When or reasons why to switch positions?

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.
 
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?
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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.
 
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.
 
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.
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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).
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
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Great post. Speaking of Marcelo...
 

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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
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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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.
 
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.
 
marcelo-jpg.1322

MakeAPlay said:
Great post. Speaking of Marcelo...
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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.
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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).
 
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.
 
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.
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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.
 
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.
 
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.
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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.
 
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.
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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.
 
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.
 
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.
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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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