Julie Foudy's suggestion for childrens’ soccer development

Julie Foudy offers an alternative for our childrens’ soccer development

http://www.soccerwire.com/blog-posts/lebolt-julie-foudy-reminds-us-of-an-alternate-path-for-our-childrens-soccer-development/?loc=psw

Issue: US cannot produce "sophistication" players just as DFW compares to Southern California.

Highlight: "So what does she plan to do with her kids? Diversify their sports experience for as long as possible. And keep the intensity reasonable: one game and one practice per week is plenty for her daughter."

Julie Foudy is one of the most capped U.S. players in history (271) and a leading member of the U.S. Women’s National Team during two Women’s World Cup championships and two Olympic gold medal triumphs. She has two children: her daughter Isabel (age 7) and her 5-year-old son, Declan.

My daughter enjoys basketball and volleyball, but you can't keep her away from the pitch. She even attends my sons practice if its her night 'off' and she doesn't have homework.

Although I do agree that putting kids in multiple sports and somewhat limiting practices/games is good. Its hard because when she plays basketball, she continues to play soccer, so there are 3 nights of practice and 2 games at least per week.

You go with what your child's passion is. Key phase being "your child's passion". If they want it, you give it to them, if they dont you dont force feed it to them.

sometimes the advice from these athletes sound like regret and not wanting to put their kids through what they had to do to make it big, which is okay but everyone has to evaluate their own situation and make the choices...

There's examples of elite level athletes to support every position. I'm not saying she's right or wrong. I'm just pointing that out.

The article implies Foudy developed this "sophistication" she finds lacking in today's players. Nothing against her or her generation, but IMO very few players from Foudy's heyday would be top players today, and even fewer u.s. women had the kind of international level soccer IQ foudy is talking about. Back then all you needed was a lot of grit, hustle and fitness because most the rest of the world put little to no resources in woso. I'm all for later specialization for american kids, but changing our youth programs to one practice per week will not create sophisticated players.  I think the author jumped to this conclusion even though I doubt seriously Foudy would agree.

She would still be sought after in NTX, bigger, faster, stronger... to hell with skill, or trying to develop that skill or love of the game.

haterinho wrote:The article implies Foudy developed this "sophistication" she finds lacking in today's players. Nothing against her or her generation, but IMO very few players from Foudy's heyday would be top players today, and even fewer u.s. women had the kind of international level soccer IQ foudy is talking about. Back then all you needed was a lot of grit, hustle and fitness because most the rest of the world put little to no resources in woso. I'm all for later specialization for american kids, but changing our youth programs to one practice per week will not create sophisticated players.  I think the author jumped to this conclusion even though I doubt seriously Foudy would agree.

Agree completely, great points.

"Sophistication" requires that the player be so strong technically that she can look around and devote her brain power to something other than 100% focus on controlling the ball at her feet- and that technical foundation can not, as I think you imply, come from practicing once per week.

Anyone practicing only once per week at a sport like this is just spinning their wheels.

Why train only a few times a week when you can go here for the bargain price of $67K+ per year?

http://www.imgacademy.com/sports/soccer-training