# Question for Parents of Olders



## Soccermom18 (Jul 16, 2021)

At what age did your child end up in the position that they are playing?  Is it better to be versatile or set in one position?


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## socalkdg (Jul 16, 2021)

My daughter started soccer late.  Age 9. Was playing baseball before that.  Age 10 played Striker and Keeper for first two years, at age 12 made the switch to full time Keeper.  Now 15.


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## myself (Jul 16, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> At what age did your child end up in the position that they are playing?  Is it better to be versatile or set in one position?


> At what age did your child end up in the position that they are playing?

U11. Starting U16 this season.

>  Is it better to be versatile or set in one position?

Depends. If the player is a super duper star then they probably won't have to fight for minutes at their preferred position. If they're middle of the pack or lower then they better be able to play another position if they want to see the field. Since no one can tell the future it's better they prepare to play multiple positions. Just my experience.

Edit: Also should add, that plenty of small field U-little superstars don't pan out at older ages.


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## Soccermom18 (Jul 16, 2021)

myself said:


> > At what age did your child end up in the position that they are playing?
> 
> U11. Starting U16 this season.
> 
> ...


When did you start to see kids drop off?

I'm obviously a parent of a younger so just navigating through all this so I love reading about everyone's experiences (the good, the bad and the ugly).


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## myself (Jul 16, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> When did you start to see kids drop off?
> 
> I'm obviously a parent of a younger so just navigating through all this so I love reading about everyone's experiences (the good, the bad and the ugly).


U13, as soon as we moved to the big field. Girls BTW, if that makes a difference. By the end of U12 the girls were too big for the small field and any spot in the opponents half was a scoring opportunity. Also consider that typically girls start puberty earlier, so you can have a "huge" 5'5" inch player who may be 90% of her adult size playing against players who are biologically still little girls. Move to the big field and even though the goal is freaking huge compared to U-Little, 95% of the players didn't have the leg strength or shot accuracy to score consistently from outside the box. Hell, I'd say that is still the case now.

We had the DA/ECNL split for a few years, so I wasn't able to keep track of some of the players from U-Little. They popped up again on my radar this year in ECNL and there were a lot of "Didn't she used to be huge? Didn't she used to be faster? Didn't she used to be better?" type of comments. Anecdotal, but every player in that category had a physical advantage at u-little. Players who had a solid technical base hadn't fallen off in the same way. If they had fallen off at all. I love it when I see players who were good at u-little who are still good at u-older.


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## Soccerfan2 (Jul 16, 2021)

My U17 has played every position but goalie through the years. She’s mostly been an attacking player and has settled at CF
My now U15 played forward wing at first, then CB for several years and now mostly CM. 
It’s FAR better to be versatile in my opinion. Different teams will have a different mix of players and different needs. Position doesn’t matter. Learn and play your best where the coach puts you. Work on your own time to gain the skills needed to try and impact the game at a different spot if you wish.


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## whatithink (Jul 16, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> At what age did your child end up in the position that they are playing?  Is it better to be versatile or set in one position?


Up to U10, play everywhere - my kids did.

From U11, kid now going into U15, has only played the 8. A rare few occasions they have played CB, 6 or 7/11, but really too few to mention. 

The other ...
U11 / U12, played CB. Both coaches said they were developing a 6.
U13, played 6.
U14/15 (new coach), played 8 mostly, and a little 10 & 6.
U16 (new coach) played 8/10 at the beginning, then started playing 7 (some 11), and some 6. By the end of the season (last 6 games) was averaging a goal a game from the 7. [exclusively 6 on HS team btw].
U17 ... no idea, same coach but roster changes, so we'll see.

So in short ... it depends on the kid and it depends on the coach, from my experience. I judge it on 

Are they enjoying it
Are they getting minutes
The younger plays on a short roster team and plays 100% of minutes pretty much. The older plays on a larger roster team and plays 70-80%. The latter coach will sub everyone at some point but 70% or so is a good return in minutes. The older hated playing 7/11 early in the season but figured it out and enjoyed it towards the end - scoring helps obv.


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## Messi>CR7 (Jul 16, 2021)

I think it's extremely beneficial to be allowed to play multiple positions.  Having some chance to play right wing makes you a better right fullback and vice versa IMO.

At U-little playing time is usually not a big concern if your coach is not obsessed with winning.  As @myself mentioned, playing time does become a consideration at the older age.  If you have a stud player on your team who plays almost the entire game at the same position as your kid, it's time for your kid to ask coach if he/she can try a different position.

Position change can happen much later as well.  Julie Ertz was Julie Johnston and centerback back in the 2015 World Cup.


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## watfly (Jul 16, 2021)

My son is U15.  He has been slotted as an 11 the last year or so, with some time at the 3.  Prior to that he was primarily a 3.  He is left foot dominate hence why he has predominately been a 3 or 11.  However, he has played every position in his soccer journey and even in the last couple years he has played a spot or situational role in just about every position.  I suspect he will play the 11 for the near future, but it wouldn't surprise me, based on the new circumstances, if it changed.

Everyone's experience is different; however, I'm a big proponent of not specializing.  First, it seems more often then not positions are based on the makeup of the team and style of play of the coach, and not necessarily you or your child's idea of their best position.  Second, playing multiple positions gives you a far better understanding of the game and improves you soccer IQ.  If your the 3, it helps to know what the 5 is doing so you can make his/her job easier.  And obviously, your ability to play multiple positions gives you more opportunity to play.  I also believe modern soccer is more about "Total Football" than necessarily about specialized knowledge.  Over time you kid will just evolve into a preferred position, but IMHO I don't think its anything that needs to be forced.

In terms of kids dropping out of soccer, my experience has been in the U12-14 age groups as they develop other interests.  Some will call it burnout, but I see it more as a function of other interests. I could be wrong but I think puberty has a huge impact.


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## whatithink (Jul 16, 2021)

watfly said:


> My son is U15.  He has been slotted as an 11 the last year or so, with some time at the 3.  Prior to that he was primarily a 3.  He is left foot dominate hence why he has predominately been a 3 or 11.  However, he has played every position in his soccer journey and even in the last couple years he has played a spot or situational role in just about every position.  I suspect he will play the 11 for the near future, but it wouldn't surprise me, based on the new circumstances, if it changed.
> 
> Everyone's experience is different; however, I'm a big proponent of not specializing.  First, it seems more often then not positions are based on the makeup of the team and style of play of the coach, and not necessarily you or your child's idea of their best position.  Second, playing multiple positions gives you a far better understanding of the game and improves you soccer IQ.  If your the 3, it helps to know what the 5 is doing so you can make his/her job easier.  And obviously, your ability to play multiple positions gives you more opportunity to play.  I also believe modern soccer is more about "Total Football" than necessarily about specialized knowledge.  Over time you kid will just evolve into a preferred position, but IMHO I don't think its anything that needs to be forced.
> 
> In terms of kids dropping out of soccer, my experience has been in the U12-14 age groups as they develop other interests.  Some will call it burnout, but I see it more as a function of other interests. I could be wrong but I think puberty has a huge impact.


Couldn't agree more. A leftie can play 3 or 11, or the left CB in a back 3. Some coaches like to play a leftie as the 7 so that they can cut inside. Versatility is great for a player. My older kid's coach is eastern European and a big advocate of total football. The older kid has played 4-5 positions in a game on plenty of occasions, many times so players coming in can play (some are less versatile), and sometimes when the coach switches formations or wants to create specific match ups based on how the game is shaping up.


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## timbuck (Jul 16, 2021)

All soccer players need to be able to dribble, pass and shoot.  Some players will gravitate to a specific position at a younger age.  Your coach will serve them well by having them play a variety of positions (younger ages for sure.  I'd argue that at older ages it's also important-  What if your star center back isn't able to make a game?  Who can fill in?)

The timing of runs and the combination play with other players gets a little tricky if you move a player into an unfamiliar spot.  But if your team practices a possession based game with players looking to exploit overloads-  It's a bit more universal.


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## Emma (Jul 16, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> At what age did your child end up in the position that they are playing?  Is it better to be versatile or set in one position?


Your player should always be able to play at least 2 positions and we are not talking about the 7 and the 11 or 6 and 8.  Your player should be able to play a defensive/mid position, mid/forward or forward/defensive position until the age of 15 for girls and 16 for boys.  That being said, all children develop differently and if you have a kid that gravitates towards defense, mid or offense only, then it is what it is and just make sure they're spectacular at their position or they will be displaced and very unhappy if a better player comes along in that position.


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## lafalafa (Jul 16, 2021)

If you're player is planning on playing beyond club in College or elsewhere having the ability to play multi positions can be the difference in making a squad, getting minutes, or being recruited.

Being able to defend and attack and switch at anytime really can help a player in the long run.

My youngest who's now a incoming college freshman still hasn't settled on a single position and will play anywhere to get minutes.  He generally played offensive central positions before learning the wings and all the defensive positions.  He spent big parts of several seasons filling in or learning new positions due to teammate injuries, coaching changes or whatever the case was.

One of the big colleges on a recruiting call told him they value center backs and center forwards more than anything else.  Now if you can play both of those at a high level well let's just say your player could be in demand.   When a players is @ showcase or playoffs and is seen doing well at multiple positions they will attract attention.

When going out for a new squad or team the most popular positions are generally forwards, the competition for those spots can be much greater vs say a center back o defensive mid.  Same with regular mids, lots more of them vs full backs or wingers.


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## MyDaughtersAKeeper (Jul 16, 2021)

Good advice by many of the parents.  IF your kid is going to be a keeper, come over to the keeper forum for specific advice/help. 
Best of luck to you and your kid.  

PS  Based on what I have heard and seen, if your kid is going to play in the back line or the defensive mid, they REALLY need to understand the role. Pressure increases the closer you get to the net - they need to have the mental side down to do well.


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## Grace T. (Jul 16, 2021)

myself said:


> U13, as soon as we moved to the big field. Girls BTW, if that makes a difference. By the end of U12 the girls were too big for the small field and any spot in the opponents half was a scoring opportunity. Also consider that typically girls start puberty earlier, so you can have a "huge" 5'5" inch player who may be 90% of her adult size playing against players who are biologically still little girls. Move to the big field and even though the goal is freaking huge compared to U-Little, 95% of the players didn't have the leg strength or shot accuracy to score consistently from outside the box. Hell, I'd say that is still the case now.
> 
> We had the DA/ECNL split for a few years, so I wasn't able to keep track of some of the players from U-Little. They popped up again on my radar this year in ECNL and there were a lot of "Didn't she used to be huge? Didn't she used to be faster? Didn't she used to be better?" type of comments. Anecdotal, but every player in that category had a physical advantage at u-little. Players who had a solid technical base hadn't fallen off in the same way. If they had fallen off at all. I love it when I see players who were good at u-little who are still good at u-older.


Just a note that this is not true of the boys at u12. Most of the strikers at even a silver level team can bang it from outside the box (maybe not all the defenders but definitely the attacking players and many cbs).


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## Emma (Jul 16, 2021)

Grace T. said:


> Just a note that this is not true of the boys at u12. Most of the strikers at even a silver level team can bang it from outside the box (maybe not all the defenders but definitely the attacking players and many cbs).


Flight 1 girls are the same.  Most of the players on the field can bang it from outside the box.


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## Grace T. (Jul 16, 2021)

Messi>CR7 said:


> I think it's extremely beneficial to be allowed to play multiple positions.  Having some chance to play right wing makes you a better right fullback and vice versa IMO.
> 
> At U-little playing time is usually not a big concern if your coach is not obsessed with winning.  As @myself mentioned, playing time does become a consideration at the older age.  If you have a stud player on your team who plays almost the entire game at the same position as your kid, it's time for your kid to ask coach if he/she can try a different position.
> 
> Position change can happen much later as well.  Julie Ertz was Julie Johnston and centerback back in the 2015 World Cup.


This is true particularly of the striker role which is likely to be occupied by one of the best players and requires a particular skill set


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## Husky13 (Jul 16, 2021)

100% agree with the posts in favor of versatility - even if it is uncomfortable for the player at first because they are strong or have a comfort zone in a particular position.  If your player gets promoted to a semi-pro or pro level team where they are very young and getting advanced opportunities, they may not play in the position they are most comfortable in, and they have to show they can adapt and thrive in different positions.  The main issue with being versatile is that if a coach has a loaded roster and wants to get his/her best 11 players on the field for a big tournament, he/she may move your player to a different position if your player can handle it better than the other players: a "no good deed goes unpunished" situation.  But, the positives of being versatile far outweigh the few negatives.


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## MamaBear5 (Jul 16, 2021)

Even if you kid is going to be a keeper have them get some minutes on the field as well - my daughter didn't (specialized early) and it took a year of intense work on her part when the game switched from long ball to almost everything out of the back and possession soccer. Keepers need to be just as good with their feet as their hands. Now at practice you can't pick her out as the keeper during the possession drills.


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## Brav520 (Jul 16, 2021)

I wonder how many kids have flamed out at the striker position. The kid scores a million goals at the Ulittles, and the parents don't want them playing any other position, so they can't make it in the squad for a  top team when they get older. 

but, I pretty much agree with everyone , its more likely than not that they will be on teams throughout their career where someone on the team is better than them at their preferred position


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## Soccermom18 (Jul 16, 2021)

I appreciate everyone’s feedback.  It’s hard to tell what is best for my child as I did not play/nor do I know anything about soccer so this feedback has been very helpful as I navigate this club soccer world.  My child gets a lot of playing time with every team he has been on but has been in a different position with each coach he has had so I wasn’t sure if it was time to find one position or continue to have him be versatile.


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## Grace T. (Jul 16, 2021)

Brav520 said:


> I wonder how many kids have flamed out at the striker position. The kid scores a million goals at the Ulittles, and the parents don't want them playing any other position, so they can't make it in the squad for a  top team when they get older.
> 
> but, I pretty much agree with everyone , its more likely than not that they will be on teams throughout their career where someone on the team is better than them at their preferred position


There are a few pitfalls in the striker position:

-at u little a lot of coaches put a runner up there when the tactic is to just outrun the opponent.  But the striker position is mostly about soccer iq. If the striker hasn’t developed it and is still trying to outrun opponents they won’t make a higher team later or they’ll get upgraded on their team.  The striker needs to understand how to beat the trap since most likely it’s the striker who will be offside. Strikers more than any other position are about positioning and off ball movement. 
-on the girls side body shape begins to change in puberty.  Once the hips come in they may loose some of that speed. On the boys end while they don’t need the size of a cb they need some height or the gk will tear them up
-headers and poaching become much more important skills than shooting the ball. Because someone is a good shooter and could have belted it from outside the 18 against a learning keeper that doesn’t yet know how to catch doesn’t mean they are effective on headers, poaching or a running tap. The mechanics that need to be mastered are different
-it’s the rockstar position.any good players want to play it so the competition grows for fewer slots as you move up the ladder


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## Jar!23 (Jul 16, 2021)

My kid is a U13b so just started playing the big field.  Limited roster and sometimes we only have 1-2 subs.  Being able to play both in attacking and defensive positions is so important.  
I’ve observed that kids that started out playing in front and scoring all the goals have a hard time playing give and go.  This really shows on a big field.  They don’t pass and can no longer just run through the other team.


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## youthsportsugghhh (Jul 16, 2021)

Versatility is a great thing -- most kids along the way will run into someone better at their position than they are and will either then be moved to the bench or asked to switch a position or run into a coach that doesn't like how they play the position or their size for the position and get moved to another position. From HS to Club to ODP to PDP coaches see the world differently so the more you can bring to the table the better -- become as proficient from the left as the right, become comfortable attacking as well as defending.  Embrace the entire game.


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## Woodwork (Jul 16, 2021)

Confidence and inspiration matters more than position.  For example, a coach that gives a centerback the confidence to carry the ball up the field and make a key pass or to lose the ball trying.  These are rare coaches.  Those are teams where the centerback becomes a midfielder and a forward can be a centerback, yet they are all happy.   Better than the coach that puts your kid at forward and screams if he/she makes a mistake.


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## oh canada (Jul 17, 2021)

Brav520 said:


> I wonder how many kids have flamed out


The early puberty crowd definitely gets all the attention at u14 and under, but as a well known local coach once said, you can't really predict how good a player is until after puberty.  Most of those fast kids and big kids and the big&fast kids at u11 flame out by u16/17 when everyone else has caught up with equal levels of hormones and growth spurts.  I can think of so many "goats" who were identified early by ODP, US Soccer, etc, who are now just meh, and being surpassed by others.  Of course, US Soccer et al won't admit their mistake and drop them from consideration, but college coaches and pro scouts will see the difference.



Grace T. said:


> This is true particularly of the striker role


Most misunderstood position in soccer.  "My kid is big, fast, and has a strong leg...he's/she's a striker."  Often heard quote.  Then watch the kid play and they:
- can't pass with accuracy and touch
- can't see the field and know when to pass/dribble
- can't turn
- don't have good first touch
- don't make smart runs off the ball
- don't bring in their teammates
- don't have a good sense of timing - when to go, when to hold
- can't dribble in tight spaces


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## sdb (Jul 17, 2021)

I would recommend playing multiple positions for as long as possible. My player has played all across the backline and now in the midfield in both an attacking and holding center mid role. She was often the player on her team who got moved around to fill spots as other got subbed off so it helped her to get a lot of playing time. She just attended her first college ID camp and in the 11v11 portion of the camp she played center mid and then the asst coach asked her to fill-in at center back and she was able to perform well in both positions.


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## Giesbock (Jul 17, 2021)

Forget position for a minute. Learn how to juggle 1,000+ consecutive. Learn how to be really detailed with how you stretch and warm up. Learn how to collect the ball so it’s 2” from your feet not 2’. Learn how to shoot. Learn how to pass. If you dream of being the striker some day, perfect your side volley.

All of this has nothing to do with your team’s practice. This is on you. The younger the better.


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## NewUser27 (Jul 17, 2021)

oh canada said:


> The early puberty crowd definitely gets all the attention at u14 and under, but as a well known local coach once said, you can't really predict how good a player is until after puberty.  Most of those fast kids and big kids and the big&fast kids at u11 flame out by u16/17 when everyone else has caught up with equal levels of hormones and growth spurts.  I can think of so many "goats" who were identified early by ODP, US Soccer, etc, who are now just meh, and being surpassed by others.  Of course, US Soccer et al won't admit their mistake and drop them from consideration, but college coaches and pro scouts will see the difference.
> 
> 
> Most misunderstood position in soccer.  "My kid is big, fast, and has a strong leg...he's/she's a striker."  Often heard quote.  Then watch the kid play and they:
> ...


this is accurate on every level , boy or girls.... its a marathon not a race and if your not putting in the extra effort every week, you will fall behind


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## whatithink (Jul 17, 2021)

Giesbock said:


> Learn how to juggle 1,000+ consecutive.


An ex player & coach I know (played champions league and capped nationally, youth coach and now coaching a pro team who won their domestic league) used to crack up at the juggle infatuation. Sure you should be able to keep it up a few times, on each foot etc., but its all about being able to control the ball when you receive it, esp. in tight situations, and then about being able to put it where you intend to put it, either short, medium or long passes - or in the goal. You should be able to do that with both feet ideally. He would ping 20 & 30 yard passes to the kids and land it at their feet every time, without exception. I saw him play 6v6, small goals and he scored for fun, not by beating players, just by banging it into the corner (any corner) every time, flawlessly - both knees were done, couldn't run very much, overweight and you could see he was a zillion levels above every other coach on the field despite all of them having their played in college or played "pro" (US) creds, and being a decade or two younger than him.

He never did 100 juggles in the life apparently ...


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## Giesbock (Jul 17, 2021)

whatithink said:


> An ex player & coach I know (played champions league and capped nationally, youth coach and now coaching a pro team who won their domestic league) used to crack up at the juggle infatuation. Sure you should be able to keep it up a few times, on each foot etc., but its all about being able to control the ball when you receive it, esp. in tight situations, and then about being able to put it where you intend to put it, either short, medium or long passes - or in the goal. You should be able to do that with both feet ideally. He would ping 20 & 30 yard passes to the kids and land it at their feet every time, without exception. I saw him play 6v6, small goals and he scored for fun, not by beating players, just by banging it into the corner (any corner) every time, flawlessly - both knees were done, couldn't run very much, overweight and you could see he was a zillion levels above every other coach on the field despite all of them having their played in college or played "pro" (US) creds, and being a decade or two younger than him.
> 
> He never did 100 juggles in the life apparently ...


Keep the juggling within context of the rest of what I said.

1000 is an arbitrary number cause if you can do that then you’re generally equipped to get the other stuff right with practice. What academy, college, semi pro, pro or national team player male or female today can’t juggle to 100? 
Please keep it in context of the other stuff.  I’m sure there are many other things that could be added to the list of stuff to perfect on your own…

Hands down best to be a versatile player.  Makes me sad to see an 8 year old decked out in all the keeper gear.


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## oh canada (Jul 17, 2021)

whatithink said:


> An ex player & coach I know (played champions league and capped nationally, youth coach and now coaching a pro team who won their domestic league) used to crack up at the juggle infatuation. Sure you should be able to keep it up a few times, on each foot etc., but its all about being able to control the ball when you receive it, esp. in tight situations, and then about being able to put it where you intend to put it, either short, medium or long passes - or in the goal. You should be able to do that with both feet ideally. He would ping 20 & 30 yard passes to the kids and land it at their feet every time, without exception. I saw him play 6v6, small goals and he scored for fun, not by beating players, just by banging it into the corner (any corner) every time, flawlessly - both knees were done, couldn't run very much, overweight and you could see he was a zillion levels above every other coach on the field despite all of them having their played in college or played "pro" (US) creds, and being a decade or two younger than him.
> 
> He never did 100 juggles in the life apparently ...


Johan Cruyff: “*Technique is not being able to juggle a ball 1000 times.* *Anyone can do that by practicing.* *Then you can work in the circus*.


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## Giesbock (Jul 17, 2021)

oh canada said:


> Johan Cruyff: “*Technique is not being able to juggle a ball 1000 times.* *Anyone can do that by practicing.* *Then you can work in the circus*.


We’ll I can’t argue with the true greatest of his time if not all time.  .
But, I will ask…. And will give it a different name so as to stay away from circus references..  Could Johan Cruyff manipulate the ball in the air, using only feet, head, thighs, heels, shoulders? I bet he could.


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## whatithink (Jul 17, 2021)

Giesbock said:


> Keep the juggling within context of the rest of what I said.
> 
> 1000 is an arbitrary number cause if you can do that then you’re generally equipped to get the other stuff right with practice. What academy, college, semi pro, pro or national team player male or female today can’t juggle to 100?
> Please keep it in context of the other stuff.  I’m sure there are many other things that could be added to the list of stuff to perfect on your own…
> ...


The rest was fine, its the juggling that's annoying. I think it was Zuoma, CB for Chelsea, who said he'd never done more than 5 juggles in his life.

Instead of juggling, use a wall or rebounder to play against. Its all about control, control, control. High ball / trap, low ball / kill, knee high / cushion, different speeds, different heights - game type "simulation", repetition and muscle memory, act/react instinctively. That's a far better use of time than juggling.


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## outside! (Jul 19, 2021)

whatithink said:


> The rest was fine, its the juggling that's annoying. I think it was Zuoma, CB for Chelsea, who said he'd never done more than 5 juggles in his life.
> 
> Instead of juggling, use a wall or rebounder to play against. Its all about control, control, control. High ball / trap, low ball / kill, knee high / cushion, different speeds, different heights - game type "simulation", repetition and muscle memory, act/react instinctively. That's a far better use of time than juggling.


Juggling needs to be done with purpose beyond just making it to a certain number. Most touches should be low, but the high juggling helps to learn to control high balls. Juggling while walking and better yet running is very helpful to control the ball in many situations. Players should be able with just their dominant foot and with just their non-dominant foot, all the while doing the low, high and juggling while moving. Of course other skills should be worked on and more time should be spent on horizontal ball movement drills than juggling. But juggling skills are helpful anytime the ball is not on the ground.

Regarding versatility, I cannot see a downside to being able to play multiple positions. DD started at outside back, moved to center back, then center mid, then forward, then outside mid and is now back at forward as her main positions over the years. During all of that she occasionally moved to other positions as needed and even played at keeper as an older in a National Cup game (and did NOT like it, even though she only let in a shot most keepers wouldn't stop).


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## mlx (Jul 20, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> At what age did your child end up in the position that they are playing?  Is it better to be versatile or set in one position?


It’s better to be versatile. My son plays center mid, wing and full back. In his new team he was a backup winger until the coach asked who wanted to start as full back, he raised his hand and has been a starter ever since. 

It also allows for those moments where there’s one substitution and actually two changes in the field (e.g. he’s a fullback, a winger is substituted but the new kid gets in as fullback and my son transferred to wing). 

There was one game where the coach decided to change to a line of three defenders, and still he remained in the field as one of the three. 

The coach can place him in any of those positions at any moment, so he has more minutes of play.


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## pokergod (Jul 20, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> I appreciate everyone’s feedback.  It’s hard to tell what is best for my child as I did not play/nor do I know anything about soccer so this feedback has been very helpful as I navigate this club soccer world.  My child gets a lot of playing time with every team he has been on but has been in a different position with each coach he has had so I wasn’t sure if it was time to find one position or continue to have him be versatile.


There is a crazy balance you and your child need to achieve between what position they want to play and what position they may be best inclined to play.  You also need to keep in mind the inexact of science of  prediction.  Will they stop growing at 5'5 or be 6'4.  Are they a possession type player or will they do better playing direct.  The best possession cm I know just switched teams since his new coach plays direct and he has been a possession player his whole career.  No matter what, you will need to be flexible and pivot many many times.


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## Soccermom18 (Jul 21, 2021)

pokergod said:


> There is a crazy balance you and your child need to achieve between what position they want to play and what position they may be best inclined to play.  You also need to keep in mind the inexact of science of  prediction.  Will they stop growing at 5'5 or be 6'4.  Are they a possession type player or will they do better playing direct.  The best possession cm I know just switched teams since his new coach plays direct and he has been a possession player his whole career.  No matter what, you will need to be flexible and pivot many many times.


I guess my next question to parents of olders is... How did height and size effect your player?


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## Grace T. (Jul 21, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> I guess my next question to parents of olders is... How did height and size effect your player?


If you look on the boys end, the height and size of the player determines a lot about flight level until about high school.  The fact is the older the boy (more likely to be bigger and taller), the easier it is for them to play a higher flight.  Two reasons for this: the taller the frame, the bigger the leg span, gives an advantage for speed; and soccer is a physical sport and a bigger mass means its harder to be body checked off the ball.  If you compare the bronze teams and the gold teams at say age 12, you'll notice that the gold teams are most definitely taller on average.  Boys mature later than girls and their growth doesn't begin to level off until age 16-18, so by the end of high school this is no longer as much of a factor but it definitely still is going into high school and late bloomers are definitely at a disadvantage during the recruitment years.  It also doesn't wipe away the years of advantage the taller kids have going in, though for some early bloomers, sometimes puberty isn't very kind.


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## Emma (Jul 21, 2021)

Grace T. said:


> If you look on the boys end, the height and size of the player determines a lot about flight level until about high school.  The fact is the older the boy (more likely to be bigger and taller), the easier it is for them to play a higher flight.  Two reasons for this: the taller the frame, the bigger the leg span, gives an advantage for speed; and soccer is a physical sport and a bigger mass means its harder to be body checked off the ball.  If you compare the bronze teams and the gold teams at say age 12, you'll notice that the gold teams are most definitely taller on average.  Boys mature later than girls and their growth doesn't begin to level off until age 16-18, so by the end of high school this is no longer as much of a factor but it definitely still is going into high school and late bloomers are definitely at a disadvantage during the recruitment years.  It also doesn't wipe away the years of advantage the taller kids have going in, though for some early bloomers, sometimes puberty isn't very kind.


I don't think the statement about smaller boys at a young age is true.  Lots of great flight 1 teams with smaller players at young teams.  Smaller boys play different positions and have to be more agile.  The 7-9th grade years is when size becomes an issue because puberty comes later for some and may create a 1.5 feet height difference.  If your player has not developed great footskills and quickness, the puberty years can be tough.  If your player is having a hard time hanging with bigger players during puberty, it's not a bad idea to drop a flight or two until they can handle it.  Some small players can hang and some can't.  Be realistic and observant as a parent.  It's ok to drop off to another flight to protect your child and prepare him for the future.  Don't let flight dictate the puberty years, let growth and development do it. When your child is 16, that's when scouts start paying attention unless they're an early bloomer and already 6 feet by 14.  Some kids will get noticed first but others will remain noticed once they hit their stride. Scouts know about puberty too.

If your player was never fast or quick...it's very unlikely they will develop that skill after puberty.  They will get faster and quicker but so will the other players, therefore your player will still be slower than others.  Yes, there are exceptions to this but it's a very small %.  Uncoordinated small kids generally grow up to be uncoordinated tall adults. 

My son wasn't always the tallest or biggest but he was quick.  When he grew legs, he became fast because he was always able to move his legs quickly. I've seen most of the boys do the same through puberty.


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## Grace T. (Jul 21, 2021)

Emma said:


> I don't think the statement about smaller boys at a young age is true.  Lots of great flight 1 teams with smaller players at young teams.  Smaller boys play different positions and have to be more agile.  The 7-9th grade years is when size becomes an issue because puberty comes later for some and may create a 1.5 feet height difference.  If your player has not developed great footskills and quickness, the puberty years can be tough.  If your player is having a hard time hanging with bigger players during puberty, it's not a bad idea to drop a flight or two until they can handle it.  Some small players can hang and some can't.  Be realistic and observant as a parent.  It's ok to drop off to another flight to protect your child and prepare him for the future.  Don't let flight dictate the puberty years, let growth and development do it. When your child is 16, that's when scouts start paying attention unless they're an early bloomer and already 6 feet by 14.  Some kids will get noticed first but others will remain noticed once they hit their stride. Scouts know about puberty too.
> 
> If your player was never fast or quick...it's very unlikely they will develop that skill after puberty.  They will get faster and quicker but so will the other players, therefore your player will still be slower than others.  Yes, there are exceptions to this but it's a very small %.  Uncoordinated small kids generally grow up to be uncoordinated tall adults.
> 
> My son wasn't always the tallest or biggest but he was quick.  When he grew legs, he became fast because he was always able to move his legs quickly. I've seen most of the boys do the same through puberty.


I disagree about the youngers.  My kid had just started club ball when they made the age switch and it proved to be a tremendous disadvantage.  He went from being the tallest and fastest to at best middle of the pack.  Lots of coaches in the early flights needing to get promotions also play run and shoot ball so that extra leg speed is of benefit for both the attacking players and the defensive players.

To see the difference, his private elementary school ran an annual jog athon where the boys and girls competed separately but all the age classes competed together.  The winner for the last 10 years (with 1 exception) has been a fifth grader.  Yes there are some 4th graders who finish higher than the fifth grader, but ON AVERAGE the older the boy the better they perform.  He finished second the jog a thon his final year, first was a birthday roughly his age, beating out another 5th grader who is very small and agile but is 8 months younger and just simply couldn't keep up with either of them in the multiple laps even though he dominated the first lap, trained cross country, and trained for the event (while the two winning boys, basketball and soccer GK respectively, didn't)

Otherwise agree.


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## lafalafa (Jul 21, 2021)

Grace T. said:


> I disagree about the youngers.  My kid had just started club ball when they made the age switch and it proved to be a tremendous disadvantage.  He went from being the tallest and fastest to at best middle of the pack.  Lots of coaches in the early flights needing to get promotions also play run and shoot ball so that extra leg speed is of benefit for both the attacking players and the defensive players.
> 
> To see the difference, his private elementary school ran an annual jog athon where the boys and girls competed separately but all the age classes competed together.  The winner for the last 10 years (with 1 exception) has been a fifth grader.  Yes there are some 4th graders who finish higher than the fifth grader, but ON AVERAGE the older the boy the better they perform.  He finished second the jog a thon his final year, first was a birthday roughly his age, beating out another 5th grader who is very small and agile but is 8 months younger and just simply couldn't keep up with either of them in the multiple laps even though he dominated the first lap, trained cross country, and trained for the event (while the two winning boys, basketball and soccer GK respectively, didn't)
> 
> Otherwise agree.


We all have different perspective and experiences sometimes.

Our youngest son was on the smaller & younger side up until sophomore year in high school when he was about average weight & height.  At graduation he was taller vs average player but no means big at 5.10" 150ish.

Soccer is about speed, skills, and a mindset for most of the youth years.   Have to put them all together will some luck, good coaching, support and with other players that compliment each other if they really want to play at the highest levels and compete for championships.

His elementary school had a track team but you had tryout or clock certain times to make it.  We had mostly 5th graders but 3 or so underclassmen with (2) of 4th grader setting track records at a couple meets.  The longer legged runners where tougher to beat but possible down the stretch at certain distances. 

Best advice for younger players is work on your footwork, ball skills, running stamina, and speed and develop your game to fit your style.   Size or age in soccer is a factor no doubt but it's no bigger than some of the other things that will make a difference.  

Can't really change genetics , growth patterns or spurts.  Good diet and developing all aspects of skills and game play by participating in as much soccer they fell comfortable with can go a long way.


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## Emma (Jul 21, 2021)

Grace T. said:


> I disagree about the youngers.  My kid had just started club ball when they made the age switch and it proved to be a tremendous disadvantage.  He went from being the tallest and fastest to at best middle of the pack.  Lots of coaches in the early flights needing to get promotions also play run and shoot ball so that extra leg speed is of benefit for both the attacking players and the defensive players.
> 
> To see the difference, his private elementary school ran an annual jog athon where the boys and girls competed separately but all the age classes competed together.  The winner for the last 10 years (with 1 exception) has been a fifth grader.  Yes there are some 4th graders who finish higher than the fifth grader, but ON AVERAGE the older the boy the better they perform.  He finished second the jog a thon his final year, first was a birthday roughly his age, beating out another 5th grader who is very small and agile but is 8 months younger and just simply couldn't keep up with either of them in the multiple laps even though he dominated the first lap, trained cross country, and trained for the event (while the two winning boys, basketball and soccer GK respectively, didn't)
> 
> Otherwise agree.


 My son always played flight 1 then letter leagues as a starter and half his team was always small, including him.  Almost every team we played against had at least 2-3 small players who were very impressive.  As we always said, watch out for the small ones, they're on the team because they're very good, not because they can out muscle or out run someone.

My daughter went thru the age change and her first year she struggled because she was the youngest.  Thereafter, she figured out how to handle the that she wasn't always one of the biggest and fastest players, she started working on her foot skills speed, passing accuracy and stamina.  Age change was probably the best thing for her because she was forced to adapt and learn soccer skills rather than rely on her speed and strength.


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## Jar!23 (Jul 21, 2021)

Smaller kids have to rely on speed, both on and off the ball, passing accurately and quickly, and good footwork.  Being able to pay the entire game without slowing down and playing whatever position is needed will make the player  so important to the team.  

My own experience is that I have a small boy who hasn’t had his growth spurt yet.  But he is quick and has good foot skills.  He doesn’t stay on the ball longer than he has to and makes good passes quickly.  Bigger opponents don’t have many chances to knock him off the ball.  ic he is defending he doesn’t usually try to shoulder or knock the other kid off but instead focuses on the ball, staying in front of the attacking player to slow him down or make him lose the ball or cutting off an angle.  The problem right now for him is in shooting with power.  The boys on his team tend to be smaller and would get very nervous if they saw bigger opponents.  They would play in a fearful manner because they didn’t want to get hurt.  That feeling seems to have faded a bit after getting used to playing bigger kids.  

Bigger kids have an easy time knocking kids off the ball (also leads to more foul calls) or running through defenders.  They also tend to have a stronger power kick to bang in goals.

 To me speed and good passing is more important than size.  But most importantly, the kid has to keep playing.  Doesn’t matter how great or terrible the player is if he stops playing.  Many kids on your current team if its a younger group will stop playing in the next 2-3 years.


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## Grace T. (Jul 22, 2021)

Jar!23 said:


> Smaller kids have to rely on speed, both on and off the ball, passing accurately and quickly, and good footwork.  Being able to pay the entire game without slowing down and playing whatever position is needed will make the player  so important to the team.
> 
> My own experience is that I have a small boy who hasn’t had his growth spurt yet.  But he is quick and has good foot skills.  He doesn’t stay on the ball longer than he has to and makes good passes quickly.  Bigger opponents don’t have many chances to knock him off the ball.  ic he is defending he doesn’t usually try to shoulder or knock the other kid off but instead focuses on the ball, staying in front of the attacking player to slow him down or make him lose the ball or cutting off an angle.  The problem right now for him is in shooting with power.  The boys on his team tend to be smaller and would get very nervous if they saw bigger opponents.  They would play in a fearful manner because they didn’t want to get hurt.  That feeling seems to have faded a bit after getting used to playing bigger kids.
> 
> ...


You make a really good point about shooting with power (which seems to be less of an issue with the very Younger’s) which becomes an issue on the boys end around 12 13 and 14. Part of it is the puberty issue: bigger frame stronger kick.  But the other issue is the gkers. By 11 and 12 most of them have begun specialized training and can dive on a weaker shot with their area.  Unless the gk is a beginner, you aren’t going to score against them on a weak shot into their bubble even on a 1v1. That leaves 3 options: a shot perfectly placed either over the keeper or to a corner, a shot banger heavy enough the keeper doesn’t have time to react, or a cross into the area between the 6 and Pk when the keeper is postside.


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## Jar!23 (Jul 22, 2021)

Grace T. said:


> You make a really good point about shooting with power (which seems to be less of an issue with the very Younger’s) which becomes an issue on the boys end around 12 13 and 14. Part of it is the puberty issue: bigger frame stronger kick.  But the other issue is the gkers. By 11 and 12 most of them have begun specialized training and can dive on a weaker shot with their area.  Unless the gk is a beginner, you aren’t going to score against them on a weak shot into their bubble even on a 1v1. That leaves 3 options: a shot perfectly placed either over the keeper or to a corner, a shot banger heavy enough the keeper doesn’t have time to react, or a cross into the area between the 6 and Pk when the keeper is postside.


I agree.  When my boy’s team went to 11v11 on the big field, our gk who started specialized training a few months before, really grew into the position.  The progress was incredible. 

Definitely harder to score goals.  My son used to consistently score goals, not the highest on the team but up there. As I said, he is a smaller kid.  Now with playing 11v11, he can’t score much.  The only goal he’s scored this year was in a situation where his teammate passed him a through ball as my kid was running, runs faster than the defender, gk comes out and my kid goes around him to slot the ball into the net.  He can give assists pretty consistently though.  Goes back to the question about size.  If the kid isn’t big, speed is important.  That will hold the kid through those 12-14 years when other kids are bigger.


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## youthsportsugghhh (Jul 22, 2021)

Someone might have already said this somewhere -- be smarter! If you aren't that big physically be big mentally. My undersized daughter played center back for years and did so admirably against bigger and stronger forwards; she just didn't let them touch the ball. Coaches and parents and the players on the other team would get flustered with playing her when their goal scoring machine didn't get a whiff! Ultimately she ran into a coach that moved her out of center back, not because of skill but the antiquated thought that she was too small to compete.  Due to circumstances she was forced back to CB duties for a couple of games and after the refs approached her and said how well she had played, 2 wins. The coach when able moved her out again. Moving ultimately was good for her in the long run (2 years of struggle) as she can now play every non goal position on the field and rarely comes off.


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## watfly (Jul 23, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> I guess my next question to parents of olders is... How did height and size effect your player?


At least on the boy side of things at the top levels size matters significantly, particularly at U12-U14.  My sons team is an anomaly in MLS Next in that his team is small.  They were U14 last season and probably averaged 5'3 while I'd say most other teams averaged 5'7"-5'9".  6'+ players werent uncommon.  My son is 5'1" and a bag of bones.  He played kids that were a foot taller and twice his weight.    I joked that our team was prepuberty playing postpuberty kids.  Puberty is really the advantage more so than size per se.

Size really matters in the short term in club soccer.  Assuming a kid is reasonably skilled, size is a significant characteristic that coaches look at for top winning teams at the u12-u14 level.  Smaller kids can adapt at these ages but there is only so much they can do.  My kid has learned to play smarter.  He also has learned to play scrappier because the smaller/faster kids cant always keep the ball away from larger players as some have suggested.  It doesn't hurt for some of the smaller kids to learn a few of the Dark Arts to level the playing against the bigger kids.  The bigger kids hate nothing more than a scrappy and annoying small player.  Its always fun to see a small player frustrate the crap out of a bigger player.

In the long run I believe the smaller players will benefit and the post puberty size difference advantages will be nominal.  Unfortunately a few small kids may never get the chance due to our youth soccer culture's preference for bigger players.


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## SFR (Jul 29, 2021)

Sorry, going back to original question on if "Is it better to be versatile or set in one position". 
From my kids experience who started playing recreational and moved to high level completive level it never was about them to decide which position they want to play. It was always coach decision and once coach figured out which position they fit best the stayed playing on that position. My point is that players don't come and tell coach to put them in different position. Well, they can ask but most likely it won't happen.


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## Surf Zombie (Jul 29, 2021)

Mine is heading into U15. She has played soccer since before kindergarten and club since she was 7.
U8-U10 played every position but keeper. She has played outside back (both sides) from U11 on. However, she also plays on an indoor team every winter (16-18 games) plus Futsal and usually plays anything but defense just to mix it up.

Is it better to play one position or multiple? I guess it depends. My DD has started every game for her ECNL team over the last two years. Would she have made that team if she was “good” at a few positions but not “great” at one? I don’t think she would have.


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## Jar!23 (Sep 21, 2021)

My U13 son's team played games against teams with very noticeable size advantages this weekend.  Half of our team are playing up one year and most of the boys are small for their age.  At his last physical, my kid was at the 25th percentile in height and less than that in weight.  In one game, every opposing player was taller than our biggest kid.  Bigger clubs have an advantage in recruiting and picking kids who are big and athletic from a young age.  Definitely makes it hard to compete.   Tied one game and was crushed in the other one.  Looking at the parents, everyone is roughly the same size.  It's not like the opposing parents are giants, our kids are just late bloomers and haven't started puberty.  It's going to be a rough season and year for sure!


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## Grace T. (Sep 21, 2021)

Jar!23 said:


> My U13 son's team played games against teams with very noticeable size advantages this weekend.  Half of our team are playing up one year and most of the boys are small for their age.  At his last physical, my kid was at the 25th percentile in height and less than that in weight.  In one game, every opposing player was taller than our biggest kid.  Bigger clubs have an advantage in recruiting and picking kids who are big and athletic from a young age.  Definitely makes it hard to compete.   Tied one game and was crushed in the other one.  Looking at the parents, everyone is roughly the same size.  It's not like the opposing parents are giants, our kids are just late bloomers and haven't started puberty.  It's going to be a rough season and year for sure!


My son shopped around for his U13 team as a keeper  The higher level teams definitely had taller players than the lower level teams he shopped with.  He is in the 80th-85th percentile for height for his age, but is an august birthday. Even then it's a tough match up since that more than half year really makes a difference.  So even though he is in the 80th percentile, for teams in his age grouping he is average height.

By contrast, on his middle school team, he towers over the rest of them and even though he's not very good at distance running, routinely is able to lap half the boys in the class in long distance running.


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## mlx (Sep 21, 2021)

Jar!23 said:


> My U13 son's team played games against teams with very noticeable size advantages this weekend.  Half of our team are playing up one year and most of the boys are small for their age.  At his last physical, my kid was at the 25th percentile in height and less than that in weight.  In one game, every opposing player was taller than our biggest kid.  Bigger clubs have an advantage in recruiting and picking kids who are big and athletic from a young age.  Definitely makes it hard to compete.   Tied one game and was crushed in the other one.  Looking at the parents, everyone is roughly the same size.  It's not like the opposing parents are giants, our kids are just late bloomers and haven't started puberty.  It's going to be a rough season and year for sure!


You know what's more frustrating than that? When your son is 90th percentile in height and still the other teams and team mates are full of kids bigger than him. I'm like, the doctor says he will be 6'4" or something... how tall are these other kids going to be???  That an weight have been the limiters for my kid to stay at ECNL level.


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## watfly (Sep 21, 2021)

Jar!23 said:


> My U13 son's team played games against teams with very noticeable size advantages this weekend.  Half of our team are playing up one year and most of the boys are small for their age.  At his last physical, my kid was at the 25th percentile in height and less than that in weight.  In one game, every opposing player was taller than our biggest kid.  Bigger clubs have an advantage in recruiting and picking kids who are big and athletic from a young age.  Definitely makes it hard to compete.   Tied one game and was crushed in the other one.  Looking at the parents, everyone is roughly the same size.  It's not like the opposing parents are giants, our kids are just late bloomers and haven't started puberty.  It's going to be a rough season and year for sure!


Very common at the U13 to U15 age groups as kids hit puberty before other kids.  My son's numbers are a little lower than your kid's.  He plays at U15 in MLS Next and it isn't uncommon for him to play kids 10" taller and twice his weight.  There are kids in boy bodies and kids in adult bodies.  It's not just size, but also muscle definition.  The size is more pronounced in the upper leagues....cause American soccer.  At U16 and above, size differences are less pronounced and mostly irrelevant.

In the meantime, your kid needs to develop his balance on the pitch in an attempt to minimize getting knocked of the ball.  Also develop his soccer IQ, movement off the ball etc.  Learn how to challenge without being physical, staying at arm lengths and waiting for the attacker/defender to put too much space between them and the ball.  And when he challenges physically he may need to be a little dirty and learn some "dark arts".  I know some small kids that frustrate the hell of larger kids with how they attack like a rabid Shih Tzu.


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## Jar!23 (Sep 21, 2021)

Grace T. said:


> My son shopped around for his U13 team as a keeper  The higher level teams definitely had taller players than the lower level teams he shopped with.  He is in the 80th-85th percentile for height for his age, but is an august birthday. Even then it's a tough match up since that more than half year really makes a difference.  So even though he is in the 80th percentile, for teams in his age grouping he is average height.
> 
> By contrast, on his middle school team, he towers over the rest of them and even though he's not very good at distance running, routinely is able to lap half the boys in the class in long distance running.


Size definitely keeps us playing at a lower flight for now.  I hope the experience pays off at the later years.  I'd say many many kids are overlooked because of size.  The bigger kids have an advantage early on because they are tracked into higher level teams which leads to more opportunities later on.


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## Jar!23 (Sep 21, 2021)

watfly said:


> Very common at the U13 to U15 age groups as kids hit puberty before other kids.  My son's numbers are a little lower than your kid's.  He plays at U15 in MLS Next and it isn't uncommon for him to play kids 10" taller and twice his weight.  There are kids in boy bodies and kids in adult bodies.  It's not just size, but also muscle definition.  The size is more pronounced in the upper leagues....cause American soccer.  At U16 and above, size differences are less pronounced and mostly irrelevant.
> 
> In the meantime, your kid needs to develop his balance on the pitch in an attempt to minimize getting knocked of the ball.  Also develop his soccer IQ, movement off the ball etc.  Learn how to challenge without being physical, staying at arm lengths and waiting for the attacker/defender to put too much space between them and the ball.  And when he challenges physically he may need to be a little dirty and learn some "dark arts".  I know some small kids that frustrate the hell of larger kids with how they attack like a rabid Shih Tzu.


Wow, that's impressive that your son is able to compete at a high level.  Gives me some hope.  I'll keep the rabid Shih Tzu image in mind.  My son is fairly quick and passes a lot so I haven't seen him being pushed off the ball much.  He actually plays in defense for half a game pretty often because he is reliable even though he is so small.  Concentrates and doesn't mentally turn off, stays in front of the attacking player to slow him down, cut off his angle or occasionally steal the ball.   Watching him try slide tackles is pretty amusing.  However, playing in defense takes him away from the midfield which is where he does his best.


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## watfly (Sep 21, 2021)

Jar!23 said:


> Wow, that's impressive that your son is able to compete at a high level.  Gives me some hope.  I'll keep the rabid Shih Tzu image in mind.  My son is fairly quick and passes a lot so I haven't seen him being pushed off the ball much.  He actually plays in defense for half a game pretty often because he is reliable even though he is so small.  Concentrates and doesn't mentally turn off, stays in front of the attacking player to slow him down, cut off his angle or occasionally steal the ball.   Watching him try slide tackles is pretty amusing.  However, playing in defense takes him away from the midfield which is where he does his best.


I give a lot of credit to the coach.  It's not always pretty, and at times it does limit his effectiveness.  But I guess he is effective enough that the coach has confidence in him.  He might just be lucky that his coach and DOC are vertically challenged, so that might influence their decisions.  I know for certain that he wouldn't sniff the starting lineup, or potentially the roster at other MLS Next teams.

Your kid will be just fine with the skill set you mention with the right coach.


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## socalkdg (Sep 21, 2021)

Every kid grows differently.   My daughter at 13 was 5' 5" keeper but I knew she would keep growing while a number of the girls on the team stopped. Just turned 16 and is at 5'9" , her reach is longer, and is getting a lot more attention from scouts, colleges, and other teams.  Keep working the skills at what ever position they play.   I'd say while young play all positions if you can.   You can also play one position for club and one for High School.  A few of our girls at ID camps have been asked to try other positions at the camp.


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## Jar!23 (Sep 21, 2021)

watfly said:


> I give a lot of credit to the coach.  It's not always pretty, and at times it does limit his effectiveness.  But I guess he is effective enough that the coach has confidence in him.  He might just be lucky that his coach and DOC are vertically challenged, so that might influence their decisions.  I know for certain that he wouldn't sniff the starting lineup, or potentially the roster at other MLS Next teams.
> 
> Your kid will be just fine with the skill set you mention with the right coach.


What position does your kid play?


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## Carlsbad7 (Sep 21, 2021)

My player excelled at Offense and was Awful at Defense. 

So the decision about where to play was made before coaches even announced the team.


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## watfly (Sep 21, 2021)

Jar!23 said:


> What position does your kid play?


He plays the 11, depending on the game situation he might get dropped to the 3 late in the game.


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## lafalafa (Sep 21, 2021)

Try not to be concerned with size or weight too much because there is little you can do besides proper diet, genetics can't be trained or changed.

Have you player(s) work on there team work & skills:  ball control, first touch, passing, speed of play and decisions.  Receiving, trapping, dribbling, shooting, etc.  

Some coaches will tell you skill is the number one factor for success in soccer.   What skills?  Passing is near the top of that list  but that's not just a individual skill but a way to play team ball. Team is first in soccer not the individual and its important to act as a team together rather than acting alone on the field.

With the right amount of coaching, strategy, speed, motivation, and skill, size and weight don't necessarily have to be something that's required to be very successful in soccer.


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## RedDevilDad (Sep 21, 2021)

Soccermom18 said:


> I appreciate everyone’s feedback.  It’s hard to tell what is best for my child as I did not play/nor do I know anything about soccer so this feedback has been very helpful as I navigate this club soccer world.  My child gets a lot of playing time with every team he has been on but has been in a different position with each coach he has had so I wasn’t sure if it was time to find one position or continue to have him be versatile.


Two thoughts/words of advice:
1. Don't forget you are a paying customer... or another way to say it... don't pay to be angry. 
I've know parents who were so frustrated with the team, coach, something... yet paid over two grand annually to be there. 

2. Find a realistic friend. Find someone who seems to understand soccer but also wants the best for kids... then let that person be able to speak realism back into you. I get emotionally up or down with stuff... and have a friend who is like, "don't be dumb."


Regarding, positions... I'd usually lean towards by U15/U16 need to have an idea of offensive role and interior v exterior.  The differences between a CB and an outside back can be significant.  Also, the difference between playing on the back line, midfield or front line can also be significant. 
So, I wouldn't worry about a U16 switching between 8 and 10 or outside back and center back... but I'd lean away from seeing them switch from 9 to outside back.


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## Eagle33 (Oct 4, 2021)

RedDevilDad said:


> Two thoughts/words of advice:
> 1. Don't forget you are a paying customer... or another way to say it... don't pay to be angry.
> I've know parents who were so frustrated with the team, coach, something... yet paid over two grand annually to be there.
> 
> ...


I disagree, being versatile can make a difference for your player if he/she wants to play college ball. The difference would be between playing a different position on the field or sitting on the bench. 11 playing 3 or 9 playing 11 or 7 should not be an issue, same for all others. Some positions is very specific depending on Style of play, like 6 or 10. Goalkeeper is another animal, but being proficient with his/her feet is a must now.


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## Red card (Oct 4, 2021)

At U littles play everywhere don't get locked into a position. Be proficient with both feet.  If you were wondering about up at high levels and into college then the objective is to get on the field any way you can or else you are just a positional dummy at practice.  The more value you have (versatile) the harder it is to not keep you or play you.   If a defender goes down and there aren't any subs then if you have at least been exposed you could get an oppurtunity.


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## espola (Oct 4, 2021)

watfly said:


> He plays the 11, depending on the game situation he might get dropped to the 3 late in the game.


11?  3?  So sophisiticated.

That position numbering scheme was devised at about the time the 2-3-5 alignment went out of favor.


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## Larzby (Oct 4, 2021)

Versatility, without a doubt


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## Woodwork (Oct 4, 2021)

Left back is the only good position, if played properly.


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## watfly (Oct 5, 2021)

Larzby said:


> Versatility, without a doubt


In soccer at all levels and ages, your kid is one new player at his/her position away from riding the pine, or being cut.  It doesn't matter how many years they've been with the club, all the practices they attended even just to watch when injured, or how many goals they've scored.  That shiny new object that plays the 9 will unseat your kid in a millisecond.  Not saying this is right, but its the reality and not the exception.  This is why you have to be versatile and not specialize.  Another reason is that soccer positions have become much less specialized and more fluid.  You have to be a total soccer player.  The striker is the first defender and the keeper is the first attacker.  Even though you have to specialize as a keeper, the keeper's role has expanded significantly to more of a sweeper/keeper where you have to distribute the ball with your feet not much differently from that of a holding midfielder.


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## socalkdg (Oct 5, 2021)

watfly said:


> Even though you have to specialize as a keeper, the keeper's role has expanded significantly to more of a sweeper/keeper where you have to distribute the ball with your feet not much differently from that of a holding midfielder.


This has never been more true than this past weekend.   Scored a goal that had the other team overloaded on one side, pass back to her drew two attacking her, her pass to opposite side gave us numbers and resulted in a goal.   She also had two free kicks over a high line that resulted in two breakaways, both should have been goals but did score on one of them.


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## Simisoccerfan (Oct 6, 2021)

My daughter didn't truly full lock into her position until she was 20.


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