4Real Forums: Soccer

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Topic: Soccer

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tradmom
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Posted: Aug 17 2009 at 10:21am \| IP Logged

I received the following email from our soccer association that my son and daughter just joined. Can anyone tell me what is the better format, traditional team or academy style?
Thanks!
Meredith in FL

Dear Parent…

We are about to schedule the Fall season and need to know from you if you wish for your child to play in the traditional set team format of soccer (specific group of players on a team, as we have in the past) or in the academy style format (pool of players from which we make up teams in your age group on Saturdays, therefore playing with different children every week) that is proving so popular across the USA and the rest of the world for the holistic development of young players.

LisaR
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Joined: Feb 07 2005
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Posted: Aug 17 2009 at 10:26am \| IP Logged

my son is with a portuguese club, and it is strongly academy style.
this has enabled Thomas to be so flexible with what position he plays (anything but goalie!) and has really made him a strong communicator as the kids obviously don't "know" how eachother plays very well.
the Director always says his goal is to develop the player, not the team, which we see is the opposite philosophy of a rival club here.

that being said, within this club he is on a consistent travel team, so kind of a bit of both, but the academy attitude is what comes across, and we are very pleased!

__________________
Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!

tradmom
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Joined: Feb 11 2007
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Posts: 41

Posted: Aug 19 2009 at 4:58am \| IP Logged

Thanks so much, Lisa for you reply. It does sould like the academy style approach is a good one. This is my son's first time playing and I think this would be a better way fro him to learn the game. From what I understand the league is going to have a practice on one day during the week with a professional trainer and then on another day practice in their age groups. The league has a new director so things are very different this year.
Thanks for your thoughts!

Meredith in FL

LisaR
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Posted: Aug 19 2009 at 8:57am \| IP Logged

I'm so excited for you!! your post was a topic of conversation at the fields last night

.
The only way MLS and "American" Soccer is going to get up to International level, is (in our coaches opinion) to go Academy style.

I really think Academy is the way to go. Thomas does "foundations" with trainers from Portugal, Turkey, and Lebanon and Spain 2x per week, (all ages) and then from there those trainers choose scrimmage teams (again, all ages) and give each individual player different parameters and positions each time, or even handicaps. Thomas (who is naturally a mid fielder or last man defense) might be told to be a forward and only to shoot with his left foot, for example.

He does have a fairly consistent travel team through this organization, but the boys are not intimidated by size of opponents (due to all of the scrimmage matches) nor a "good" team's reputation, because they feel confident and flexible.

can you tell I'm excited about the season??!!

let us know how it goes!

__________________
Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!

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