily based upon the position that is best suited for your child but based upon the need of the team and the perception of the coach.  A good developmental coach will have the youngers play all positions.  Unfortunately, IMO kids get pigeon-holed far too early.  All coaches are different, some put their best players in attacking positions while others put them at defensive positions.  Specialization should wait until a player is much older.
> 
> Keep in mind that if your child is on an A team at a decent club, odds are pretty good that most of the players on that team were the scoring stud on their previous rec or ulittle club team.  Additionally, many parents base their kids soccer worth on how many goals they score.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard from parents "my child can't play defense".  What they really mean is "I don't want my kid to play defense".  Of course, not everyone can play forward.  It seems that the U11, U12 is where the players transition to playing other roles as the competition for forward positions increases.  At this point, both kids and parents need to understand that players can contribute in many other ways and that their worth is not based on how many goals they score.
> 
> Some parents may have a different opinion based on their experience, but it doesn't seem to me that you "flip a switch" and change positions, more so that a child evolves into a position over time, and some of those factors for the evolution you have absolutely no control over.  So I'm going to sit back and let it happen (although that might not have been my attitude two years ago).


Great post and very true.  What little Mia plays now at ULittles might not be her best position in the future.  Why not get her experience playing multiple positions NOW when the games don't matter?  I know why.  Like you said so much of it is tied up in the parents ego which is why most don't even truly recognize their players true strengths and weaknesses (meaning they never address them) and/or they don't understand what true development entails.  By the time they do it is too late.  Instead of their player perhaps developing into a great defender/midfielder/forward they resist and end up finding a coach that will play them at their preferred position up until they run out of options.  But you already know this and are being proactive.  Good job.


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## MakeAPlay (Aug 23, 2017)

Deadpoolscores! said:


> I was referring when Leo Messi was young not as a adult. Also I agree with Simissoccerfan "  Ultimately you want your kid playing a position that they enjoy and excel at." Hence letting nature take its course. When they are little they will enjoy certain position let them enjoy it, sooner or later they will want to learn a different one. Hence the mastering of a position then learning another. Like other people had mention worst scenario are coaches that pigeon them because the coach wants them to play that particular position. No kid will have fun if they are dictated in one spot. Going back to Messi if you hear his interview he even states that he enjoyed the position he played and to this dates loves. I'll try to find it and post it. Also you can't compare American soccer methods vs other countries. Refer to the post "Thoughts on Italian Youth Soccer"


What age group is your player?


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## Brian (Aug 23, 2017)

watfly said:


> Keep in mind that if your child is on an A team at a decent club, odds are pretty good that most of the players on that team were the scoring stud on their previous rec or ulittle club team.  Additionally, many parents base their kids soccer worth on how many goals they score.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard from parents "my child can't play defense".  What they really mean is "I don't want my kid to play defense".  Of course, not everyone can play forward.  It seems that the U11, U12 is where the players transition to playing other roles as the competition for forward positions increases.  At this point, both kids and parents need to understand that players can contribute in many other ways and that their worth is not based on how many goals they score.
> 
> Some parents may have a different opinion based on their experience, but it doesn't seem to me that you "flip a switch" and change positions, more so that a child evolves into a position over time, and some of those factors for the evolution you have absolutely no control over.  So I'm going to sit back and let it happen (although that might not have been my attitude two years ago).


i couldn't agree more regarding the perception that scoring goals is the only measure of success.  My DD was a solid forward in rec and scored often there.  When she moved to club she was placed at center back.  I was so proud of her transition because she never looked back.  I told her that every final score has two numbers and her team was responsible for both of them.  Today a shutout means more to her than a hat trick.


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## Simisoccerfan (Aug 23, 2017)

I think this is a very interesting topic and their are many factors involved.  One side there is how you kid grows and develops over time.  What skills do they have? Speed, touch, height, endurance, strength, good with their head, can they use either foot, vision, passion, drive etc...  These factors and more all come into play.  Another side is how good your kid is relative to the other players on your team.  A third side is the style your coach wants to play and how they see your kid fitting in to that style.  It's complex.   That's why versatility is a must.  If someone is better than you at your preferred position you need to be better than someone else at their position.  Or maybe just be happy with being part of a time and contributing however you can.


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## bruinblue14 (Aug 23, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> So are you saying that she would play another position on the same team?  Or are you saying that she would just leave if someone is better than her?


I guess it would depend on a lot of factors. No, we wouldn't just leave if another player was better than her. If the coach was good and willing to let her learn another position and gave her good time then yes, we'd stay, absolutely. If my kid was only getting 10 min a game total in any position, I would think it wouldn't be good for her developmentally and we'd look for another team when the time came. I would also ask my kid what she wants to do.


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## outside! (Aug 23, 2017)

DD was a defender when she joined her first club team. She then moved to center mid. After a move to a new team, she was a forward. When she moved to her current team, she played forward. A couple of years later, at the beginning of the 2nd half of a game in the middle of the season, I see her at right defense. She still occasionally plays defense when needed (at the beginning of a game on a hot day the coach said she would be playing defense, one of the forwards said "Lucky, less running"). For a while she mostly played outside mid (left or right), but also played some center mid and free roll. She played goal keeper a few months ago (at U18) for the 2nd half during National Cup. Last week she played forward.

Have your player concentrate on first touch, skills, soccer IQ and as they get older, injury prevention and fitness. Don't worry about what position they play.


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## Grace T. (Aug 23, 2017)

outside! said:


> DD was a defender when she joined her first club team. She then moved to center mid. After a move to a new team, she was a forward. When she moved to her current team, she played forward. A couple of years later, at the beginning of the 2nd half of a game in the middle of the season, I see her at right defense. She still occasionally plays defense when needed (at the beginning of a game on a hot day the coach said she would be playing defense, one of the forwards said "Lucky, less running"). For a while she mostly played outside mid (left or right), but also played some center mid and free roll. She played goal keeper a few months ago (at U18) for the 2nd half during National Cup. Last week she played forward.
> 
> Have your player concentrate on first touch, skills, soccer IQ and as they get older, injury prevention and fitness. Don't worry about what position they play.



I agree that kids should play various positions and be versatile, but the 2 positions which are the hardest for it are probably the GK slot (since the skills are sooooo very different) and the CF (particularly after heading comes into play)....the winger slot can also be a challenge though not impossible since the player needs a good cross (and though I agree every player should know how to cross, it takes a lot of practice to do it well).


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## watfly (Aug 23, 2017)

I might add that the cool part about soccer is the same position is fluid depending on the coach and even the game.  Yes, there are some coaches that are very strict about positions to the point of the imaginary box that your child must stay within, but a left back on one team may have significantly different responsibilities than a left back on another team.

One cool part about having your player change positions is you get to follow and appreciate the skills of pro players in your child's position.  So it doesn't have to always be about Messi and Ronaldo, it can be about Marcelo.


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## bruinblue14 (Aug 23, 2017)

watfly said:


> So it doesn't have to always be about Messi and Ronaldo, it can be about Marcelo.


I love Marcelo! One of my fave players to watch. And I am not a Real fan.


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## Deadpoolscores! (Aug 23, 2017)

bruinblue14 said:


> I love Marcelo! One of my fave players to watch. And I am not a Real fan.


I have to agree Marcelo shows how defender can still be a threat up top as a defender.


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## timbuck (Aug 23, 2017)

There's a bit of a balance-
What's best for the player
What's best for the team
What is the player best at
What will make the player love the game

I always find if funny when younger teams are posting on here for a "full time gk" or "impact defender" for a team of 9 year olds. 
There are some rare 9 year olds that love playing in goal and that's all they want. But for the majority, if they play every minute of every game in goal, they'll be looking to play softball, volleyball or lacrosse pretty soon.


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## MakeAPlay (Aug 23, 2017)

watfly said:


> I might add that the cool part about soccer is the same position is fluid depending on the coach and even the game.  Yes, there are some coaches that are very strict about positions to the point of the imaginary box that your child must stay within, but a left back on one team may have significantly different responsibilities than a left back on another team.
> 
> One cool part about having your player change positions is you get to follow and appreciate the skills of pro players in your child's position.  So it doesn't have to always be about Messi and Ronaldo, it can be about Marcelo.


Great post.  Speaking of Marcelo...


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## Grace T. (Aug 23, 2017)

timbuck said:


> There's a bit of a balance-
> What's best for the player
> What's best for the team
> What is the player best at
> ...


Well, as the mom of a kid whose primarily GK but also plays on the wing, the training is very different and there is a lot to learn.  It's almost like learning 2 different sports to keep both skillsets up.  I've said it before....I'm fine with coaches rotating the goalkeepers with untrained player so long as they don't expect them to perform moves which if not trained properly could lead to injuries....including tackling the one v one, diving (particularly high diving) and defending a high cross....basically if their expectations are for the keepers to stop what they can without taking too many risks.  Our coaches did it right when they named him the starter....they started to make sure he had mastered the ground techniques and forward dive, then built into the ground dive (which he has gotten very good at), high balls and have only recently moved into encouraging him to slide tackle and one v. one.  And they did all this before focusing on his distribution (which I understand they are going to do last).  My guess is they'll probably move to the cross next, but they might surprise me.  From what I've discussed with them, they don't expect him (or any of the other GKs) to have achieved competence is all the basic moves (let alone mastered) for at least 2 years since they start training.


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## soccer_dad (Aug 23, 2017)

I also have a ulittle kid who plays mostly 6.  He is good at first touch and has great soccer IQ for his age. With him on the field, the offense of the team flows smoothly. Knows how to dribble to create space and can also deliver the passes with good timing and speed for other players to receive the ball. One big problem is he is the smallest on the team and he lacks in physical strength. He is also not aggressive in nature. When defending, he often reacts to the play rather than go first to the ball.  Quite often the opponent can pass by him and directly go the goal. Lately, I have seen his play time reduce significantly which also affects his confidence. Shall I force his to play aggressively or just ask the coach to switch him to a different position? The last thing I want is to make it no fun for him.


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## MakeAPlay (Aug 23, 2017)

MakeAPlay said:


> Great post.  Speaking of Marcelo...


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## chargerfan (Aug 23, 2017)

soccer_dad said:


> I also have a ulittle kid who plays mostly 6.  He is good at first touch and has great soccer IQ for his age. With him on the field, the offense of the team flows smoothly. Knows how to dribble to create space and can also deliver the passes with good timing and speed for other players to receive the ball. One big problem is he is the smallest on the team and he lacks in physical strength. He is also not aggressive in nature. When defending, he often reacts to the play rather than go first to the ball.  Quite often the opponent can pass by him and directly go the goal. Lately, I have seen his play time reduce significantly which also affects his confidence. Shall I force his to play aggressively or just ask the coach to switch him to a different position? The last thing I want is to make it no fun for him.


How would you FORCE him to play aggressively? 

I would ride out the year, and then move to either a lower level team or one with a coach that isn't as concerned with aggressiveness (good luck there).


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## Fishtacos (Aug 23, 2017)

Hey all,
       Great discussion.
Couple things to make things more clear why I am asking.
1. She is a U13, so still a ulittle, but an important transitional year. Things can change drastically in a few years,
like I am seeing on her current team. Puberty for girls can be very cruel.
2. Transitional year for me as a soccer parent, less goals and assists bean counter and hardware hoarder to guiding
my dd become a wanted and needed player on any team.

After seeing a impressive young lady play both back and forward at the best of the best Hawaiian pina colada smoothie event,
changed my thinking from is it better for her to sit on the bench waiting to get subbed back in to her "position" or to be on the
field the entire time, helping make an impact on the team. Guess I needed to grow in my thinking in order for my player
to grow.


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## Grace T. (Aug 23, 2017)

soccer_dad said:


> I also have a ulittle kid who plays mostly 6.  He is good at first touch and has great soccer IQ for his age. With him on the field, the offense of the team flows smoothly. Knows how to dribble to create space and can also deliver the passes with good timing and speed for other players to receive the ball. One big problem is he is the smallest on the team and he lacks in physical strength. He is also not aggressive in nature. When defending, he often reacts to the play rather than go first to the ball.  Quite often the opponent can pass by him and directly go the goal. Lately, I have seen his play time reduce significantly which also affects his confidence. Shall I force his to play aggressively or just ask the coach to switch him to a different position? The last thing I want is to make it no fun for him.


It would be useful to know what age group because the role of 6 changes depending on the number of players.  My son (the GK) is currently having this issue with his sweeper (who is not at all small and actually one of the better players on the team) because it leaves him vulnerable to the one v one, and having just moved onto one v one techniques, he doesn't have a whole lot of confidence yet, but it's getting there.  

Moreover, at the older spectrum of the littles, it's important for the 1 and the 6 to talk and have communication so they can protect the center channel.  As others have written, it's difficult to teach them to play aggressively (let alone force them)...often times its just a bit their nature, though aggressiveness can build as confidence develops in the skill set.  At the U9, for example, coaches can place the 6 there either for a more defensive posture (treating him as a true 6) or as an 8.  Some coaches who are offensively minded (and are confident in the skills of the GK) will want a kid there that can pass the ball well (since the 6 has access to the full backs, the wingers, and the forward).  Others (particularly those with weaker GK) might want someone there who is a pure defender and can tackle aggressively.  Your coach probably sees something in him, particularly his passing ability, that they want in that slot....rather than have him switch, why not dialogue with the coach about why he has your DS in that slot and what he perceives as the strengths and weaknesses?  If the coach is using the Calsouth system, the emphasis is less on individual training and so may be expecting your son to be aware of certain difficiencies and to be working on them in private.

If the coach has the 6 in primarily a build out role, and opposing teams are still scoring, then it's not just an issue with your 6.  It's an issue with your 1 and your fullbacks too.  The reduction in play time may be because the coach is switching from a more defensive than offensive capacity in that role, or maybe sees that your son isn't working on the weaknesses in his game outside of team training.  The question you have to ask is are his weaknesses something that would affect his role in any position, or is it specific to his current position.  A discussion with the coach, and a willingness on your part to accept some frank criticism, should give you some clarity.


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## sandshark (Aug 23, 2017)

My DD has played  forward, Mid and outside attacking wings. She is moved around all over the top as needed to play against teams. She can now literally walk onto any team and play what they need at the time. They have never given her the opportunity to play D but she would if asked. She loves center mid because she likes to control the game and set the pace. She (i think) plays best as an attacking left or right outside it literally means no difference to her if she is L or R. She will score or assist from any position. Coaches seem to have always kept her mostly as a center mid or a point forward. Keep your options open and let your kids play anything offered. She is not a one trick pony and they love that! She has played in the YNL and several other very cool soccer around the US. She has always enjoyed learning new positions and never bitches about being moved around over the years as needed.


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## soccer_dad (Aug 23, 2017)

Grace T. said:


> It would be useful to know what age group because the role of 6 changes depending on the number of players.  My son (the GK) is currently having this issue with his sweeper (who is not at all small and actually one of the better players on the team) because it leaves him vulnerable to the one v one, and having just moved onto one v one techniques, he doesn't have a whole lot of confidence yet, but it's getting there.
> 
> Moreover, at the older spectrum of the littles, it's important for the 1 and the 6 to talk and have communication so they can protect the center channel.  As others have written, it's difficult to teach them to play aggressively (let alone force them)...often times its just a bit their nature, though aggressiveness can build as confidence develops in the skill set.  At the U9, for example, coaches can place the 6 there either for a more defensive posture (treating him as a true 6) or as an 8.  Some coaches who are offensively minded (and are confident in the skills of the GK) will want a kid there that can pass the ball well (since the 6 has access to the full backs, the wingers, and the forward).  Others (particularly those with weaker GK) might want someone there who is a pure defender and can tackle aggressively.  Your coach probably sees something in him, particularly his passing ability, that they want in that slot....rather than have him switch, why not dialogue with the coach about why he has your DS in that slot and what he perceives as the strengths and weaknesses?  If the coach is using the Calsouth system, the emphasis is less on individual training and so may be expecting your son to be aware of certain difficiencies and to be working on them in private.
> 
> If the coach has the 6 in primarily a build out role, and opposing teams are still scoring, then it's not just an issue with your 6.  It's an issue with your 1 and your fullbacks too.  The reduction in play time may be because the coach is switching from a more defensive than offensive capacity in that role, or maybe sees that your son isn't working on the weaknesses in his game outside of team training.  The question you have to ask is are his weaknesses something that would affect his role in any position, or is it specific to his current position.  A discussion with the coach, and a willingness on your part to accept some frank criticism, should give you some clarity.


Thank you very much for the great reply. 
My son still plays 7v7 and the 6 position is mostly shared between him and a couple of other players who plays a lot on defense as well. To answer your question, I think his weaknesses are definitely something that would affect his role in any position.  I want him to improve his aggressiveness, but the problems are 1) I don't know how to motivate him 2) also not sure if it is the right thing to do. Sometimes, I tend to think as he grows older  when the physicality difference is not that obvious, he would be better automatically in that regard.


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## Grace T. (Aug 23, 2017)

soccer_dad said:


> Thank you very much for the great reply.
> My son still plays 7v7 and the 6 position is mostly shared between him and a couple of other players who plays a lot on defense as well. To answer your question, I think his weaknesses are definitely something that would affect his role in any position.  I want him to improve his aggressiveness, but the problems are 1) I don't know how to motivate him 2) also not sure if it is the right thing to do. Sometimes, I tend to think as he grows older  when the physicality difference is not that obvious, he would be better automatically in that regard.


I'd still talk to the coach (I'm assuming he's licensed and not an AYSO volunteer) and get the feedback.  As others have written there's not a whole lot you can do with aggressiveness....the best thing you can do is build confidence...if tackling in your son's weakness work with him over and over (or get a trainer to) until it becomes second nature.  If your coach follows the CalSouth system, they'll view your son's weaknesses as something your son (and not they) need to correct.


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## OCsoccerdad7777 (Aug 23, 2017)

Have a question. Is it better for ulittle to play more (almost whole game) on a less talented F1 team as mid or wing with great coach or try to find a more talented team, and play less minutes? Or find a bottom level DA team but players are still better than the F1 team? There are some other good players but talent drops off a lot after.


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## rainbow_unicorn (Aug 23, 2017)

OCsoccerdad7777 said:


> Have a question. Is it better for ulittle to play more (almost whole game) on a less talented F1 team as mid or wing with great coach or try to find a more talented team, and play less minutes? Or find a bottom level DA team but players are still better than the F1 team? There are some other good players but talent drops off a lot after.


I think it's ideal to be middle of the pack with the starters so that you don't have to worry about being on the fringe and getting playing time...but at the same time, you can learn and get pushed by the better players.  I would shy away from teams where there's a steep drop off in talent...better to play on a team where everybody is around the same level versus a team with great and bad players.


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## sandshark (Aug 24, 2017)

OCsoccerdad7777 said:


> Have a question. Is it better for ulittle to play more (almost whole game) on a less talented F1 team as mid or wing with great coach or try to find a more talented team, and play less minutes? Or find a bottom level DA team but players are still better than the F1 team? There are some other good players but talent drops off a lot after.


I would concentrate way more on your little one having fun and learning to love the game. Any answer depends on your little ones personality and physical development. So fun is #1. You don't want to make it boring and you don't want to make it to over the top stressful. Playing with kids that are more advanced works with some personalities and crushes others. You know what drives your little one.


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## watfly (Aug 24, 2017)

"Confidence" was mentioned previously in this thread and I don't think you can overstate how important it is.  My kid performs anywhere from very average to great depending on his level of confidence.  I have seen this in many other kids as well.  Most ulittle coaches can teach skills well, but a truly great youth coach instills confidence and develops passion for soccer in kids. Unfortunately, I have also seen coaches that destroy some kids confidence and passion for the game.  I'm not saying that it needs to be all rainbows and cotton candy, a coach still needs to be firm with the kids and have expectations...particularly for an A level team.  I wish clubs put more stock in building confidence and passion in their young players.

As also mentioned, confidence can lead to more aggressive play, it has for my son.  Truly exceptional players have a whole other level of aggressiveness, a "killer instinct" for lack of a better term.  A mentality that there is no way the other person is going to get the better of them.  This seems to be more of an innate behavior.   It's great to have as long as it stays on the pitch, as opposed to someone like Lance Armstrong who crushed people off his bike that he perceived got in his way.


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## sandshark (Aug 24, 2017)

Ya that is a entirely another subject. I hate seeing parents promoting a rude, aggressive, mean behavior on the field and then wondering why their kid doesn't have very many friends in real life. It's a fine line to teach that aggressive behavior and expect a 7-15 year old to turn it off when the game is over.


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## Grace T. (Aug 24, 2017)

sandshark said:


> Ya that is a entirely another subject. I hate seeing parents promoting a rude, aggressive, mean behavior on the field and then wondering why their kid doesn't have very many friends in real life. It's a fine line to teach that aggressive behavior and expect a 7-15 year old to turn it off when the game is over.


This is definitely true...they aren't lightswitches that can come on and off.  A little bit of my son's story: coming out of AYSO he was feeling really confident and was very aggressive on the field...did a couple of preclub scrimmages/tournaments and was absolutely playing way above his level particularly in goal and won a couple ribbons/medals.   Then he starts club.  Suddenly his shots aren't getting any elevation, his coach is telling him to improve his passing and find a wall and bang on it for several hours a week, and is very timid in goal.  The coaches saw he had an interest in goalkeeping and that he had some skills and rather than pick the other top athletes on the team as the starter they went with DS who had a passion for it and was willing to put in the extra training.  His confidence starts to build as they take him through each skill, building along the way.  Then he has 2 lousy games in the summer which has us (and maybe even his coach) wondering if he's cut out for the 1 particularly given all the work he put into it over the summer and it's not clicking.  Then the tournament last weekend, something clicked.  Suddenly he's all over the loose balls, he's yelling at his teammates, he's looking for the fast breaks, and he's even charging out the one v ones (on one very pretty one the ref even gives him a high five).  But he also becomes very obnoxious (asking his defenders why aren't they slide tackling and yelling at his 6 for letting the opposing 9 get in front of him and into the one v one).  He even goes so far as to yell at the ref ("come on ref") for which the ref justifiable stops the game and comes and lectures him (since it's a littles game, he doesn't get carded).  I'm sitting there wondering who is this kid and where's he been (he even takes an injury in the 2nd game to the gut and doesn't collapse...no one knows he's been injured because the ref and the coaches were behind the kids and the striker had his back to them...we only figure it out when he collapses on the field afterwards).  So sometimes it just takes time for them to develop the confidence and the aggression will come.  And if it comes, it's hard for them to switch on and off...I don't think he'll yell at the ref again....he's learned his lesson...but the price of that aggression may be that he's a little obnoxious and the best I can do is to give him some advice and pull back on the reins but not hard enough to stop the progress he's made.  Trade offs.


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## younothat (Aug 24, 2017)

My kids will tell you learning and playing every position including keeper is one of the most valuable things for young players.

Over the course of U8/9-U16/17 some kids change a whole lot, growth spurts can see a avg size kid suddenly be on the bigger side,  or the formerly taller player becoming avg size.  Skills levels can suddenly shoot up or down year to year also. During these transitions primary positions can and do change so best to learn them younger and not try to specialize early on.

When you advance to a certain level, the competition for certain positions get fierce.   Forward seems to be the most popular followed by mids, defenders, and keepers.

When you're versatile coaches notice, being able to play forward or defender for example can mean the difference on making a squad or not .

Speed, Stamia, skills are different at different age levels so you always need to work on something to keep developing.    With the older kids sometimes that is more strengthening and conditioning certain muscle groups and resting more compared to when they could play back to back, many practices, etc without that much muscle soreness.

YMMV but no one size fits all, some coaches see players in a different light or positions vs the next or previous coach(s) but being flex able and versatile can go a long way.


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## OCsoccerdad7777 (Aug 24, 2017)

Thanks.  We both love the coach as parent and my DD as a player. But complains after practice about not having fun



sandshark said:


> I would concentrate way more on your little one having fun and learning to love the game. Any answer depends on your little ones personality and physical development. So fun is #1. You don't want to make it boring and you don't want to make it to over the top stressful. Playing with kids that are more advanced works with some personalities and crushes others. You know what drives your little one.


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