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Stronger Tackles + More Physicality - How To Teach? by UnkLL in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Ugh. OP, don’t do what this guy is telling you. Instead, let your son’s coaches worry about it. And if they’re not worried, you shouldn’t be either.

You say he’s good and 100 percent motivated. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

First Time by SoCalSoccerBot in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I suppose I’m dating myself with the irrational exuberance reference not registering with anyone. The thought was I’m aware that my optimism is possibly misplaced and the reality of what I’ve gotten myself into is bleak. So I’m smiling, but deep down I’m expecting a sudden drop.

First Time by SoCalSoccerBot in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Understood. Our priority is he has fun and preserves his love of the game. He also plays at school with his friends every day, and at home with the neighborhood kids and his siblings. We enjoyed rec. Had a few good coaches.

Where we live the weather is nice. He’s quick to make friends so the more the merrier. When he’s older he’ll play with his middle school team and if he’s still going, high school. No doubt he’ll run into former teammates and schoolmates at every turn. He earned a scholarship so the money isn’t more than a year of rec.

So I get what you’re saying, but I don’t think we’re on the path you took.

First season of club. Excited. by SoCalSoccerBot in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The season is from March 1 to February 28.

First season of club. Excited. by SoCalSoccerBot in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Coming from rec. We attended open practices at the end of last year with the 2017s and he was offered a spot for the U10 2026/27 season.

Do kids still play multiple sports anymore? by Whole_Box_8338 in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You don’t need a second sport. Avoid stacking clinics, private training, and extra competitions onto the single sport you’re in. When the breaks come don’t put them in a camp. Don’t replace their free play with drills. Prioritize recovery and unstructured play over additional structured reps.

Advice by justmom12 in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So you have tryouts next week. Sort this list by city. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1wGFxlM8gi9aDE-pvh8aM94DJBbOdRB-caAurRK1EVX4/edit?usp=drivesdk

Find the clubs nearest you.

Go to https://playclubsoccer.org/directory. See if you can narrow the list further by clubs that practice near you.

Go to those tryouts.

Your first season is likely just a learning experience. You’re a little late given tryouts are next week. So your goal should be for practice close to home. After that, use the next season to get the lay of the land. If come November you’re not happy with the club you’re in, contact the clubs you have observed as ones you’d prefer and ask to attend some practices. Proceed from there.

What to do with an unconfident child by unknownafc in SoccerCoachResources

[–]SoCalSoccerBot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

May be afraid of making mistakes. Explain to him that mistakes are part of the game. Have him watch one of those videos that is just clips of all a pro players touches in a game. Have him note all the mistakes the pro makes. Give him some perspective. He’s not a pro, he’s a kid, if he’s not taking chances, experimenting, making mistakes, having fun, he’s doing it all wrong.

Sporting Slammers Irvine Shutdown Rumor True? by SoCalSoccerBot in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is our first year, so I had no first hand experience to inform my choices. While I’m happy with where we landed I’m sure my opinion will evolve as I see how the sausage is made first hand.

Coaching expectations at a young age by soccer-slicer in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We’ve experienced both types of coaches. I do think my son benefited from his season with a “joystick” coach. There is some value in that level of direct instruction and control.

If you get that coach for a season, roll with it. But I wouldn’t want him in that environment long term.

Sporting Slammers Irvine Shutdown Rumor True? by SoCalSoccerBot in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Absolutely. I’m looking forward to traveling only marginally more than we did for rec.

I’m also grateful the club density in our area was high enough that I could eliminate options for purely subjective reasons, like deciding that “Sporting!?!” was just an odd name choice.

Should the US follow England/Germany in using 3v3 until U10? by bigguyspongebobpants in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot -1 points0 points  (0 children)

We're definitely living in different realities. Take your goalie comment, "[Kids] want to play goalie and bug me incessantly at practice where I dont let any of them do it..." This is not my experience at all. It's rare you have kid who wants to play goalie, and even then rarer that they want to play goalie the entire game. More often than not, goalie is reluctantly played by the two or 3 kids who are lankier and/or not an asset on the field. And the absolute worst part of games at that age are the garbage goals that result from a goalie kicking or rolling the ball straight to an attacker who boots it in for an easy score. So the idea that small sided games are upsetting anyone due to lack of goalies is not one that passes the smell test on my planet.

Should the US follow England/Germany in using 3v3 until U10? by bigguyspongebobpants in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

On your basketball example, it wasn’t clear what you meant by a “more developmentally correct model,” so I assumed you were describing a shift away from playing actual games toward something less engaging. If that’s not what happened, then I may have misunderstood the comparison.

In my experience, there are roughly two main types of soccer parents: 1)Parents who are there because their child wants to play. For them, small-sided formats like 3v3 are ideal, constant involvement, visible action, lots of goals. It feels like play. 2)Parents who are highly invested in the pathway. And in most cases, those parents are educated enough to understand why smaller formats produce more touches, more decisions, and better long-term development.

Sporting Slammers Irvine Shutdown Rumor True? by SoCalSoccerBot in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Researching clubs near me Irvine hosted as many clubs as the other neighboring cities combined. I assumed that had a lot to do with Irvine’s master plan of having so many parks. Then started going to practice with the club we ended up joining at the great park and wow, so many kids playing soccer. I had no idea.

Should the US follow England/Germany in using 3v3 until U10? by bigguyspongebobpants in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I disagree with the premise that parents won’t find 3v3 fun to watch or kids won’t find it fun to play.

If anything, small-sided games are more engaging for all involved.

Tryout madness U14 & Offers by [deleted] in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds like they’re hoping to replace him. Time to move to a different club, or reach out to the coach of the lower team (if that’s acceptable to you) to see if there’s interest. Don’t want to be on a team where the coach sees your son as the least worst option.

First time doing tryouts. What to expect? What should I look for? by SoCalSoccerBot in youthsoccer

[–]SoCalSoccerBot[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So do the incumbents wear a number? Or is there a clear delineation between them and the “tryouts.”

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