High School Soccer-do we need it?

[SirSoccer]

Rey.


Thanks again for your expert opinion.

But... she doesn't seem to worry about fair play and team like you claim.

[barcafan]

None of them listed "be a slave for the club team I pay to play on and watch teammates be reduced to tears by an overbearing coach."

This kid is 11. There is nothing cowardly in an 11-year-old wanting to have a better experience by moving to another team.

No one said "wanting to have a better experience" is cowardly.  I said choosing to quit is cowardly, which is true in most cases like these.  I'm sorry but IMO we parents fail when we encourage and enable our children to be quitters.  But too many people are selfish and short sighted and want instant gratification.  Well, you can't always go to Burger King.  If "wanting to have a better experience" is what matters most, then you are reinforcing that "pleasure" is what matters most, above all of the other lessons and principles that could be learned from an experience like this.  As much as I love soccer, I know it's about more than just having fun.  Kids don't see it that way, which is why we have a responsibility to help them understand that life is about more than our self-centered pleasures. 

We adults know there is more to life than just having fun.  We also know that intelligent human beings we have the ability to choose our attitude and choose how to interpret meaning in the various experiences in our life.  What adult hasn't had a job with a boss they don't like?  A student who doesn't like a teacher?  An employee with an annoying co-worker?  Is the answer to just quit whenever you feel hurt by them?  In the real world, we can't always avoid uncomfortable situations when we want to.  We can cope with them by choosing to have a certain attitude, choosing see a situation in a different light, choosing to focus on something positive, choosing to react with dignity and respect, and then choosing to remove ourselves when the time is right if necessary.

Maybe this coach needs to learn and grow, maybe he is just a jerk, maybe both.  But the first answer is not quitting, it's the last.  The parents could have respectful conversations with the coach to express their opinion and concern.  The parents could help the child choose her attitude about playing on that team and encourage her to focus on the positive things like having fun playing and being with friends and learning and competition and so on for now until the season is over.  They can also encourage and teach her how to assertively and respectfully express herself and her feelings with the coach at the appropriate time and setting.  These options will help strengthen her mind, character, communication skills, relationships, and teach her valuable lessons that will last her a lifetime.

[Rey Pygsterio]

Are you refering to children the age of 11 or all ages?

Soccer for children, which includes age 11.

You would have to ask the author of that, though -- Steve Watson of Soccer Coach Weekly/Footy4Kids in the UK. Maybe I should send him this thread and see how appalled he is.

[Sir Alex]

Are you refering to children the age of 11 or all ages?

Soccer for children, which includes age 11.

You would have to ask the author of that, though -- Steve Watson of Soccer Coach Weekly/Footy4Kids in the UK. Maybe I should send him this thread and see how appalled he is.

The author is from the UK?  Interesting that girls (women's soccer) have just began to emerge from the shadows of the men's game across the pond even though they are the self proclaimed inventor of the sport over a hundred years ago. You must first ask why it took 80+ years for them to even allow girls to play the game.  There are all kinds of experts on coaching soccer.  I would put more faith into the expert coach who has to deal with the variables unique to Arkansas soccer and coaching girls.  You probably should send video of games from the states as well if you really want to see the author appalled. Nothing personal Rey, but I think you have beaten this thing to death.  Everyone will have their own opinion about what happened with this young lady and they are allowed to state it freely, especially on a message board.

[SirSoccer]

Something tells me your british author would tell you the girl should learn the value of team and rules.

[soccerfiend]

Google is amazing! Just as you can find stats to support any position that you may choose you can also learn that the "author" is a 38 year old soccer dad coaching a u8 and u10 girl's team who started and edits a website with resources and a forum in support of coaching young kids' soccer.
Is he an expert because he created a website? Or maybe because he coaches young girls' teams? Or because he has daughters that play? Dunno. But my guess is that there equal experts in towns all over the world including right here at home.
  And which direction will you take your argument next when this one no longer makes sense?
Let's see...club bad high school good. Club bad girl good. Club coach bad girl good. What's next?
Sooo..".Let's go have fun girls!!! I'm rolling these balls out and ya'll go kick them! Now the object of the game is to kick the ball in that net over there using no hands and keep the ball out of this one....What's that Sally? Oh sweety, I'm sorry...no you can't use your hands to get the ball in the net. Ohhh honey I'm sorry that upsets you and makes you sad but it's a rule of the game and we can still have a blast and run and jump and have fun with all your friends without using your hands. See how much fun Mary and Jenny are having without using their hands?
"HEY COACH! My baby girl wants to use her hands. Never heardofa sport where hands ain't allowed. She's tellin you it aint no fun for her if she don't get to use her hands. That's a stupid rule. She don't get to use her hands we're outa here"
" Yes sir I understand Dad. The main thing is that we just want to provide Sally with a place to have fun at this age and also learn some of the basic rules of the game, what being part of a team is about, and teamwork with friends. Not using your hands is just part of all of that"
" My girl doesn't need that crap. She just wants to have fun her way. Come on Sally. We don't need this BS. Go home and put on your blog how your jerk of a coach is being unfair to you. I've got a friend at the local TV station and we'll get them to do a story too. By the time it's all out in public they'll change that rule for you sugar dumplin. Daddy's girl deserves whatever she wants and that's the way you get things done in life punkin. If the rules don't feel right to you just scream loud enough in public and some knuckleheads will support you and you'll get your way sweetums"
And that's all I have to say about that. No more from me on this subject. I'd suggest the rest of you do the same and quit encouraging this guy. He's got to be the kids uncle or dad or something! This subject has zero to do with High School sports and that's what these forums are about

[barcafan]

lol^

[offside]

If you are a soccer player I hope you will stay engaged in the game this summer and into the fall and winter.

Find pick-up games or start pick-up games.  Doesn't have to be 11 v 11.  3 v 3 is awesome if you only have six players.  Hopefuly you can play at least twice a week.

Some places have organized summer futsal leagues.  Futsal is a fantastic game to improve technical skills.  Find a team!

The Rush forms U20 and U23 teams over the summer.  High school players should check into these teams.  You will get to play with college players and quality coaches.   This is a great experience to improve your speed of play and technical skills.  The costs very affordable and you practice two or three times a week.  Lots of scrimmaging.  Pretty laid back.

Look for club tryouts coming up.  In Arkansas you will make a team.   Play club soccer if you can.  Lot's of people complain about club not being affordable.  You would be surprised how often teams absorb the costs when a player can't pay.  Most parents appreciate a player who shows dedication and potential.  They will want you on the team.  Get to a tryout and see what happens.  Club soccer is a blast and it's cool to play teams from other states.

Over the past two or three years there have been great players from Clarksville and Russellville travel all the way to Little Rock and even Cabot to play on a club team.  They found parents that would take turns car pooling.  They didn't make every practice but they got to play on quality club teams.  It made a huge difference for them and their club teams.

And if you want to play college soccer target at least one college camp starting your freshman year.  This will help you get in front of a college coach for a solid three or four days.  It's a fantasitic way to get noticed by a college coach.  They likely won't be coming to your high school games .

Bottom line.  Touch the ball a lot.

[BigChief]

Is there club soccer in Siloam springs?

Just got an email this morning stating that NWA Lightning has merged with the Siloam Springs Youth Soccer Association.  So yes Siloam does now have club soccer.  Although NWAL has had several of their Flash teams based in Siloam for a couple of years.

[fanofsiloam]

Is there club soccer in Siloam springs?

Just got an email this morning stating that NWA Lightning has merged with the Siloam Springs Youth Soccer Association.  So yes Siloam does now have club soccer.  Although NWAL has had several of their Flash teams based in Siloam for a couple of years.

I tried to get this posted Friday but forgot my password!  Anyway, this looks real promissing for our Siloam kids.  I look forward to seeing how this will pan out, especially for our HS age kids.

[BigChief]

Is there club soccer in Siloam springs?

Just got an email this morning stating that NWA Lightning has merged with the Siloam Springs Youth Soccer Association.  So yes Siloam does now have club soccer.  Although NWAL has had several of their Flash teams based in Siloam for a couple of years.

I tried to get this posted Friday but forgot my password!  Anyway, this looks real promissing for our Siloam kids.  I look forward to seeing how this will pan out, especially for our HS age kids.

The email I got was that everything would still be separate.  I would imagine that would be the case for Rec and the intermediate Flash teams.  However, it should strengthen the Striker (classic) teams by pulling in more players.  My daughters Strikers team had a hard time having 13 players at any event with 16 on roster.  Thus having more Siloam players playing classsic soccer with the Strikers teams should do nothing but strengthen Siloam HS teams.

[fanofsiloam]

Is there club soccer in Siloam springs?

Just got an email this morning stating that NWA Lightning has merged with the Siloam Springs Youth Soccer Association.  So yes Siloam does now have club soccer.  Although NWAL has had several of their Flash teams based in Siloam for a couple of years.

I tried to get this posted Friday but forgot my password!  Anyway, this looks real promissing for our Siloam kids.  I look forward to seeing how this will pan out, especially for our HS age kids.

The email I got was that everything would still be separate.  I would imagine that would be the case for Rec and the intermediate Flash teams.  However, it should strengthen the Striker (classic) teams by pulling in more players.  My daughters Strikers team had a hard time having 13 players at any event with 16 on roster.  Thus having more Siloam players playing classsic soccer with the Strikers teams should do nothing but strengthen Siloam HS teams.

I have to say that this has been a dream of mine for a long time.  We have so many athletes who could benefit from this type of program.  My only concern is that we get a large enough buy in to the program.

[ScottFaldon]

Grantland touches on the original topic of this debate.

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/30545/the-future-of-u-s-soccer-part-i-the-high-school-debate

[Rey Pygsterio]

From the LA Times:

A soccer father discusses academy-high school issue

"I find the typical arguments that it is simply a trade off between soccer
development and social development to be misleading and shallow. The
reality is that the promises of improved development by the academy system
are often grossly overstated and many players on Southern California academy
teams would become better soccer players playing a combination of high
school and club soccer."

[arsoccer]

The question as to whether or not we need high school soccer in the state of Arkansas is an easy one to answer.  Of course we do, and there are several reasons why but to me one reason is glaring:  If you have kept up with this message board for any amount of time you will find a common theme and a common question:  Our players/teams are not good enough to compete with the best from our region.  Why is this, and what can we do about it?  The answer eventually comes down to the fact that in addition to battling an ill-educated soccer base, we also fight a numbers battle.  We simply don't have as many players in the game as our neighboring states.  High school soccer is one solution to this problem.  The growth of high school soccer programs in this state has been tremendous over the last 10 years, especially in the smaller communities.  This growth at the high school level has, and will continue to lead to a desire to increase the number of youth soccer players in the communities of these schools in an effort to have an increased number of better soccer players for high school teams.  I'll do the math.  More high school programs = more youth programs = more players playing = more better players in the state = an overall higher level of play for all = increased development = high school soccer is good.  In my opinion without these high school programs in the smaller communities no one will see a reason to start/run a youth program.

With that said, I can't say that playing high school soccer is the best decision for everyone.  I think the decision on whether or not a player should play high school soccer or not depends solely on the individual.  There are too many moving parts to make a blanket statement.  What does the player want to get out of the game?  Some players want the highest level possible (not saying which team would provide this), others want to just play and enjoy the game with friends.  Is the level at an individual's high school conducive to reaching his/her goals?  For some it is, for others it is not.   Are there advantages provided at the high school level that aren't provided at the club level?  Perhaps the opportunity to play with and against older players, even if the environment is not great, would be appealing to a quality younger player.   The point is these questions have to be asked and answered by the individual and I don't see a right or wrong answer.