Game Changers

With it looking likely our teams will be able to play soon
Who are the top players to watch
I will go first

Blues Lime #8
Blues Lime #3
 
Got to see Blues Lime #3 play yesterday and today in Coachella. It's been a while and it looked like she was not playing with her usual Blues team but she is a heck of a player - she was scoring goals from everywhere in the games I saw. I spoke with the dad and it sounds like she will be playing up with a 2011 team next season. He didn't say where she's going but that's too bad because the 2012 Lime team they are fun to watch.
 
It's funny to me, having watched this process play out over and over, how much time parents spend talking up their kids on forums/sidelines/amongst friends. In all of my players that have gone through the process, the superstar at 8 yrs old was not the superstar at 10, and then there is a bigger leap as you migrate to the big field. So many kids who were absolutely dominant on the small field due to physicality or parental overtraining (the kid who does 3 scissors moves when they receive the ball) fall away when we go 11v11. Every time it's happened.

Just slow down, enjoy the games, don't worry about who is best at age 8. You'll miss these days, and wish you didn't spend them obsessing about how your 8 year old stacks up. Don't mean to be preachy, sorry.
 
It's funny to me, having watched this process play out over and over, how much time parents spend talking up their kids on forums/sidelines/amongst friends. In all of my players that have gone through the process, the superstar at 8 yrs old was not the superstar at 10, and then there is a bigger leap as you migrate to the big field. So many kids who were absolutely dominant on the small field due to physicality or parental overtraining (the kid who does 3 scissors moves when they receive the ball) fall away when we go 11v11. Every time it's happened.

Just slow down, enjoy the games, don't worry about who is best at age 8. You'll miss these days, and wish you didn't spend them obsessing about how your 8 year old stacks up. Don't mean to be preachy, sorry.
I'm not trying to make a list myself and I totally get where you're coming from but the girls work hard and the parents support that with time and money so let them be happy about it without you shaming them for it lol

And to address your other point, lots of kids will fizzle out for sure but a lot will get better as their soccer IQs and their overall maturity develop. Every kid is different and you never know what the future holds.
 
I'm not trying to make a list myself and I totally get where you're coming from but the girls work hard and the parents support that with time and money so let them be happy about it without you shaming them for it lol

And to address your other point, lots of kids will fizzle out for sure but a lot will get better as their soccer IQs and their overall maturity develop. Every kid is different and you never know what the future holds.

Not trying to shame anyone. It's natural to get caught up in the hype and the success. All I'm saying it to grab some perspective, if your kid is a star at age 8, odds are she won't be at 12, UNLESS she truly loves the game and is internally motivated to succeed. I've watched so many overbearing parents, screaming on the sidelines, berating their kids after a loss, jumping them from team to team chasing the State Cup. Do everything you can to help them love the game! I've seen so many kids crumble under the weight of their parent's expectations, and team rankings, and angst about play time. Cheer them, teach them to support their teammates, take pictures, and embrace this time. It goes by so fast.
 
Not trying to shame anyone. It's natural to get caught up in the hype and the success. All I'm saying it to grab some perspective, if your kid is a star at age 8, odds are she won't be at 12, UNLESS she truly loves the game and is internally motivated to succeed. I've watched so many overbearing parents, screaming on the sidelines, berating their kids after a loss, jumping them from team to team chasing the State Cup. Do everything you can to help them love the game! I've seen so many kids crumble under the weight of their parent's expectations, and team rankings, and angst about play time. Cheer them, teach them to support their teammates, take pictures, and embrace this time. It goes by so fast.
Oh I totally get where you're coming from about enjoying the ride and I hopefully am not one of those overbearing parents at all...pretty sure I'm not but I could be wrong. If anything I'm trying to find that right balance of what to say when your kid is too hard on themselves without flat out saying the stuff you're upset about doesn't matter (because it matters to her). My kid isn't a superstar by any means but she works really hard and loves the game. My job is to not fuck that up. I don't mind when parents hype up their kids though because being good at what you're doing is something to be proud of. The same way I hype up my kids' academic achievements, I'll hype up their sports achievements too. I will always be their #1 hypeman lol.
 
Oh I totally get where you're coming from about enjoying the ride and I hopefully am not one of those overbearing parents at all...pretty sure I'm not but I could be wrong. If anything I'm trying to find that right balance of what to say when your kid is too hard on themselves without flat out saying the stuff you're upset about doesn't matter (because it matters to her). My kid isn't a superstar by any means but she works really hard and loves the game. My job is to not fuck that up. I don't mind when parents hype up their kids though because being good at what you're doing is something to be proud of. The same way I hype up my kids' academic achievements, I'll hype up their sports achievements too. I will always be their #1 hypeman lol.

Correct it all starts somewhere. When my kid was 5/6 thru now nothing has changed for her still a top player. My advise for young player parents is the sooner you instill in them work ethic you can sit back and watch it all play out when they are older. PM for u/5 -u13 highlights (girls).
 
Not trying to shame anyone. It's natural to get caught up in the hype and the success. All I'm saying it to grab some perspective, if your kid is a star at age 8, odds are she won't be at 12, UNLESS she truly loves the game and is internally motivated to succeed. I've watched so many overbearing parents, screaming on the sidelines, berating their kids after a loss, jumping them from team to team chasing the State Cup. Do everything you can to help them love the game! I've seen so many kids crumble under the weight of their parent's expectations, and team rankings, and angst about play time. Cheer them, teach them to support their teammates, take pictures, and embrace this time. It goes by so fast.
Definitely a good wake up call thank you
 
My kid has been playing since she was 3, competitive since 5/6 (A and B team), and is now 11.
  • I've seen players that I thought were amazing at 6 completely revert by 8 and drop out at 10.
  • I've seen players start on the 3rd team and work their way up to the B and sometimes A team.
  • I've seen crazy parents yell at their kid to the point where they don't want to play anymore.
  • I've seen my daughter so mad that her coach wouldn't let her score goals in a game that when she got home she started breaking her toys in frustration.
  • I've seen parents play the social game to get their kid best buddies with the star player.
  • I've seen parents DIRECTLY pay a coach to give their kid minutes in a game. (Ended up losing because of it)
  • I've seen players that I thought were amazing in 9v9 struggle in 11v11.
  • I've seen parents who were positive their kid was the next Gymnastics star + Soccer was a fall back. (Kid ended up quitting Gymnastics and now Soccer is #1 and Lacrosse is #2)
The whole concept of a "Game Changer" for under 10 is silly. In general these type of players are either bigger than all the rest (early growth, big parents) or more physically developed at a younger age (won't get taller than 5'2"). Another quick way to identify "Game Changer" players under 10 is if they have older brothers/sisters that play.

Here's how you get your kid better than all the rest + at a younger age...
  • Play in as many games/leagues as possible (AYSO, wallball, Club, etc)
  • Play Futsal from an early age
  • Go the park and shoot on goal + practice all the time
  • A lot of the "Latin" families like to go to the park + hang out. They throw their kids a ball and they just play soccer all day.
 
Most Blues and Surf (other top teams) girls at U10 who are standouts will most likely play D1. I followed all of my DD's opposition and teammates, and the standouts became D1 players. So I will say that standouts at GU10 will most likely be D1 players. It really helps if you start them young by taking them to the park on your own, it also helps if you have played soccer.

The ones who faded were the fastest ones who could burn a defense easily and relied on this over and over. When they finally met a defender that could match their speed they were neutralized, and had no ball control or soccer IQ to lean back on. I seen such a player get so frustrated she took it out on the defender and got a red.

What makes a standout at GU10?
 
Most Blues and Surf (other top teams) girls at U10 who are standouts will most likely play D1. I followed all of my DD's opposition and teammates, and the standouts became D1 players. So I will say that standouts at GU10 will most likely be D1 players. It really helps if you start them young by taking them to the park on your own, it also helps if you have played soccer.

The ones who faded were the fastest ones who could burn a defense easily and relied on this over and over. When they finally met a defender that could match their speed they were neutralized, and had no ball control or soccer IQ to lean back on. I seen such a player get so frustrated she took it out on the defender and got a red.

What makes a standout at GU10?
100% agree Dom. The great TB told my dd that you can;t score if your eating grass all the time. My kid loves possession but she has gone up against some big and I mean big defenders lately. Pass and go and triangle soccer is the only way to play and stay healthy. These defenders mean business and they are even faster than my goat, can you believe that. Faster and stronger. Now what? You better play smart and figure it out or no play for you. If you play smart and you have above average speed, you can catch em flat footed and if you make a good run you can beat them. If were all honest here, a great player might only get one or two real chances to score. That's how good defenders are. Great thread :)
 
Back
Top