A good article about Coaches and Parents here in America

I was at Trader Joe's a few months ago and I kid you not, I heard a conversation a dad was having with another mom talking about, you guessed it, DA Soccer in OC. Not sure the age of dads dd, but he was sharing (bragging, boasting) how much his dd has improved this year and is now being asked to move up from DP to DA. He said she has to earn her minutes but at least they get to start 1/4 of the time ( that's why I always say that). I saw the hat he was wearing so I know what club he was at and they had a small exodus of some unhappy folks and it opened up roster spots. I'm not sure what actually is going on and it's none of my business but it was interesting to say the least and I thought I would share that with all of you.
 
Positive news in coaching
gCoat stories need to be shared. It's not fair to bash them all. My "greatest COACH of all time" goes to my dd HS Varsity Track Coach. He's one of those coaches that teach kids valuable listens early in life. I will love to one day share our only email exchanges. He has team rules like coach Wooden. We all remember the Bill Walton story and his desire to have facial hair, right? Well, this coach had rules too. Right before CIF, my little goat broke one of his rules. She was suspended for the rest of the season (CIF Pre something) for breaking one freaking rule. I emailed that guy and told him everyone deserves a second chance and for what she did deserved one. He said, "no." Well, I emailed him back and shared how this could make her look bad. He said she needs to learn this lesson now. I looked at the crime she committed and thought it was petty. My only analogy would be if DEA agents ran a sting in a park in Colorado and arrested an 18 year old dude smoking some grass. Then the van shows up and hauls his ass off to that Federal Prison in NY where that dude was that killed himself, allegedly. But you know what, it was the best thing that ever happened to her and when I see and actually meet him for the first time I will give him a Big Hug!!!!
 
Keep in mine my little goat never been to public school before. Went to charter (Prep, no outside influence if you know what I mean), mandatory uniforms for all (saved me a lot of money) and 100% all about getting into college. 70 kids in your whole 2022 class and 10 students in a classroom with a computer and all that stuff. Her classes now have 36 per room, plus they HAVE to take math for three years. This is a problem and I love math but not that subject. When I went to High School, it was one and done and it did not have to be Algebra. Just one freaking year in the 80s. Now 3? We need this fixed quickly imho. I don't see the rules changing anytime soon. However, I do have one idea. Take the smartest 12 and the weaker 12 and put 3 groups of 12 together. Let the smart one lead the group and then they all get a group grade. Geometry to many girls & boys is discouraging and depressing. I have to now go pay for a tutor for something she will never , ever use in her life. How about a class on Accounting. How to manage and use money as a tool in life. Money always get's bad rap. Someone once said, "money is the root of all evil." Money is not evil, it's usually the root where the evil is. Money get's blamed for everything and its not fair to all the money. Thank God money doesn't have any feelings :) It's not their fault their called "Money." Money is NOT EVIL!!!!!
 
I was at Trader Joe's a few months ago and I kid you not, I heard a conversation a dad was having with another mom talking about, you guessed it, DA Soccer in OC. Not sure the age of dads dd, but he was sharing (bragging, boasting) how much his dd has improved this year and is now being asked to move up from DP to DA. He said she has to earn her minutes but at least they get to start 1/4 of the time ( that's why I always say that). I saw the hat he was wearing so I know what club he was at and they had a small exodus of some unhappy folks and it opened up roster spots. I'm not sure what actually is going on and it's none of my business but it was interesting to say the least and I thought I would share that with all of you.
Love the hate parents sneak into their observations.
This idiot was hating so much he took a
Jab at a kid. Who cares why or how she got called to
DA? Stop the hating on kids. At least let them turn 18 before you start talking smack
 
Love the hate parents sneak into their observations.
This idiot was hating so much he took a
Jab at a kid. Who cares why or how she got called to
DA? Stop the hating on kids. At least let them turn 18 before you start talking smack
I'm sorry you see it as hate. DA I thought was to try and find the "best of the best" and develop them into YNT players and some will make it to the big squad. You can't do that if you promise everyone 25% starts and have some parents demand only one GK be on the team. Parents have told DA Docs I must play up, CM and start every game or I will look elsewhere. I guess I should have waited until their all 18 and then talk smack. I wasn't talking smack on the kid btw just the dad, but if you truly see it like that I'm super sorry. Everyone in the DA is getting what they want and that is not how you get the cream to rise to the top. That is my opinion based on playing sports since I was 5. Maybe the Girls DA has the formula that will take the USA girls soccer program to even higher level than ever before. ECNL has no promises on starts. You have to drive to Vegas and hope you get in the game. That is college. College has absolutely zero promises of starts last I heard.
 
...You can't do that if you promise everyone 25% starts...
Actually, that's the only way to develop players. No one gets better sitting on the bench. No one actually knows who from their pool are actually going to be world-class players, so you need to get everyone playing as much as possible.
 
Actually, that's the only way to develop players. No one gets better sitting on the bench. No one actually knows who from their pool are actually going to be world-class players, so you need to get everyone playing as much as possible.
Q @focomoso. Are we talking about the ultimate goal of finding the "best of the best" girls soccer players in the USA? I agree you can't have fun if you sit on the bench, that sucks. I just don't believe you can "develop female soccer players" 14 or 15 year old's into world class girl soccer players that barely play and get to start 25% of all games. 1 out of 4 starts! Now if you're trying to have kid playing in front of college coaches, build a business to develop players into better student/athletes, then yes, 25% is very nice for those customers who need that guarantee. We are talking about the USSF League right and it's stated goal to find the cream at the top? If you're slow, you can NEVER get faster. Parents spend $$$$$ to try and get their kid fast. Impossible just like a player getting taller. Ain't gonna happen. Girls have to deal with genetics unlike most males. Boys can get faster up to 21, not girls. Girls can only hope they keep their speed when they were 13. The only thing these coaches can "develop" is better humans, safe environment, be good teammates, pass the rock, striking a ball, dribbling a ball and of course, how to juggle for one hour alone and then another 30 minutes dribbling through cones with no defense. A truthful coach trying to find the cream at the top will tell parents the truth.
 
where did you get this?
Genetics vs Development for girls. It's one philosophy I was taught 4 years ago. Girls become young woman and their bodies need to get ready to have babies. Bigger hips and breast can cause one to slow down.
 
Genetics vs Development for girls. It's one philosophy I was taught 4 years ago. Girls become young woman and their bodies need to get ready to have babies. Bigger hips and breast can cause one to slow down.
You’re not wrong on how women develop. But if you don’t think someone can get faster- you have no idea what you are talking about. Some girls grow taller with puberty and it takes them some time to adjust to their new body.

Heck- I have a friend who is in her 40s. She’s always been pretty fit. She is now in the process of qualifying for the Olympic trials in the marathon. That requires world class speed and endurance. She was fast 6 years ago.... but not world class.
 
You’re not wrong on how women develop. But if you don’t think someone can get faster- you have no idea what you are talking about. Some girls grow taller with puberty and it takes them some time to adjust to their new body.

Heck- I have a friend who is in her 40s. She’s always been pretty fit. She is now in the process of qualifying for the Olympic trials in the marathon. That requires world class speed and endurance. She was fast 6 years ago.... but not world class.
I trying to be careful with my words. Let me explain: Were talking about finding the future National Team players for woman to be clear here and why we have the USSF League in the first place. If 10 is the highest level for world class girls soccer player and you're at a 6 at 14 years old, yes you can spend thousand of $$$$ to get to 6.5. You will NEVER get to 8 and the odds of getting faster than 6.5 is bad because girls will gain weight and will need to work even harder to keep the new 6.5 speed score. And that will 100% disqualify dd at the highest level. I never ran a marathon but I'm not sure how fast you have to be. Were talking 0-3 seconds and 0-5. Not endurance.
 
Q @focomoso. Are we talking about the ultimate goal of finding the "best of the best" girls soccer players in the USA? I agree you can't have fun if you sit on the bench, that sucks. I just don't believe you can "develop female soccer players" 14 or 15 year old's into world class girl soccer players that barely play and get to start 25% of all games. 1 out of 4 starts! Now if you're trying to have kid playing in front of college coaches, build a business to develop players into better student/athletes, then yes, 25% is very nice for those customers who need that guarantee. We are talking about the USSF League right and it's stated goal to find the cream at the top? If you're slow, you can NEVER get faster. Parents spend $$$$$ to try and get their kid fast. Impossible just like a player getting taller. Ain't gonna happen. Girls have to deal with genetics unlike most males. Boys can get faster up to 21, not girls. Girls can only hope they keep their speed when they were 13. The only thing these coaches can "develop" is better humans, safe environment, be good teammates, pass the rock, striking a ball, dribbling a ball and of course, how to juggle for one hour alone and then another 30 minutes dribbling through cones with no defense. A truthful coach trying to find the cream at the top will tell parents the truth.
I'm much more versed on the boys side, but my point is that up to about 15 or 16 (or maybe even older), no one knows who is going to "make it" and who isn't. Puberty is a lottery and if you spend all your time developing the 15 best 12-year-olds, in 5 years, you may find that you've been developing the wrong kids. The 25% rule makes sure that some of the kids that aren't superstars at 12, but who have a chance to be at 16 get some high-level soccer.
 
I trying to be careful with my words. Let me explain: Were talking about finding the future National Team players for woman to be clear here and why we have the USSF League in the first place. If 10 is the highest level for world class girls soccer player and you're at a 6 at 14 years old, yes you can spend thousand of $$$$ to get to 6.5. You will NEVER get to 8 and the odds of getting faster than 6.5 is bad because girls will gain weight and will need to work even harder to keep the new 6.5 speed score. And that will 100% disqualify dd at the highest level. I never ran a marathon but I'm not sure how fast you have to be. Were talking 0-3 seconds and 0-5. Not endurance.
To continue this. At least on the boys side, the 8s and 9s at 12 are rarely the 8s and 9s at 19. Often it's the 7s that have the chance to end up as 10s. Note all the European superstars who were cut from various top academies at 14 only to thrive in a "lower" system and come back better.
 
I'm much more versed on the boys side, but my point is that up to about 15 or 16 (or maybe even older), no one knows who is going to "make it" and who isn't. Puberty is a lottery and if you spend all your time developing the 15 best 12-year-olds, in 5 years, you may find that you've been developing the wrong kids. The 25% rule makes sure that some of the kids that aren't superstars at 12, but who have a chance to be at 16 get some high-level soccer.
There you go. I agree on the boy side. All good
 
I'd also argue that "fast" does not always mean "good soccer player". Sure, you can't be a turtle out there. But a 40 yard dash time, a 3 mile run time or the beep test are not an indicator of someone being a great soccer player. But at 10 years old, the fast kid will ALWAYS stand out as the "best" player on the field. See how many times that player runs on to the end of a through ball only to donk it out of bounds with her 1st or 2nd touch. Sure, she'll score 2 or 3 goals per game. But nobody looks at the 15 times she blew it.
 
I'd also argue that "fast" does not always mean "good soccer player". Sure, you can't be a turtle out there. But a 40 yard dash time, a 3 mile run time or the beep test are not an indicator of someone being a great soccer player. But at 10 years old, the fast kid will ALWAYS stand out as the "best" player on the field. See how many times that player runs on to the end of a through ball only to donk it out of bounds with her 1st or 2nd touch. Sure, she'll score 2 or 3 goals per game. But nobody looks at the 15 times she blew it.
I was thinking the same thing why are we only talking about speed and size with soccer development. This isn't the NFL
 
I'd also argue that "fast" does not always mean "good soccer player". Sure, you can't be a turtle out there. But a 40 yard dash time, a 3 mile run time or the beep test are not an indicator of someone being a great soccer player. But at 10 years old, the fast kid will ALWAYS stand out as the "best" player on the field. See how many times that player runs on to the end of a through ball only to donk it out of bounds with her 1st or 2nd touch. Sure, she'll score 2 or 3 goals per game. But nobody looks at the 15 times she blew it.
You have to have some speed 8 out of 10 and physical strength for girls, is huge at the highest levels of soccer. Not talking college, talking all the best in the world. That is why we have a girls DA, to find the best of the best. Speed alone will not get you in but you better have it or be 5 10'
 
I was thinking the same thing why are we only talking about speed and size with soccer development. This isn't the NFL
World Cup teams only I'm talking about. You can't develop speed or size. So if you don't have either, most likely on the girls side ur toast. It's reality. 300 D1 colleges and 3000 more colleges, no problem. All who can run and kick a ball can play somewhere in college.
 
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