Different Levels of Youth Soccer Training

Different Levels of Youth Soccer Training

There are many different levels to youth soccer training. It is believed that there are approximately 35 different levels of play in soccer. The first level is recreation, which is played by most children between the ages of 3-7. Travel/club, middle school, high school, college, amateur, semi-professional, and professional soccer all occur between ages 8 to retirement. So this bears the question, at what point in a player's career does one aspire to reach a higher level? In order to reach a higher level, players must look up to professionals and aspire to play or be like that player. But, in the United States for some reason not many children look up to professional soccer players because not enough watch the sport. If you ask a player in the U.S. over the age of 16 years old who their favorite professional soccer player is most will respond with a shrug of the shoulder? Many players over the age of 16 believe that they do not have to emulate or look up to any players.

In other countries it is the opposite. Players as old as 18 aspire to be the next Ronaldinho or Lionel Messi until they come to the realization that aspire to become a professional soccer player will never happen. Everyday children playing soccer in the parks attempt to imitate these great players. Many of these children are picked up from the parks and taken into professional academies free of charge in hopes that the player will one day become a star and sold to a major club for millions of dollars. These same players join clubs or attempt to get into a club near their cities and in special cases players are found in the villages. Scouts visit villages to meet the players and bring them into the clubs.

In the U.S. youth/farm system programs are well organized as kids begin playing soccer when they are at least five years old, and some even as young as 18 months. At five, children can retain instructions albeit effective or ineffective. They learn from parent coaches who are licensed, but, have not necessarily played or have the experience playing. This is important because coaches can define how well a player is groomed and what level he or she will play in the coming years.

Among five year olds for example the athletic player who may not necessarily be able to dribble or kick the ball as yet, will gain more out of every practice and drill to that of the un-athletic player. Athleticism can be defined in various ways, but an athletic soccer player is one who is quick, aggressive, and wants to play. Un-athletic players or those who are not as athletic, tend to be lost in the group because they may not be genetically balanced to pass or receive the ball.

How can we develop players as young as 5 years old to play at the highest possible level? One word, coaching. Former college and professional players in the U.S. club system must coach and parent volunteers who previously coached the players must take on the role as a manager or take a backseat and become full-time supporters of their child's teams. Former players turned coaches can help the players learn how to play and develop faster. The development of a club-wide program helps as well. Younger players begin to play with older players and this becomes beneficial to the younger player because skills and field awareness will improve and the player will get better. At the professional level many U.S. National team players playing overseas have said that the pace of soccer games is a lot faster in other countries especially in Europe where players are more athletic, stronger, and faster.

If the United States is to every improve its National teams and compete to reach a World Cup final, we need less recreational players and more talented players playing at a higher level. How do we find these players? In the parks playing pick-up soccer and getting better under the guidance of qualified coaches who are not teaching the children just because they want to make money, but rather coaches who have played at a high level. It is important to be aware of the different levels of youth soccer training, so the players can advance accordingly. The players ultimately must identify where they are on the soccer food chain so they can achieve their goal of advancing to the next level.

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