Re: [nas] Chang on U17's

I am surprised everyone holds this view. My son is a '95 in club ball but a '94 in ODP. He just tried out (and didn't make it) but almost every kid trying out had skill. Some are extremely talented. I also see this in league games of all ages here. Players coming through the Classic League in Dallas recently include Clint Dempsey, Ramon Nunez, Jamie Watson, Drew Moor, Kenny Cooper and lots of others I can't remember. Every year the younger group looks better. There are coaches here from every continent but Antarctica. Coaches from Brazil, Mexico, England, Holland, Kenya, Nigeria, Germany, Virgin Islands, Argentina etc. I am sure other parts of the country have similar lists of skilled players and coaches from all over.

 

Now as to if or why really skilled kids don't make the U17's. Who knows? Maybe these kids are all skilled so they don't even comment on it anymore but list what differentiates them from others. Maybe the coaches don't pick those kids. They are out there and there are more all the time. You see it with new players in MLS. The rookies in Dallas are leaps and bounds better than when the league started.

----- Original Message -----

From: AbraRob@aol.com

To: NAS@americakicks.com

Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2006 11:05 AM

Subject: Re: [nas] Chang on U17's

Skill is about imagination, I don't think tat coaches can really teach that. Kids have to have a soccer ball and just play. Pick up games 3 on 3, 4 on 4 are great for that. But it's mostly soccer leagues and training, kick and chase. And that's accepted.
Will we ever learn?
Cheers!
Robrt
In a message dated 12/16/06 11:57:00 AM, burnfan68@yahoo.com writes:

US coaches don't know skill;  they know endurance and strength.   We have never really ever had many skilled US players.  This area is where we need some of the foreign coaches to teach us the skill set.  Needs to start when kids are very young.  It doesn't really help that kids grow up playing 3-4 different sports so their endurance and strength is needed to play all of those sports.  They do not neccesarrily have the time to spend juggling the soccer ball or work on touch and skill.

AbraRob@aol.com wrote:

"Big, strong, physical, fast..."
Does anyone have any skill????
He mentions two guys who can hold the ball. Two! None who can actually beat someone off the dribble. This is promising???
Where are our skillful players? Probably sitting on the sideline seeing how they are not needed, unless you can run someone over.
Messi would have never had a chance here.
Cheers!
Robert.
 
In a message dated 12/15/2006 8:21:35 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, big_dog@fastmail.fm writes:

<<http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=396225&root=us&cc=5901>>

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