Keep in mind the team's needs, too...Even though your kid is an awesome forward, they're a much better center back for that specific team. You'll see as they grow which position suits them best. Most players and parents, though, love the glory position of being the star forward.
Playing Positions
- Thread starter lulu9155
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While I agree, there's an undeniable pragmatic aspect to this also, which people should not overlook. Like it or not, the "star forward" (or more accurately, the star scorer) tends to get most of the attention, accolades, glory, etc. That is going to make that player likely the most popular, most valued (in the eyes of the players and parents, at least), and generally the most lauded for success. If you want your kid to just enjoy playing soccer, and get the most benefit from that experience at the youth level (ie: without worrying about college prospects or beyond), then a strong offensive position might objectively make the most sense, if you have a say in the matter.
That may not be what's best for team performance and/or long-term player development, but there is an element of pragmatic reality there also, which is just based on the nature of how most people perceive player value. That's something to balance also, depending on what you want for your child.
Scrub It Kook
BRONZE
My son was a center mid for a couple of years. New team/coach plays him as a 3 (outside back/wingback) and he enjoys the position even more than CM. The outside backs carry the heaviest workload on the team based on the amount of ground they cover during a game. Being able to attack and defend really suits him.Some players go box-to-box, but 3's go end line-to-end line.
I find that this is less true as kids get older / move up the ranks. The better players realize what position their skillset matches up with and they prefer to play there. My son and I have been going to college ID camps and when they line up to play, there are usually very few kids willing to play the 9. Even top scorers often want to play the 10 or winger because it matches better with their style of play. Also something I've noticed is that on teams that bring in over-seas players, they will most often be strikers. I think this is because they're harder to find locally.
We put our best 9s as midfielders and CBs when they are younger because we want them to help defend more in order to win more games because they are fast and strong. I've watched most good number nines stop training as nines and weaker players are trained as the number nine because defense wins and the midfielder or CB will score.
There have been a few good coaches that continue to allow good 9s to remain as nines at all cost but then it looks like boot balls because the midfield looks weaker and everyone is trying to get it to the really good player, the 9. In this environment, the 9 develops well.
When you reach the more advanced ages, playing the 9 means making a lot of runs and never seeing the ball. Your days of dribbling half the field are over. Not nearly as glamorous as it once was.
Other side is finding CBs. Stress of being the last line of defense, taking the blame but not getting any glory wears on kids. That and the wear and tear... getting physically beat up every game to try to prevent goals. Forwards get swapped out CBs rarely do. Few want to be center back.
Why would an offensive position make sense if I am not worrying about college prospects and beyond?
Footyguy10
BRONZE
For an 8/9 year old, how many positions should they be playing at a time during a season? Is it best for their development to focus on a position or two at a time? Or be playing more than that?
At 7/8 ideally all of them including goalkeeper. It’s the only way to get a full basic understanding of how the game works. However, no one does that…the strongest players are played down the spines….goalkeepers are specializing as young as 7….i remember when Ian Feuer and some of the other big gk coaches around town wouldn’t take anyone under 9 for private classes less than a decade ago.
All of them is best at that age. My kid played them all before she was 9. Move them around and try different positions. My dd started as a right back her first full season of club as a 7-year-old but was moved around a little. Coach's husband told the coach that my kid is fast and should play up top. However, coach overruled because her BFF dd was the only one allowed up top. She did get to play some mid but mainly was all about being fast enough to chase the other teams forward that U9 year. I'm old school so wherever coach puts you, you play your little heart out. No excuses. I did see the CM and striker parents at this age demand their kid play CM or striker position or they will leave. GK parents were like this. Some parents told coach that only their kid plays GK and no backups. I think we played a 3 2 1. It was fun and my dd really learned how to play D. She ended up doing what the coach asked of her on the field and became a Striker/Wing. High School coach her Sr Year asked her to play attacking CM or Holding Mid. We were a small school in Division 1 her last year. Total joke. Anyway, her coach needed her more on defense. We were outnumbered in high school. My point is being able to move around at a young age, play well enough not to give up a goal or not finish, can help you in the long run and do it without complaining is a coaches dream. Good luck to your player
The thinking behind that comment is that the kids who score the most tend to get the most positive feedback from parents and teammates (at least), and thus are the most likely to have a positive experience, better self-esteem, and derive more social capital from it. Thus, if you're not pushing for college soccer or beyond, and want to capitalize as much as possible on the above secondary effects of being a "good player", the best way to do so is probably be being in a high-scoring position (if you have influence on choice of position).
Also, it can sometimes be hard to keep a kid motivated and interested if they are playing in a more "reactionary" position/role, especially if/when the team is struggling. You can play a great game at CB and still get beat, if your team is outmatched, and feel disheartened. This is less of an issue for someone in a scoring role, as you don't feel as much pressure and accountability in that situation.
That said, the above should be (at most) a minor factor in deciding where to encourage one's kid to play, imho, and I agree with the "play every position" general advice. It'll just take more mental fortitude to play in a defensive and/or non-scoring role, where you get more pressure and less glory, and your contributions may only primarily be recognized by the coaches.
Footyguy10
BRONZE
I’m 100% for whatever your coaches says is where you play. Also, I think having the chance play multiple posistions through development is good as well.All of them is best at that age. My kid played them all before she was 9. Move them around and try different positions. My dd started as a right back her first full season of club as a 7-year-old but was moved around a little. Coach's husband told the coach that my kid is fast and should play up top. However, coach overruled because her BFF dd was the only one allowed up top. She did get to play some mid but mainly was all about being fast enough to chase the other teams forward that U9 year. I'm old school so wherever coach puts you, you play your little heart out. No excuses. I did see the CM and striker parents at this age demand their kid play CM or striker position or they will leave. GK parents were like this. Some parents told coach that only their kid plays GK and no backups. I think we played a 3 2 1. It was fun and my dd really learned how to play D. She ended up doing what the coach asked of her on the field and became a Striker/Wing. High School coach her Sr Year asked her to play attacking CM or Holding Mid. We were a small school in Division 1 her last year. Total joke. Anyway, her coach needed her more on defense. We were outnumbered in high school. My point is being able to move around at a young age, play well enough not to give up a goal or not finish, can help you in the long run and do it without complaining is a coaches dream. Good luck to your player
What I’m asking is little different though. Is playing 4 different positions in 1 game good for an 8-9 year old player? Do you have the time to really get better at a position when you are switching every 10 minutes? Compared to focusing on 1-2 positions at a time and improving at those. This is on a competitive mid- high level team playing against good competition.
I say 1 position per half.
At the beginning (7/8) it should be ideally about getting a general understanding of the game and how it works in general. Not switching 4 positions in a game (they’d just get confused) but rotating at the half and then in other games. But again that’s not the way it’s done right now and even goalkeepers are specializing and going full time at 7 (the United soccer coach advice, the gold standard for many years, was no specialization at goalkeeper until 12 but even European academies are now specializing at 8). The ads on the boards are littered, especially on the girls side, for full time keepers at 8/9.
Oh man, I was about to say that if he plays the entire game and obviously valued a lot by the coach - who you say is a good coach - I think you ride this out and see it as a blessing that he's playing the entire game.
BUT.... if he's losing interest, that's not good either.
I would, if I were in your shoes, try to tell my kid he's playing there because he's the most important player on the team. And try to encourage him to carry the ball up, take some long range shots, take free kicks, etc - all things a good defender can do and should do.
I don't know if he's playing CB or fullback but both are very important positions... Being stuck at CB can stunt his ball skills developmental growth if he's just being asked to kick it far to clear... but if the team builds up from the back and tries to have possession and CBs touch the ball a lot and should be fine for his development.