Answering your questions...

Anonymous said...
Question 1:
Coach -- thanks for all your guidance and insights on this blog. I have found what you have to say to be very interesting and helpful. Here are a couple of things that have been on my mind ... what is your feeling about high school age and younger kids playing "too much soccer," assuming you think there is such a thing as too much soccer ... ?
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KTSOCCER WORLD:
US Soccer has been addressing the issue of too much soccer and have come out with guidelines in a handbook entitled: “BEST PRACTICES”. This gives suggested practice amounts (days and minutes per week) as well as games per week. More and more associations are trying to bring their leagues/clubs in line with these suggestions. Unfortunately, high school soccer does not fall under the US Soccer Umbrella so as kids hit HS age they end up playing far more soccer than would be recommended. As HS soccer is a school activity there is a tendency to use every available day as either practice or games. Some HS coaches are realizing this and give appropriate days off (or lighter training sessions). The other unfortunately part of HS soccer has been that they have traditionally played on poor fields (and often football width fields – far narrower than needed). This leads to poor quality games, more of a physical game and hence more injuries. This should gradually change for the better as more and more schools are putting in the new turf (while never as good as a good grass field – much better than what most played on before). The better fields will lead to better soccer and fewer injuries. To download the 70 page PDF of Best Practices you can go to this link:
http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents/cms/ussf/Best_Practices.pdf
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Question 2:
I've seen a number of kids seemingly get dinged-up from all the soccer practice and games they are playing. Burnout has also seemed to be a factor for a couple of kids that I have seen quit soccer.
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KTSOCCERWORLD:
Burnout is a major issue for young players, referees and even some coaches. It comes from the factors above (too much soccer sometimes and it comes from the factors below – the unfair emphasis on winning at younger ages. Parents share a lot of the blame for this culture happening in youth soccer (its not just coaches). Parents believe that if their kid is on a team that wins that it will automatically lead to a scholarship. Going into things with that approach will automatically take away the chances for enjoyment (that is why we initially start to play anything – because it is fun). All coaches and parents must keep that in mind. The number one reason kids burnout is due to a lack of having fun – not playing too much or too little – just not having fun when they are playing/practicing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Question 3:

I've also read some recruiting accounts where some college coaches say that they like to see kids who have participated in more than one sport, as they think such an approach can help development. In this regard, it seems that many of the soccer programs today almost preclude participation in any other sport ...
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KTSOCCERWORLD:
I have honestly not heard of any coach preferring a player to divide them selves between a few sports (2 sport athletes in college has virtually gone other than in Division 3 – and that may be where you heard that). At some point a player who wants to play at the highest level possible (and has the God given talent and athleticism to do so), must concentrate on that sport above all the rest. I might throw out that starting at the HS age may be the time where a strong dedication to one sport might be important (IF THAT IS WHAT THE PLAYER WANTS).
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Also, what do you think about what is seemingly a very strong emphasis on winning at the club level? Is it too much?
SEE ABOVE……..

Interested in other people’s thoughts..........