Skills work

Just to add a little more, I believe it is actually grouped by skill level and there is no division of boys and girls. It also maxes out around age 14 with the ultimate goal being that of preparing the kids for an ecnl/pda-level team. I really wish there had been a program similar to this when my dd was starting academy.

I have pretty good working knowlege on most of the the skills trainers here in the metro plex. Non of which, charge $50 dollars an hour. if you are paying that much please do more research. (just my opinions)

HighburyHarry wrote:

soccer0109 wrote:Any thoughts on Shannon Orr's Street Soccer?

My '01 and I are huge fans of Shannon, Gerard, and SSA.

From the first time my DD tried SSA, she absolutely loved it. SSA seems demanding and to attract a fairly high level of players, but Shannon and Gerard are always positive and encouraging. They also work very hard to remove the high pressure that hangs over much of LHGCL. For my DD, at least, this has probably contributed significantly to the higher level of fun and creativity that I see from her in SSA. My joy as a spectator at SSA has been seeing my DD feel the freedom to be totally cheeky in her play, which Gerard and Shannon encourage and reward. My girl walks out of SSA every time smiling ear to ear wanting to talk about a reverse nutmeg she pulled on an older player, etc. Pure joy for player and parent.

Shannon and Gerard are also two guys who can walk the talk. Your DD wants to learn how to master an elastico, an akka snake, or a roll-circle-double-touch? Shannon and Gerard will do it while scrimmaging with your DD and the other players. And they don't hold back... at least not much. Shannon seems like one of the most competitive people I've ever met. But he is also one of the classiest and most professional I've encountered in NTX soccer.

As a customer, I've been extremely impressed with the consistent professionalism, punctuality, and responsiveness of Shannon. If I send an email with a question during the evening, I always have a response waiting for me the next morning. If there has ever been the threat of weather interfering with a session, we've known in advance where and when the session will be held indoors. If I need sales-free, independent soccer-related advice, Shannon and Gerard are a trusted and unbiased resource.

And finally, under last year'st SSA format, the value for the money was fantastic. This year the model is changing, so it remains to be seen how it turns out, though obviously the hope is to provide families even more value for their time and money. The new model is donation-based: you donate if you have the ability to donate (I do), but you don't have to pay to play. To me, this is more in line with the intention of 501c3's and (along with Kicks SC) is hopefully providing an overdue correction to how far this kids' sport has been turned into a big business.

1
I need to see this group. please send times an locations of training!

You charge what you can get, in my opinion.

The old "You get what you pay for" argument, huh?
Is it that hard to believe that someone doesn't want to get paid and might actually still be good at what they do?
Your kids probably wear 200 dollar cleats and play on lush grass fields manicured by grazing unicorns. Their coaches all speak in thick, foreign accents.
I am sorry that I have failed to live up to your expectations.

Coach, I'm a big fan of yours. I spent a lot of time training my own (10+yrs?) and never got a nickel, so we have something in common. Hopefully you have found a coach or 2 who focuses on technique so you can teach it to your kids. A book I found useful for learning about technique is 'The principles of brazilian soccer by Jose Thadeau Goncalves'.

Coach wrote:

You charge what you can get, in my opinion.

The old "You get what you pay for" argument, huh?
Is it that hard to believe that someone doesn't want to get paid and might actually still be good at what they do?
Your kids probably wear 200 dollar cleats and play on lush grass fields manicured by grazing unicorns. Their coaches all speak in thick, foreign accents.
I am sorry that I have failed to live up to your expectations.

So someone asks you to elaborate on your qualifications and you go on the offensive? Another arrogant Coach that you cannot question, eh? Also, you seem confused. "You get what you pay for" and "You charge what you can get" are two totally different sayings/arguments. What I was suggesting was if the "market" (parents) will pay $50/hour, then by all means charge it. If they will not, then you have to lower your rate. That's what "You charge what you can get means".

And, no, my kids play on the same beautiful "fields" as everyone else and wear clearance cleats as I know their feet grow a lot faster than your mind.

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

That is good to know! it is very frustrating to a player to be grouped with others that are not on the same level.

So sorry to hear you had a bad session. We've been taking our daughter and Absolutley love it. With the new format, they are being paired with equally skilled players as they now have trials first to find the best placement for your kiddo. You should give it another try if you can, these guys are truly in it for the love of the sport and to make every kiddo a better skilled soccer player

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

If you aren't impressed by Shannon, I'd love to hear who has impressed you. These guys are among the best around.

4-4-2-Diamond wrote:

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

If you aren't impressed by Shannon, I'd love to hear who has impressed you. These guys are among the best around.

Agree. I think Shannon and Gerrard are two of the best soccer coaches in the area. My girls' technical skills and game awareness increased notably after just a few Street Soccer sessions, and they come out smiling because they have fun in super-positive but still competitive environment. Street Soccer is the place where they are able to try new things without fear that some teammate's jackass dad that they hardly know is going to blame/berate them for making a mistake 'in a REALLY IMPORTANT GAME'.

If you have a ball and backyard then skills are free.....just go to a few clinics and copy their drills.....don't be afraid. We worked with street for 3 months (the whole team)...then we played up vs 02 in turkey tournament and beat solar tar rant /Gio (1-0)....the proof is in the pudding.

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

There is a reason for the trials. To see the player, evaluate the player. They may not have been evaluated with players of the same skill level, they are not comparing them to the others, but rather looking at the inidividual and what they display. Could have been that the drills were designed to test some of the most basic of skills.

I know with my DDs trial they tested if she could move a ball with the inside and outside of both feet with touch and control. Could she use all aspects of both feet under various conditions. Lucky for her she could!

To some that may have been nothing special, but to me it easily eliminates those that are not at a certain level to begin attempting to master advanced techniques.

Once invited back they are grouped with same skilled players.

I to would love to hear who the best is out there if you know who they are.

Androfan wrote:

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

There is a reason for the trials. To see the player, evaluate the player. They may not have been evaluated with players of the same skill level, they are not comparing them to the others, but rather looking at the inidividual and what they display. Could have been that the drills were designed to test some of the most basic of skills.

I know with my DDs trial they tested if she could move a ball with the inside and outside of both feet with touch and control. Could she use all aspects of both feet under various conditions. Lucky for her she could!

To some that may have been nothing special, but to me it easily eliminates those that are not at a certain level to begin attempting to master advanced techniques.

Once invited back they are grouped with same skilled players.

I to would love to hear who the best is out there if you know who they are.

Personally eliminating kids a 6 and 7 years of age seems a little over the top! to be considered one of the top skills trainer and I am sure there are some out there that are excellent comes with time and this group may become one of the tops over time, but the price there charging you are going to face criticism. impossible to please all!

totalsoccer wrote:

Androfan wrote:

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

There is a reason for the trials. To see the player, evaluate the player. They may not have been evaluated with players of the same skill level, they are not comparing them to the others, but rather looking at the inidividual and what they display. Could have been that the drills were designed to test some of the most basic of skills.

I know with my DDs trial they tested if she could move a ball with the inside and outside of both feet with touch and control. Could she use all aspects of both feet under various conditions. Lucky for her she could!

To some that may have been nothing special, but to me it easily eliminates those that are not at a certain level to begin attempting to master advanced techniques.

Once invited back they are grouped with same skilled players.

I to would love to hear who the best is out there if you know who they are.

Personally eliminating kids a 6 and 7 years of age seems a little over the top! to be considered one of the top skills trainer and I am sure there are some out there that are excellent comes with time and this group may become one of the tops over time, but the price there charging you are going to face criticism. impossible to please all!

Should a 6 or 7 year old be eliminated from soccer, no of course not. Should or could they be grouped with like skilled players, yes, which is why they have a waiting list to join. Accept those that can be grouped together to work.

As far as the price goes. Its $70 to cover you from July thru November. Thats a bargain compared to anyone in the metroplex. The rest is strictly donation. They are a true 501c3 in every sense of the word. You donate what you can, when you can and as you see fit. PLUS it is claimable on the taxes.

I am impressed by what I have heard from past participants and what I have seen and am trully looking forward to watching my DD progress with them.

Androfan wrote:

totalsoccer wrote:

Androfan wrote:

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

There is a reason for the trials. To see the player, evaluate the player. They may not have been evaluated with players of the same skill level, they are not comparing them to the others, but rather looking at the inidividual and what they display. Could have been that the drills were designed to test some of the most basic of skills.

I know with my DDs trial they tested if she could move a ball with the inside and outside of both feet with touch and control. Could she use all aspects of both feet under various conditions. Lucky for her she could!

To some that may have been nothing special, but to me it easily eliminates those that are not at a certain level to begin attempting to master advanced techniques.

Once invited back they are grouped with same skilled players.

I to would love to hear who the best is out there if you know who they are.

Personally eliminating kids a 6 and 7 years of age seems a little over the top! to be considered one of the top skills trainer and I am sure there are some out there that are excellent comes with time and this group may become one of the tops over time, but the price there charging you are going to face criticism. impossible to please all!

Should a 6 or 7 year old be eliminated from soccer, no of course not. Should or could they be grouped with like skilled players, yes, which is why they have a waiting list to join. Accept those that can be grouped together to work.

As far as the price goes. Its $70 to cover you from July thru November. Thats a bargain compared to anyone in the metroplex. The rest is strictly donation. They are a true 501c3 in every sense of the word. You donate what you can, when you can and as you see fit. PLUS it is claimable on the taxes.

I am impressed by what I have heard from past participants and what I have seen and am trully looking forward to watching my DD progress with them.

I know you seem to be easily impressed, and easily quick to jump at anything new that you completely have no idea about! Thats what i know! Good luck with your new trainer! How many is that now!

totalsoccer wrote:

Androfan wrote:

totalsoccer wrote:

Androfan wrote:

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

There is a reason for the trials. To see the player, evaluate the player. They may not have been evaluated with players of the same skill level, they are not comparing them to the others, but rather looking at the inidividual and what they display. Could have been that the drills were designed to test some of the most basic of skills.

I know with my DDs trial they tested if she could move a ball with the inside and outside of both feet with touch and control. Could she use all aspects of both feet under various conditions. Lucky for her she could!

To some that may have been nothing special, but to me it easily eliminates those that are not at a certain level to begin attempting to master advanced techniques.

Once invited back they are grouped with same skilled players.

I to would love to hear who the best is out there if you know who they are.

Personally eliminating kids a 6 and 7 years of age seems a little over the top! to be considered one of the top skills trainer and I am sure there are some out there that are excellent comes with time and this group may become one of the tops over time, but the price there charging you are going to face criticism. impossible to please all!

Should a 6 or 7 year old be eliminated from soccer, no of course not. Should or could they be grouped with like skilled players, yes, which is why they have a waiting list to join. Accept those that can be grouped together to work.

As far as the price goes. Its $70 to cover you from July thru November. Thats a bargain compared to anyone in the metroplex. The rest is strictly donation. They are a true 501c3 in every sense of the word. You donate what you can, when you can and as you see fit. PLUS it is claimable on the taxes.

I am impressed by what I have heard from past participants and what I have seen and am trully looking forward to watching my DD progress with them.

I know you seem to be easily impressed, and easily quick to jump at anything new that you completely have no idea about! Thats what i know! Good luck with your new trainer! How many is that now!

You know what Tom, I'm not going to play your petty game. Good luck to you and what you have left. It was fun, now let it go. You want to start with personal attacks give me a ring and we can talk like adults. I doubt the phone rings.

Have a good one buddy.

Oh, now I see what happened here. A player left the team that TSoc's dd played on... and now he's mad. Welcome to select soccer. Here's a question. Has your dd's coach ever had to cut a player? If you tell me no, I'll call you a liar. Coaches quit, players change teams, players get cut. That's the nature of the beast. Let's not act like the club with which you're affiliated is ANY DIFFERENT than the others. It does, however, sound to me like the guys who run Street Soccer have a good thing going and are very fair in their prices. I wonder what kind of accents they utilize.

Xara wrote:Oh, now I see what happened here. A player left the team that TSoc's dd played on... and now he's mad. Welcome to select soccer. Here's a question. Has your dd's coach ever had to cut a player? If you tell me no, I'll call you a liar. Coaches quit, players change teams, players get cut. That's the nature of the beast. Let's not act like the club with which you're affiliated is ANY DIFFERENT than the others. It does, however, sound to me like the guys who run Street Soccer have a good thing going and are very fair in their prices. I wonder what kind of accents they utilize.

LOL

I have two daughters that work with Shannon and Gerard (and Leo) and both really enjoy it. They are challenged and have fun each sesion. Along with Coach Maurice from Infinity, Street Soccer has been the best skills training for my girls. Yes, I do know there are other great coaches out there- just sharing my experiences.

My D got started late in soccer. She had just turned 8 when she decided she wanted to really play. She's been to a ton of trainers, and I've learned to spot a so-so vs. a good one vs. a great one. I won't list any of the so-so ones...but our experience with trainers has been pretty good. Like a previous poster said, at a certain point the improvement has to come from your DD and a ball and a patch of grass. But I'm all for giving her exposure to as many different voices as we can.

Trainers in no particular order that have helped the DD along the way:

Giampaulo Pedroso - first trainer when she got started playing academy at 8 yrs old. Good trainer and knows his stuff. He's a little prickly and mostly works with boys, but DD loved him and she went from complete noob with less than 1 season of rec to being able to stay on the field with academy players in 3 months of working with GP.

Ferdie - DD did a handful of privates with him 2 years ago. Yes it was $50/hr. Yes it was worth it. Ferdie told us after that handful of sessions no need for her to do anymore privates...she needed to get somewhere with a ball on her own. DD still does Ferdie camp whenever she can and comes back a better player every time.

Jeremie P. with GFT - good trainer. DD only went to a camp with him but learned a ton. Wrong side of town for us to train with him, but DD trained with one of his Frisco trainers and he was solid too. More of a "fun" style training with less intensity than some of the others I mentioned.

Ludwig - DD trained with ludwig for about a year. Probably averaged 3 times a week for a very fair monthly price. Damn good trainer...but nutty as all get out. I had the patience to put up with his periodic disappearing acts...wifey did not. If this guy had not ticked off my wife flaking out one too many times we'd probably still train with him. Managing Ludwig is an acquired skill, but if you can do it, his training is top notch.

Chris Ross - young guy, better than Ludwig, more organized than Ludwig, almost as professional as the street soccer guys. Might be one of the best kept secrets in mid-cities. Fair prices. Way too far for us to attend regularly but I was highly impressed with this kid. And I'm a cynic. If we lived anywhere near this guy we'd be there. http://www.dfwsoccerskills.com/ABOUT.html

Manuel & Esteban @ city futsal - can't say enough about these guys. Very high intensity, very focused, fair prices. One of those trainers that maximize every minute of every session. I'm partial to the futsal format and am convinced it does wonders for individual skill.

Shannon Orr & Crew @ SSA - Folks in this thread already summed it up. EASILY the most professional of any trainers we've come across. If it rains - you know where the session will be held...in advance. Rare to see any cancellations, and Shannon does a great job evaluating players. Their privates are expensive, but Shannon doesn't push them, and my DD did fine with just group sessions. It's not super high intensity like some of the others, but if you pay attention to the type of technique correction Shannon gives, you can appreciate the quality. They know what they are doing. DD will go to Shannon because she enjoys herself and I know the instruction is worth the time and money. It's a good change of pace.

Juan Martinez Kicks SC - Anyone who has seen this guy give a skills session comes away knowing teaching skills is the man's calling. At this point he doesn't need anyone advertising for him, but I'll just say he's very, very good. Good luck getting any of his time these days though. Not even sure he still offers skills. The few times my DD has been to a Juan skills session I've been more than impressed. Juan charged far lower than market value for his skills...I hope he doesn't keep that pricing structure because he'd surely burn out. DFW needs this guy teaching skills for a long time (and more like him).

I am a bit late reading this thread but I have nothing but good things to say about SSA and Shannon and Gerard they are good people and run a good program. I could repeat all of the good things that have already been said here about them. The one common thing I see from all of the positive posts are "my DD always comes away happy" I think that is the most important thing that SSA does. The girls have fun learning how to play soccer. Its not just skills SSA helped my DD to think not just perform "tricks" MY DD no longer goes to SSA but she did for about a year and a half and she is better for it.

[quote="totalsoccer"][quote="JH01"]

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??
[/quote]

That is good to know! it is very frustrating to a player to be grouped with others that are not on the same level. [/quote]


JH01, I respect your contrary assessment. If you are willing to offer more detail and some constructive criticism (honestly, I'm not baiting or arguing), it might be valuable to me and others reading this thread. I've winced at some of the highly praised coaches and teams on this forum over the years, so I welcome and try to remain open to other views.

I'm admittedly very pro-SSA... maybe even an evangelist for them, but one with nothing to gain by promoting SSA. So I'll provide more information for the basis of my pro-SSA opinion that I posted earlier on this thread.

-- My '01 DD has been with SSA for maybe 14 months.

-- SSA launched their new format last week. Some significant changes this year include the donation payment model, formal tryouts, and grouping players into "teams" or rosters who will train together. My '01 is missing the first two weeks of SSA under this new format. So like a lot of SSA parents, I am waiting to see how the changes play out. My opinion is based entirely on last year's experience.

-- Last year and still this year, players are grouped by color based on ability and somewhat by age. They might also be further sub-divided based on ability between the "teams", but I'm not sure. Colors are blue, orange, and black. A team might be "Black Compete", whereas another might be "Black Develop". And another might be "Orange Play".

-- My '01 has been a "black" for much of her time with SSA. Her black sessions included '01s and older players. Players in her sessions came from Plano and LH but mostly seem to come from LH D2 with some D1 and D3 sprinkled in. At times there were some older ODP regulars with my twiggy little DD who had a good 50 lbs. on her.

-- Last year SSA ran under a punch card system. My DD consistently attended once or twice a week with more frequent attendance during the off-season and holidays. By the spring of this year, SSA was offering the following for around $120/month:
- Two training sessions (ex. with Black) per week. These usually ran about 1.25 hours for my DD because she took the latest time slots and they tended to run a little long.
- Friday night soccer tennis each week.
- Saturday shooting and finishing each week.
- Sunday 3-v-3 each week.
- Guaranteed indoor facilities for weather at no extra cost.

-- My DD was always trained by Gerard, Shannon, or both at the same time. A time or two Leo was there assisting in my DD's sessions.

-- With last year's punch card system, SSA had an appealing "pick up" feel to it. On the other hand, you might have 6 - 10 players many weeks but then only 4 on another week. And while there was a fairly standard set of regulars at my DD's sessions, you did at times have varying levels of players come and go. But in general, the players *compared to my DD* were as good or better than my DD. For example, over Christmas break my DD trained nightly with an SSA '01 group going to Disney 3v3. There were at least two players in that small group who are central starting play makers on Top 10 D1 teams. So my DD was definitely pushed and challenged by the players and coaches, and she ended each session dead on her feet. She absolutely loved every minute of it.

-- Compared to club, the coach-to-player ratio was often good last year, though it varied and might have occasionally been "good" (for us) because of the punch card system's unpredictability. I can't say what the ratio will be like under the new format. Last year, it was often 1-to-6 or 1-to-8 but also frequently 2-to-8 or 2-to-10. My guess is that Shannon and SSA are aiming for 1-to-10 or 1-to-12 with greater player parity, but that is just a guess.

-- At one point on this thread, Androfan was accused rightly or wrongly of chasing the latest new thing in skills training. I offer myself as a contrast to that characterization. If Androfan seeks constant change and new training options, I am a Luddite at the other end of the spectrum (which I think is probably very unwise in select soccer). My '01 DD is in her fourth year with the same club coach and team. She has trained privately weekly with that same club coach for the entire time. She has never seriously considered anyone else. Other than off-season camps and the occasional City Futsal session, SSA has been the only outside training my DD has had. I offer this information only as a contrast to what was said about Androfan. In Androfan, you might have someone who wisely tends to evaluate a lot of different options but is fairly new to SSA. In me you have someone who has been around SSA probably long enough to give a decent report of it. But I don't have other skills training experiences (ex. GFT) to which I can compare SSA, and that's a justifiable critique of my opinions on skills training. So perhaps somewhere between Androfan and myself you can find a sufficiently credible assessment of SSA.

-- Finally, I realized after writing my first post that I forgot to mention one of my favorite and most unexpected realizations about SSA last year: that the club and team allegiances seem to fall away among the regular players. In my DD's sessions, the players quickly became friends, clearly loved competing with each other from week to week, enjoyed seeing each other in LH matches, and seemed to exhibit none of the Texans/Sting/Solar/You-Name-It tribalism of their parents and me. For me, that was surprising, refreshing, and instructive.

HighburyHarry wrote:

totalsoccer wrote:

JH01 wrote:

The session we went to watch for Shannon was average at best. I was not impressed. Many kids, different skill levels, and nothing to write home about. We were not impressed, and for that cost??

That is good to know! it is very frustrating to a player to be grouped with others that are not on the same level.

JH01, I respect your contrary assessment. If you are willing to offer more detail and some constructive criticism (honestly, I'm not baiting or arguing), it might be valuable to me and others reading this thread. I've winced at some of the highly praised coaches and teams on this forum over the years, so I welcome and try to remain open to other views.

I'm admittedly very pro-SSA... maybe even an evangelist for them, but one with nothing to gain by promoting SSA. So I'll provide more information for the basis of my pro-SSA opinion that I posted earlier on this thread.

-- My '01 DD has been with SSA for maybe 14 months.

-- SSA launched their new format last week. Some significant changes this year include the donation payment model, formal tryouts, and grouping players into "teams" or rosters who will train together. My '01 is missing the first two weeks of SSA under this new format. So like a lot of SSA parents, I am waiting to see how the changes play out. My opinion is based entirely on last year's experience.

-- Last year and still this year, players are grouped by color based on ability and somewhat by age. They might also be further sub-divided based on ability between the "teams", but I'm not sure. Colors are blue, orange, and black. A team might be "Black Compete", whereas another might be "Black Develop". And another might be "Orange Play".

-- My '01 has been a "black" for much of her time with SSA. Her black sessions included '01s and older players. Players in her sessions came from Plano and LH but mostly seem to come from LH D2 with some D1 and D3 sprinkled in. At times there were some older ODP regulars with my twiggy little DD who had a good 50 lbs. on her.

-- Last year SSA ran under a punch card system. My DD consistently attended once or twice a week with more frequent attendance during the off-season and holidays. By the spring of this year, SSA was offering the following for around $120/month:
- Two training sessions (ex. with Black) per week. These usually ran about 1.25 hours for my DD because she took the latest time slots and they tended to run a little long.
- Friday night soccer tennis each week.
- Saturday shooting and finishing each week.
- Sunday 3-v-3 each week.
- Guaranteed indoor facilities for weather at no extra cost.

-- My DD was always trained by Gerard, Shannon, or both at the same time. A time or two Leo was there assisting in my DD's sessions.

-- With last year's punch card system, SSA had an appealing "pick up" feel to it. On the other hand, you might have 6 - 10 players many weeks but then only 4 on another week. And while there was a fairly standard set of regulars at my DD's sessions, you did at times have varying levels of players come and go. But in general, the players *compared to my DD* were as good or better than my DD. For example, over Christmas break my DD trained nightly with an SSA '01 group going to Disney 3v3. There were at least two players in that small group who are central starting play makers on Top 10 D1 teams. So my DD was definitely pushed and challenged by the players and coaches, and she ended each session dead on her feet. She absolutely loved every minute of it.

-- Compared to club, the coach-to-player ratio was often good last year, though it varied and might have occasionally been "good" (for us) because of the punch card system's unpredictability. I can't say what the ratio will be like under the new format. Last year, it was often 1-to-6 or 1-to-8 but also frequently 2-to-8 or 2-to-10. My guess is that Shannon and SSA are aiming for 1-to-10 or 1-to-12 with greater player parity, but that is just a guess.

-- At one point on this thread, Androfan was accused rightly or wrongly of chasing the latest new thing in skills training. I offer myself as a contrast to that characterization. If Androfan seeks constant change and new training options, I am a Luddite at the other end of the spectrum (which I think is probably very unwise in select soccer). My '01 DD is in her fourth year with the same club coach and team. She has trained privately weekly with that same club coach for the entire time. She has never seriously considered anyone else. Other than off-season camps and the occasional City Futsal session, SSA has been the only outside training my DD has had. I offer this information only as a contrast to what was said about Androfan. In Androfan, you might have someone who wisely tends to evaluate a lot of different options but is fairly new to SSA. In me you have someone who has been around SSA probably long enough to give a decent report of it. But I don't have other skills training experiences (ex. GFT) to which I can compare SSA, and that's a justifiable critique of my opinions on skills training. So perhaps somewhere between Androfan and myself you can find a sufficiently credible assessment of SSA.

-- Finally, I realized after writing my first post that I forgot to mention one of my favorite and most unexpected realizations about SSA last year: that the club and team allegiances seem to fall away among the regular players. In my DD's sessions, the players quickly became friends, clearly loved competing with each other from week to week, enjoyed seeing each other in LH matches, and seemed to exhibit none of the Texans/Sting/Solar/You-Name-It tribalism of their parents and me. For me, that was surprising, refreshing, and instructive.

HighburyHarry,

I am beginning to like your reasoning! My DD is one that works through belief and trust. She has always been very tight with her one skills trainer who believed in her and she trusted. To say that we are at this time looking for a new voice for her is true. I am at that point where finding the right skills trainer for the long term will be a process of extensive research and trial. It is my DD best interest to try to sift through all the sales BS and take the time to find a good fit! So with that said HH i appreciate your time and input this will be very helpful in our search!

4-4-2-Diamond wrote:My D got started late in soccer. She had just turned 8 when she decided she wanted to really play. She's been to a ton of trainers, and I've learned to spot a so-so vs. a good one vs. a great one. I won't list any of the so-so ones...but our experience with trainers has been pretty good. Like a previous poster said, at a certain point the improvement has to come from your DD and a ball and a patch of grass. But I'm all for giving her exposure to as many different voices as we can.

Trainers in no particular order that have helped the DD along the way:

Giampaulo Pedroso - first trainer when she got started playing academy at 8 yrs old. Good trainer and knows his stuff. He's a little prickly and mostly works with boys, but DD loved him and she went from complete noob with less than 1 season of rec to being able to stay on the field with academy players in 3 months of working with GP.

Ferdie - DD did a handful of privates with him 2 years ago. Yes it was $50/hr. Yes it was worth it. Ferdie told us after that handful of sessions no need for her to do anymore privates...she needed to get somewhere with a ball on her own. DD still does Ferdie camp whenever she can and comes back a better player every time.

Jeremie P. with GFT - good trainer. DD only went to a camp with him but learned a ton. Wrong side of town for us to train with him, but DD trained with one of his Frisco trainers and he was solid too. More of a "fun" style training with less intensity than some of the others I mentioned.

Ludwig - DD trained with ludwig for about a year. Probably averaged 3 times a week for a very fair monthly price. Damn good trainer...but nutty as all get out. I had the patience to put up with his periodic disappearing acts...wifey did not. If this guy had not ticked off my wife flaking out one too many times we'd probably still train with him. Managing Ludwig is an acquired skill, but if you can do it, his training is top notch.

Chris Ross - young guy, better than Ludwig, more organized than Ludwig, almost as professional as the street soccer guys. Might be one of the best kept secrets in mid-cities. Fair prices. Way too far for us to attend regularly but I was highly impressed with this kid. And I'm a cynic. If we lived anywhere near this guy we'd be there. http://www.dfwsoccerskills.com/ABOUT.html

Manuel & Esteban @ city futsal - can't say enough about these guys. Very high intensity, very focused, fair prices. One of those trainers that maximize every minute of every session. I'm partial to the futsal format and am convinced it does wonders for individual skill.

Shannon Orr & Crew @ SSA - Folks in this thread already summed it up. EASILY the most professional of any trainers we've come across. If it rains - you know where the session will be held...in advance. Rare to see any cancellations, and Shannon does a great job evaluating players. Their privates are expensive, but Shannon doesn't push them, and my DD did fine with just group sessions. It's not super high intensity like some of the others, but if you pay attention to the type of technique correction Shannon gives, you can appreciate the quality. They know what they are doing. DD will go to Shannon because she enjoys herself and I know the instruction is worth the time and money. It's a good change of pace.

Juan Martinez Kicks SC - Anyone who has seen this guy give a skills session comes away knowing teaching skills is the man's calling. At this point he doesn't need anyone advertising for him, but I'll just say he's very, very good. Good luck getting any of his time these days though. Not even sure he still offers skills. The few times my DD has been to a Juan skills session I've been more than impressed. Juan charged far lower than market value for his skills...I hope he doesn't keep that pricing structure because he'd surely burn out. DFW needs this guy teaching skills for a long time (and more like him).

Great information 4-4-2 you have given background information on a few that i would have never known! our DD have worked together so it is nice to know the reliable source the information is coming from. thanks

Thanks, 4-4-2! I am just starting to look for a skills trainer, and this is terrific info.