How do you select your team?

[Jerzy]

I'm trying to get a U12 select/travelling team for my local region, and I've been coaching/playing with the boys for two seasons now. I find that I don't read kids very well. As an example: I presented the end-of-season trophies to one of my kids who had to miss the playoff game (which we lost; if we'd have won he'd have played another game). Now, he's very competitive, or so I thought. But when I went to his house his mother told me how happy she was that he didn't seem to worried about the loss or that his season had ended without him. I don't want kids to mope around after a loss and be poor sports, but I do want my kids to compete, and care about it. This is a kid I'd hoped would be the backbone of the team and now I'm wondering both about his drive, and how maybe I missed his lack thereof.

I'm going to have tryouts late spring for the subsequent summer tourneys and fall league. How do you determine passion for the game from a couple of two hour sessions when I missed it in a guy I've had all seasons. This season is as much as it is the kids jumping up in level as it is about me doing the same.

[ian.curry]

That was the mother talking mind - she may well be trying to say things that the coach will want to hear.
I talk an awful lot to my lads (14s) when I see them - and pick up a hell of a lot of info about who they respect, think has improved, has weakened etc. I have always done this.
How this helps is that these lads often play in their school team together - or against each other when at different schools. They then tell me who was good, or in this case, competitive.
Its really hard to tell in trials, in 2 or 3 weeks especially if there's only 7 or 8 triallist come along.
If thats your only option though, look for the battler, not neccessarily the winner.

[lanesra]

I know what you mean, jerzy. We don't want kids to pull a sphinx when they lose (you may recall that when the riddle of the Spinx was solved by Orpheus, she responded by dashing herself to bits), but they should care. The problem is it we who usually care too much.

True story: I had this 8 year old girl once with the most amazing on-the-ball skills. She had an older brother who played and he'd taught her correct techniques, in fact her form could have illustrated instruction books. Anyway, I was raving to her about how good she could be, and that she could be a great player. And she looked up to me and said in a sweet, angelic voice, "But Coach, I don't want to be a soccer player, I want to be an equestrian".

You've learned something about your player. File it away and compare it with how he plays in other competitions. I'm not a great judge either, but I find it helps to talk more with the kids, which means you have to find other venues for your kids. Have a midseason pizza party, have a slumber party (esp easy if your kid is on the team), try to carpool more and be the guy who gets most of the kids. Ask the kids after the game how they feel, esp after they lose. Come up with reasons to call the kids so you get more times to talk to the parents. HTH

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by Jerzy

I'm trying to get a U12 select/travelling team for my local region, and I've been coaching/playing with the boys for two seasons now. I find that I don't read kids very well. As an example: I presented the end-of-season trophies to one of my kids who had to miss the playoff game (which we lost; if we'd have won he'd have played another game). Now, he's very competitive, or so I thought. But when I went to his house his mother told me how happy she was that he didn't seem to worried about the loss or that his season had ended without him. I don't want kids to mope around after a loss and be poor sports, but I do want my kids to compete, and care about it. This is a kid I'd hoped would be the backbone of the team and now I'm wondering both about his drive, and how maybe I missed his lack thereof.

I'm going to have tryouts late spring for the subsequent summer tourneys and fall league. How do you determine passion for the game from a couple of two hour sessions when I missed it in a guy I've had all seasons. This season is as much as it is the kids jumping up in level as it is about me doing the same.

I think that sounds like you are putting a lot of pressure on the kid. (correct me if I'm wrong)

I have no idea why he had to miss it, but I'm sure when he was available he was picked by you on merit which includes desire to win. He sounds like someone that enjoys himself when he plays, which is how it should be.

So great, let him play well and enjoy himself and always focus on the next game, sounds like the kid has a great attitude.

[Tiny]

Well, this is a rather simple answer in my mind. Work ethic. All of your team has a good work ethic, then you can have a bunch of kids that want to play. Sure every coach wants the best players, but skills can be tought. And for if you wanna find who has ethic and passion, tell them to do some rediculus drill that isn't fun, but first, tell your kids to stand on one side if they think their fast, and one side of you if they think they're not very fast. Remember those who are on the side that thinks their fast, then tell them to run around the field as fast as they can and they have 1 minute, but they can stop anytime they want. If they say that its impossible, tell them i dont care, or dont respond to them at all. Have them do it once them have them rest for 30 seconds after the very last one is done. If you have a kid that is always the last kid in, and after 3 or 4 of the laps, if hes huffin and puffin and looks like hes gonna drop, have him sit down. Thats the kid you want. The slow kid that has the heart is the kid you want, cause if he tries hard, he can get better (how clechie)

[ian.curry]

I don't think its totally down to work ethic Tiny, what if you have 10 players who are very good, play because its with their mates, but don't have massive heart??

You say skills can be taught, I say heart can be. Heart is in everyone, its who can get it out of them efficiently.

[po_MP_ey]

Players who put the work in are "often" the players with the greater ability or confidence. Both of which can be improved through you as a coach! A player can improve by being more confident and getting involved in the game, without improving technically.

If this lad has a good work ethic you have won half the battle

[exodus]

I'M SO HAPPY TO BE IN I LOVE SOCCER IT'S MY BEST SPORT EVER