Typical Challenge with NTX Youth Soccer

Here is one of the reasons NTX youth soccer struggles. Today, I watched a U12 Division 2 11v11 game played in Primetime at Fairview Park. What caught my eye was one of the teams had a LHD1 top forward playing with them that is from a different club. When I left it was mid-second half with the score 3-1 where the team with the LHD1 forward was down 1-0, then she came in and scored 3 goals. Not sure how it ended. LOL. The team the LHD1 forward played on today, was in last place with a record of  0 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws. Mind you this is PrimeTime U12 Div 2 11v11!! The team had 4 subs on the bench. Once again, this LHD1 forward plays on a completely different club.

Now I don't know what others think and whether anybody can defend this move, but its an obvious move to get at least 1 win before the season break. I think the arguments about getting more play time to develop, and creating dynamics to help the other players "see how its done" (LMAO) are pretty mute with this game.

Its an obvious "Dad Coach" move to get a win and to try and keep from being the last place team through the break or at least 0 wins. The cheap value it brings to this team is laughable. I wonder what the parents feel and think about this? And NO, they are not appreciative of the impressive girl taking the ball form mid-field and scoring every goal.

I'd like to ask, where is the development in this move?

I'm not impressed by the win!

FierceLightning wrote:Here is one of the reasons NTX youth soccer struggles. Today, I watched a U12 Division 2 11v11 game played in Primetime at Fairview Park. What caught my eye was one of the teams had a LHD1 top forward playing with them that is from a different club. When I left it was mid-second half with the score 3-1 where the team with the LHD1 forward was down 1-0, then she came in and scored 3 goals. Not sure how it ended. LOL. The team the LHD1 forward played on today, was in last place with a record of  0 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws. Mind you this is PrimeTime U12 Div 2 11v11!! The team had 4 subs on the bench. Once again, this LHD1 forward plays on a completely different club.

Now I don't know what others think and whether anybody can defend this move, but its an obvious move to get at least 1 win before the season break. I think the arguments about getting more play time to develop, and creating dynamics to help the other players "see how its done" (LMAO) are pretty mute with this game.

Its an obvious "Dad Coach" move to get a win and to try and keep from being the last place team through the break or at least 0 wins. The cheap value it brings to this team is laughable. I wonder what the parents feel and think about this? And NO, they are not appreciative of the impressive girl taking the ball form mid-field and scoring every goal.

I'd like to ask, where is the development in this move?

I'm not impressed by the win!

That woulda been a neat trick ...

Tough to be U12 and play for two different Clubs.

U12 Primetime does not play 11 v 11. They only have 9 v 9.........

Fairview was open?

thats just a lot of "Thunder", Lightning

the problem with NTX soccer is that people like fierce think who wins in a U12 soccer game actually matters in the scheme of development

This is only one of the problems in North TX soccer. Concern over who wins is down the list but related to the bigger problems of costs and the idea that its acceptable in youth soccer to physically beat a team down if can't compete otherwise.

go99 wrote:the problem with NTX soccer is that people like fierce think who wins in a U12 soccer game actually matters in the scheme of development

The scoreboard matters to the parents and they are the ones who are paying the bill. It also matters to the kids because it feeds their confidence and is healthy for their ego. A winless team isn't healthy for soccer development. An undefeated team isn't healthy either as it shows that there isn't enough competition for full development.

CBTeamworks wrote:The scoreboard matters to the parents and they are the ones who are paying the bill. It also matters to the kids because it feeds their confidence and is healthy for their ego. A winless team isn't healthy for soccer development. An undefeated team isn't healthy either as it shows that there isn't enough competition for full development.

Many good points brought up here. Go is right though, what does it really matter if your DD wins a game at U12? Will she put it other resume? No. Does is help their ego some? Sure. Success drives the will for more knowledge, as does the inability to do a skill or move. It is the right combination that matters i think. You practice to be able to compete at a level that is right for the team. Most coaches/parents seem to want to hurry that along too fast to aid their own agenda.

CBTeamworks wrote:The scoreboard matters to the parents and they are the ones who are paying the bill. It also matters to the kids because it feeds their confidence and is healthy for their ego. A winless team isn't healthy for soccer development. An undefeated team isn't healthy either as it shows that there isn't enough competition for full development.

Sorry my sons team was the bottom of D1 and folded at the end of the year at U11. From that team a kid played in the DA and professionally in Mexico. And my son playing and starting in the DA 4 straight years. A kid who need the win of his/her team to build their confidence and ego is just mentally weak. A team win is exactly that a TEAM win and the only thing that matters is what can YOU do. Their confidence needs to be build on their own abilities and often there are kids on bad teams who learn to fight and carry the work load and also fight thru adversity. Then there are kids on top teams who coast and ride in the wake of others with a false sense of "I was on this team". Right until adversity hits them in the mouth

the difficulty is that while soccer is a teams sport, youth soccer is very much an individual sport. One of the biggest challenges I see in NTX is way too often the kids are sacrificed for the team, or for the parents or coaches ego. It seems there are very few actually looking out for the kids and their journey in soccer

go99 wrote:

CBTeamworks wrote:The scoreboard matters to the parents and they are the ones who are paying the bill. It also matters to the kids because it feeds their confidence and is healthy for their ego. A winless team isn't healthy for soccer development. An undefeated team isn't healthy either as it shows that there isn't enough competition for full development.

Sorry my sons team was the bottom of D1 and folded at the end of the year at U11.  From that team a kid played in the DA and professionally in Mexico.  And my son playing and starting in the DA 4 straight years.  A kid who need the win of his/her team to build their confidence and ego is just mentally weak.  A team win is exactly that a TEAM win and the only thing that matters is what can YOU do.  Their confidence needs to be build on their own abilities and often there are kids on bad teams who learn to fight and carry the work load and also fight thru adversity.  Then there are kids on top teams who coast and ride in the wake of others with a false sense of "I was on this team". Right until adversity hits them in the mouth

What happened to the rest of the kids on the team that folded? Did some quit the game because they lost hope and got the fun beat out of them? My point is not that teams should feel justified in using ringers to pick up cheap wins. You claimed that wins don't matter at U12 and that is false. Wins are healthy for the greater number of players. I'm glad the losing wasn't enough to discourage your player but every player is different and it would be my goal to figure out how to pick up wins (not the cheap ones) in order to keep kids motivated. Wins are more motivational than losses to most kids.

Pet Peeve..."LOL" where it doesn't belong, or at all for that matter...but I digress...


So much written about feelings, and egos,and "that one player". If folks really want this site to have any real value to discussing the soccer scene in NTX then an attempt to 1) learn what really matters at the various age groups 2) be realistic 3) recognize where to find what you are truly looking for.

I see the "stud" playing on your D2 team differently. If your team has lost ALL of their games, your coach did NOT bring this girl out to win 1 game as that win is irrelevant strictly from a win-loss perspective. And if you think the girls on that team weren't glad she was there, at that age, time for a reality check. Why make it a negative? Consider go99's point...these losses will start to separate the serious players from the players doing it for "fun" and that's exactly what SHOULD happen. At U12 there SHOULD be 2 different "camps" of players, if you will...the one that wants to play for "fun', and the one that is considering a much longer term commitment. This "stud" showing up to play gave any girl on that team a look at what hard work and dedication can do, and if they aspire to that, they'll have to put in the time. Just showing up to 2 x's a week practice won't cut it if your goal is truly "development", and quite frankly, that isn't completely the team coaches job. Ask any player on a top D1 team if they got where they are JUST from team practices. I know my bank account, the miles on my car and the dirt and grass on my floorboards, the list of "soccer contacts" in my day-planner and what little free time I have personally suggest otherwise. If some of these players want to get off the bench then it's time to pull up the proverbial big girl panties, put down your shiny participation trophy and get to work. Take skills sessions, go running, strength train, focus on diet and sleep, find a stronger team and go from there.

There's no reason to get upset about teams dissolving, or players leaving a team, a stud showing up every once in a while, or even a win-loss record...that's just the natural progression of things, as it should be. Are there always going to be players playing on higher level teams than they should be, and vice-versa, and club politics? Yep. Is there a little too much movement in NTX? Maybe...but what anyone not from here will tell you is there are truly more choices than most know what to do with. And most of the "problems" in girls soccer are because of the parents, guilty as charged a time or 2. Parents drive this bus and it won't change anytime soon. Parents have to stop looking for it to be "fair", crying their child isn't having "fun", telling their kid all the time that EVERY time they do something good how AWESOME they are. Just let it all play out, change coaches if you need to, decide what you're truly looking for with this whole process, and relax...it will all be okay!

meriusrex wrote:
So much written about feelings, and egos,and "that one player".  If folks really want this site to have any real value to discussing the soccer scene in NTX then an attempt to 1) learn what really matters at the various age groups 2) be realistic 3) recognize where to find what you are truly looking for.

Too subjective. Not all coaches are looking for the same thing, want the same type player, etc...
1. Everybody has different views as to what matters
2. Realistic? Get real, what soccer parent or coach is realistic.
3. Where to go? What they are trying to find is right in front of them. they just need to develop it. I have found very few coaches willing to spend the time to develop the young player. They will rush into tactics before they can make a pass to one another.