Structured Club Practice can slow skills development

If your child is not spending more time each week with a wall and his ball, than he/she is with a coach and a system; He/She is probably falling behind, compared to a poor youth player spending countless hours playing pick up games, street ball and wall ball. Just saying......  

soccerdadrandy wrote:If your child is not spending more time each week with a wall and his ball, than he/she is with a coach and a system; He/She is probably falling behind, compared to a poor youth player spending countless hours playing pick up games, street ball and wall ball. Just saying......  

Yes and no is how I feel about what you said.  
Chicken and the egg....

1 v 1 skills is very important.
Structure is very important as in where to play and what your role is
Speed and movement on and off the ball is very important.

A good Structured club practice incorporates skill, tactics and conditioning and works with each kids on their deficiencies.

However,  I have not found that club in North Texas.

Maybe FCD or Dallas texans academy do all that but I am not privy to their practices.

I think  City Futsal does do all that is required to make a total Futsal player,  however that is Futsal and not soccer.  There is a little bit more to soccer.

That poor youth soccer player you mention ,  is bored and craving structure by the way and a system.

I know,   I talk to them all the time ( well the ones that talk to me lol)

the truth is in the subtext. "If your child is not spending MORE time each week with a wall and his ball, than he/she is with a coach and a system; He/She is probably falling behind,"

So the truth is not in the free play vs structured it is a question of if all the time your kid spends with the ball is at practice or skills then he/she won't be much of a player. Much of the improvement will come on their own time. I remember parents questioning why the coach didn't spend time shooting at practice and that he should spend more. Why? Your kid has a ball, go find a wall and kick at it.

I agree with Go.  If your kid is only doing 5-6 hours per week of soccer, and it's only because of structured club practices, then huge success in soccer is not likely to be in your son's future.

Here's a recipe for a fantastic youth soccer player...
1 - Go home right now and sell/pawn all the electronic devices you and your family owns.  (TV's, Video Games, DVDs & CDs & Blue Ray devices, iPads, Computers, etc.)
2 - Take all the money you just salvaged and purchase as many soccer balls as you can now afford.  (And buy an air pump and some needles to make sure the balls are all properly inflated.)
3 - Return home and scatter the newly purchased soccer balls around the house.
4 - Put away anything you don't want broken.
5 - When your kid(s) return home from school today make it clear that there are no longer any rules that restrict playing inside the house.  Just tell your kids to go nuts.

There you go...  If you follow those easy steps, you've just put your kid on the fast track to soccer super stardom.  Your son will be inundated with constant access to restriction-free soccer.

And then we wonder why we cant produce any talent  

It also depends on age. Up until the age of 15, it is more important that they spend time outside structured training. (Emphasis on technique.)

At 16+ I think quality structured training is more important. But I'm talking about 5-6 quality sessions per week.

Anything outside of structured team sessions should be spent on position specific elements. (example: outside mids/outside backs can work on running with the ball and crossing. Pure forwards work on finishing.)

Of course, even at older ages working on first touch/control is always beneficial.

Regardless of position, a player can never be TOO GOOD technically.

And it is also important to begin maximizing their athletic potential. Speed, agility, strength training.

great minds think a like. thanks for the intellectual imput, all! 

Intellectual imput. Irony and comedy all rolled up into one idea.

If by 14 your kid can't juggle or dribble....your wasting your money but it's your money to waste....Just don't put hopes and dreams into a kid when you know damn well he/she has zero chance!

fwfutsal wrote:If by 14 your kid can't juggle or dribble....your wasting your money but it's your money to waste....Just don't put hopes and dreams into a kid when you know damn well he/she has zero chance!

Everyone on this forum, their kids, their friends kids, and relatives don't have a chance. What's your point?

Your probably right!

rdeal486 wrote:

fwfutsal wrote:If by 14 your kid can't juggle or dribble....your wasting your money but it's your money to waste....Just don't put hopes and dreams into a kid when you know damn well he/she has zero chance!

Everyone on this forum, their kids, their friends kids, and relatives don't have a chance.  What's your point?

Good point you should all just quit...

fwfutsal wrote:If by 14 your kid can't juggle or dribble....your wasting your money but it's your money to waste....Just don't put hopes and dreams into a kid when you know damn well he/she has zero chance!

If you are talking about being able to juggle and dribble at all...you have a point.

For me though, it's more important to have exceptional control/first touch.

And the ability to pass the ball well...quickly...with the head up and largely using 1 and 2 touches.

Dribbling is important. The ability to beat a player 1v1 (given the timing and decision making is good) but the ability to control and pass the ball is by far MORE important.

You can't be successful as a player until you have exceptional control and passing ability.

This will only happen if the coach in uninterested or unprepared. Sadly, I've seen more often than not politics plays a great deal in deciding what happens. Years ago my son could no longer play for me so I placed him on a team where week in and week out it was the same practice. 4 weeks and I pulled my son. Don't hang around to find out. These types will cripple your child chances of success. Whatever the cost...either don't pay or pay to get out but leaving is a must. Sad to say!