We Just don't get it, do we?

[johnnybluenose]

Brazilian factory where child labour enhances national pride | Football - Times Online

good article, I'm kind of cross posting since I found it at the voyageurs site.

it should spawn some good debate, I think the main of this article highlites a very large problem, not only in England, But in Canada!

We can debate it ad nauseum...fact remains that for most youths playing the game and their parents is that soccer is simply a babysitting service.

thoughts?

 

[Dude]

I've had mini Dude w/ Geoff McCormick at Creative Soccer since he was 3. On a pure skill basis, you can tell. Smooth step-overs, hits on the laces, both sides of the feet, dragging the ball...all of the skills he learned at FDS.

The best player on my U-9 team- who will be moving up a year next season and currently plays in the Surrey United Academy is a product of Geoff's school, and he has the love of the game to go w/ it (Mini Dude likes hockey better, and is a better player in that sport because of it). Ty will be droping out of Hockey next year to focus on SUPA.

Brazilian Soccer Schools Langley: Langley

I'll tell you this much- for kids under 10 years old, I have never been around a better kids coach than Geoff, and the FDS stuff is very good for their footskills. Does it make them great all-round players? No- the kid has to love it. But, it is an excellent complement, and some of the stuff I see Ty and Mini Dude do in games is beyond their age level by a long shot.

My little girl (5 yrs) is now in Creative Soccer- her second year. She turns w/ a backheel and uses the outside of both feet on a regular basis. Her skills are far beyond the others on her Surrey United team, as the coaches only teach kick & run. My son will be leaving soccer to focus on his other spots (Hockey and BMX racing), but I hope my little girl grows as pationate for it as I am, because she could be very good.

 

[Bifficus]

Have to agree with Dude,

On the U9 team that I coach, the best player is the smallest kid, who always has a ball with him (even takes it to school). Now my son has some skill, but would rather play hockey or basketball. My daughter, on the other hand, has great passion and drive. She practices with the boys and beats many of them.
Have to agree that most of the parents think of us as a baby sitting service and that most of them put their kids into sports to get them out of the house.
Richmond, has started a secondary program, where every second week the kids get a better trained coach, to teach and cajole them to do better. But, still it seems that for the most part, you are saying the same things to the kids. Don't toe bash it and look for somebody to pass it to.

 

[Guinness]

Dude, it sounds like your kids get their football ability from the missus!

 

[Dude]

Bingo, and that's the difference.

That's the big difference between Ty and Mini Dude. Ty always has a ball with him, and a "soccer pal" (the net thing w/ a handle, to practice juggling and shooting by himself).

My son has very good skills, and a very good understanding for the game, but I'll tell you this much: never an issue waking him up at 5:00 for a hockey practice, and when there is a soccer / hockey conflict (even a hockey practice, soccer game conflict) his first choice is to play hockey.

Ty is the other way around; he's probably the best hockey goalie of his age in Cloverdale, but I see him devoting his full time to soccer next year and moving forward. I endorse this only because he's involved w/ SUPA. Without the academy, I would not recommend an outstanding hockey player leave that sport to devote to soccer. The level of devotion to developing talent between the two sports is appalling. Like I've said before: having a kid in both sports, you can see why Canada is arguably the #1 nation in hockey, and such a weak little sister in footy. Maybe if the CSA looked at how these successful sports w/ in our country develop talent, and the dedication to it, we could do something at the grassroots level other than develop good house league players.

My wish is that SUPA and Craig Darimple- as great a program as they run- would contract Geoff to run once / week FDS training sessions for the top 8-10 players in each age group up to 12 years old. And, I mean this sincerely: the SUPA program is excellent, but by adding the FDS as an element, it could be that much better.

We need training centers like SUPA, TSS, Tullis, etc., to become more of the norm, and to be funded in part by the CSA. What these programs need is the funding plus freedom to identify talent, and bring them into the elite program at little to no cost to the parents.

Right now, the SUPA academy costs something like $400.00 for the winter season- and that is for a U-9 player. In Surrey United's defense, they need to cover their costs, which include a great quiver of professional coaches. Yes, they get excellent training, a kit, and likely the exhibitions against other academy teams later. All great. But, I also have two other kids on my team who parents just couldn't see the justification. One of those kids play hockey, too, and that is the cost of a hockey season. The other simply can’t afford it- she’s a single mom.

If we want to get the better athletes, they need to be able to play in the academy on full or partial scholarships, in exchange for a 3-5 year playing contract. Treat it like Junior hockey.

 

[Dude]

Guinness: could be, or someone was playing in my garden without my knowing. They do tackle hard, so I know it wasn't you. You're off the hook.