Quote Originally Posted by KITZ View Post
Because that's not what junior development is about. there is NO point going to a bigger field if you can only control the ball with your first touch 50% of the time. If you don't have those 4 core skills nailed (1v1, first touch, passing / striking the ball, and running with the ball) then you will only fall further and further behind. Because they just don't have the time in NPL to go back and teach you ball control, when the ball is kicked from the goal keeper and you consistently can't get it under control. Forget about the type of player, forget about the team. Even if a team is winning 10 nil, it doesn't mean they are nailing those skills, and it will only become really apparent when all of a sudden they play with a different team, or they want to move up a division and play with better kids. Junior development is not about the GAME. that's what the game training phase is for, but they can't teach that phase properly if the kids aren't drilled until their eyes bleed in those four core skills.

The best advice I'd give any parent going into any development program now is to forget about what everyone else is doing and just make sure your player nails those 4 core skills, kids that have poor first touch will fall away from the higher divisions as they get older and the kids that have it nailed are moving onto more advanced game training.
in a vacuum for sure its the only thing that matters.Unfortunately by the time the kids get to 12's, training gn 2/3 nights a week then playing on weekends they need to have the fun/social aspect of the sport.The games are important to keep up their competitive side, their fitness and their overall knowledge of the game.they will just get bored and head elsewhere if its monotonous lessons all the time.
to be clear i agree with everything you said. but the practicalities of it are the games are becoming more and more important as they get older so clubs need to cater for more aspects of the game at the older ages (empasis on older ages - no way 9s or 10s) .its a fine balance but the better teams across the 12's age groups are the ones who have the kids with the best skills.its all self perpetuating as far as im concerned. all im saying is that it doesnt take a 5 aside comp on a few weekends to know this.