There is a lot of talk about player development in youth soccer.  In my opinion, a player development  philosophy is essential to keep coaches, parents and players focused on the right end state for the most important piece of the youth soccer world, the player.  Unfortunately too often the perceived status that comes from winning and perceived “pain” or “embarrassment” from losing is the driving factor for parental decisions about what team to have their child play for. In order to truly support the player, the coach and parent must be on the same page when it comes to player development.  The goal should be to improve the quality of play at every level, and develop well-rounded, technically competent players who learn to play and enjoy soccer for life.  

Parents need to find a coach that believes in and embraces US Soccer Player development initiatives and relies on the expertise and experience of recognized leaders in the youth soccer community for best practice implementation. Following the principles of US Soccer’s player development will help ensure that players become the best players they can be. So this phrase player development is thrown around the youth soccer community, however, it is often just a buzzword that has no substance behind it.  It is often misused and misunderstood by players,  coaches and parents alike.  

Development Over Winning 

Winning is never the primary focus for coaches or clubs with a player development philosophy.  Development oriented youth soccer programs start with the understanding that winning is the end result of good training, teamwork,  and intensity.  All too often, a misguided focus on winning games, especially at the younger ages, results in really ugly soccer, “boot ball” comes to mind, and a style of play that exploits athletic ability of early developers and leaves weaker, late bloomers behind.  This style of play often results in more wins at younger ages, but at the older ages when the late bloomers catch up, the teams with all the wins are no longer winning as they never developed the skills and soccer IQ necessary to play against opponents who are their equals athletically. A development oriented coach focuses on the controllables –  training, teamwork, and intensity.  What happens Monday through Friday is more important than what happens on Saturday.

In the end neither the parents nor the coach can control the outcome of a game so you should not worry about it.

Player Development over Team Development

Soccer is a team sport, and at the highest levels of the game, team chemistry is a big part of the success of these teams. However, every player at the highest levels of the game got there because they have the requisite individual skills. An overemphasis on winning at the younger ages, encourages coaches to sacrifice individual skill development of players, slowing their development as a complete player. 

By playing on a soccer team, players learn many valuable aspects of team sports.  Things such as cooperation, trust, and self sacrifice.  However, that sacrifice must be minimal as at younger ages, the needs of the player must come before the needs of the team.  At the early stage of development, the team and Club exist to serve the needs of the player. Asking youth athletes to continually or disproportionately “sacrifice for the team” is not appropriate. There will be isolated instances where self sacrifice may be appropriate, but it should never hinder that player’s own development and enjoyment of the game.

Some examples of things that may be sacrifices and must be watched very closely:

PLAYING TIME 

A youth player gets limited playing time, or only gets to play meaningless minutes because the team must win.  Every dedicated, committed, and capable player is entitled to play meaningful minutes in the game. Developmental coaches understand that players come to play, they don’t come to sit and watch the other players play. Players want to play, they have the right to play and in order to reach their potential, they must play. At times coaches have their hands forced though, sometimes a coach wants to keep a player as they see long term development potential or other times there are parents that will exert leverage to place their child on the team to get the “good” training sacrificing playing time, so there are always exceptions, but players need to play. It is also possible that coaches make a mistake and sign a player that is not a good fit for the team leading to a lack of playing time.  Open and honest communication in those instances is vitally important.

PLAYING POSITIONS

There is a fine line with helping a player develop by keeping them in one position and hindering a player by keeping them in one position.  The most common example of this is a youth player who is kept in goal, either against their wishes or because they have asked for it.  Today’s goalies must be able to play with their feet and be available for passes back from the team, so as young players they  need a lot of field time to develop properly.  Further, all players must be able to attack and defend and be able to transition from offense to defense when the team loses the ball and then again from defense to offense when the team regains possession of the ball.  Being stuck in one position for too long is not what players need to develop.

PLAYER ADVANCEMENT

Player advancement is one of the most difficult situations with youth soccer.  How far should a player be pushed and at what age.  When a player is prevented from advancing to a more competitive team because the current coach needs that player on their current team in order for the team to continue to win games, that coach is not doing what is in that  player’s best interest.  Each player needs to be able to rise as far as their ability takes them, even if they leave the team or the club.  But this is a fine line and tough to walk, as there are numerous instances when  promotion may not be in that player’s best interest.  For example,  a player may be ready physically, but not emotionally or perhaps the environment on the higher team is not right, or maybe the coaching style is not conducive to that player’s development.  The bottom line is that coaches should be trying to promote their players to higher level teams –  it is just that simple, get the player around other players like them, don’t hold them back as all that does is slow their development.  Holding a player back negatively impacts the development of the rest of the players on the team as well.  I don’t know how many times I have seen youth teams get better after losing their  “best” player.

Remember, each player needs to develop individually. 

Age Appropriate

The reason kids play is because it’s fun.  Once it is not fun, they will lose interest and when that happens, as coaches and parents we have failed them.  Imposing the 11v11 adult game on youth players too early will frustrate their development.  Players grow in all facets and coaches and parents must create an age appropriate environment and set age appropriate expectations for the kids to succeed.  

Quality Training

Coaching is a profession.  Not everyone is cut out for coaching and in fact some of the greatest players make horrible coaches..  Coaching is a skill that demands continuous evolution, and coaches should always be learning and improving themselves.  That being said, parents and players need to have reasonable expectations, to think that the grassroots coach at your local club coaching 8 year olds will have the same level of experience, expertise and professionalism as a coach in the EPL is down right ridiculous.  By way of example, you would not expect to pay the same amount for a beach front house as you would for a mobile home in the Arizona desert, but for some reason unreasonable expectations are placed on coaches (and referees, but that is a different discussion) day in and day out. I am constantly surprised that people expect million dollar coaches for the few hundred dollars they are being paid.  Please calibrate expectations and remember that most coaches coach for the love of it, as no coach is getting rich coaching youth soccer.  That being said,  be wary of the paycheck coach as you will want to get out of that situation as quickly as possible, but once you find a good coach stay with them through the ups and the downs.

Long Term vs. Short Term Development

Developmental coaches begin with the end in mind.  The end of all this effort is to develop a player that any coach would want to have, any teammate would be proud to call a teammate, is a well rounded person, a soccer player who is technically and tactically competent, has an age appropriate soccer IQ and who loves the game and wants to play.  

Conclusion

As the modern soccer parent you are entrusted with the development of your player.  The club and coach you pick is vitally  important to the development of your player.  Do your research before you decide where to place your player.  Every player and every family is different and just because one club worked for your friend, does not mean it is going to work for you. Lastly,  chasing wins in youth soccer will more likely lead to an early end to a playing career for your player.

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