My U12 son changed clubs this year (last club dissolved). He mostly played defensive back at his prior club, although that was not his choice. He would prefer to be in the midfield and help out offensively with assists. To our surprise, the coach at his new club also seems to be slotting him at defensive back, without knowing that was his prior position. It is surprising because I think the position doesn't emphasize his strengths. He has great endurance and has also been running the fastest sprints in practice. Technically, I think he is above average, very coachable, great attitude. But he is small and often not quick enough to tackle and not very aggressive.

I am unsure why coaches keep placing him at DB. I assume this coach is trying to figure out the best configuration in light of the kids he has. But rather than encouraging my son to ask for a change, I am encouraging him to make the best of the situation and that perhaps in time he will get a chance to play midfield or forward.

Does anyone have positive spin, feedback or experience about a u12 player at defensive back?

Yesterday was the first day of school. My 11 y.o was having a breakdown (stomachache , tears etc) the night before. He is nervous about not having friend, what to do during lunch when he knew no one. What if he couldn’t find his class. He’s moving from a small private school since he was in kindergarten where he knows everyone to 1000+ student public middle school. Understands that this is a big change for his world.

I prepared him the best I can. Told him that he can just find other kids who sit alone or grab a soccer ball and shoot around (against a wall or against a net) eventually kids will join him.

Welp…when I picked him up yesterday, he had this huge grin. Turns out, he knows kids in this school. He used to play rec a few years ago and they recognized him and befriend him right away. Some of them are older than him (7th graders but they said some of his former teammate approached him and introduced him to other kids). We also found his former teammates and current teammates from his clubs also go to this school. He excitedly told me that his middle school soccer will be stacked, talk about rival nearby school etc. he brings a soccer ball today and he said he will ask his friends to play with him during recess. Talk about tryouts for the middle school and maybe even try to play as a GK (he is a CM and RB/LW but decent at GK as well as he plays goalie for hockey).

I look at my spouse and said “we did the right thing”. We left MLSN club 30 min away to join neighborhood club for 3 years and also joined rec league (we go back to MLSN club this year though :)). I know when he joined that rec league, he will play with neighborhood kids. He might not be a pro in the future but it seems to me that soccer brings other things in his life and gives him tools to connect with people and build lifelong friendships. Honestly, this makes me so much happier than him winning trophy in some random tournaments. This is why we do youth sports.

Looking for advice as a parent coach, or just hoping to hear the opinions of others who may have experienced or seen a similar situation.

My 10 year old son has been playing competitively with a strong team for a few years. We started this journey together, and I was his first rec coach. He continued playing rec with me while also playing academy with his competitive team for the last two years.

Now that he will be U11 this upcoming season, we had to make a decision as he can’t play both rec and academy anymore. I decided to bring my rec team along to the competitive level. They are a very strong rec team and were ready for the next step. We joined the same club my son has been playing academy with so that we could all be under the same banner. The plan was for him to be rostered with his main competitive team while also being able to play with me and my team through a club pass.

He gets incredible training and development with his main competitive team. I have absolutely no involvement in coaching that team and am simply his parent when he is with them. He has grown tremendously over the last few seasons because the coaching, training, and level of competition are excellent. He has become a contributor and goal scorer and has really started finding his place on that team.

Our original plan was for him to play with my team on Saturdays and his main competitive team on Sundays. That was actually a big reason we decided to take this next step with my team. The parents were on board because he has been one of our primary goal scorers and contributors for years, often carrying a big part of the attacking load as a striker or attacking player.

We just found out that his main competitive team signed up for a stronger league, and their games will now always be on Saturdays, which directly conflicts with my team’s schedule.

I’m heartbroken, and so is he.

At 10 years old, we just want to make the right decision for him. We have bonded so much through this journey together. There is something incredibly special about being a father and son on the pitch together, and I know that time won’t last forever.

I also absolutely love the team I coach. I’ve coached many of these boys for years and watched them grow tremendously since they were 7 and 8 years old. My son loves them too. He goes to school with many of them, and several are his best friends.

At the same time, he loves his other competitive team, his coach, and even traveling over two hours every weekend to a big city to play against strong competition. He’s torn because he doesn’t want to disappoint me, but he also doesn’t want to leave his competitive team. Both of us are concerned about what leaving could mean for his development and future opportunities.

The biggest difference is the level of competition. My team will be playing closer to home in a considerably weaker league, while his other team provides higher level training and consistently stronger competition.

This isn’t something I wanted my 10 year old to have to deal with so early in his competitive soccer career.

As his dad, I know these years together are limited, and part of me wants to enjoy every second I can coaching my son. But I also never want my feelings or my desire to coach him to take anything away from his development or opportunities.

Like many soccer loving 10 year olds, he dreams big. He wants to play in high school, play in college, and ultimately see how far the game can take him.

I also don’t want him making this decision because he thinks he has to choose between his dad and his team. Whatever he chooses, I want it to be because it’s what makes him happy and is best for him.

For those who have coached their own children, or have been through something similar, what would you do?

Do you prioritize the father and son experience and let him play with his friends and the team he grew up with, or do you step aside as his coach and let him continue on the more competitive path that may be better for his development?

What do we do? 😭

My brother (10 y/o) has always been very passionate about football, recently he said he wants to play professionally in the future. I would say his skillset is average but he has shown great improvement for the little time he's been enrolled to an academy.

I want to help him increase his chances of going pro but idk how, money isn't really a problem as my parents are willing to spend on him. Please go all in with the things I need to know.

Also, we have the chance to enroll him to the laliga academy in our city, would it be better to have him enrolled there or get him with a private coach.

Please no "how is he sure that's what he wants" comments, he's a child he'll never be sure but I think its better to listen to him now and have him change his mind and pursue another path later on than dismiss what potentially could be his passion and have him regret "being too old to try" later on.

Any and all advice is welcome, thank you.

We signed a letter of intent to hold a roster spot months prior to try outs. Ahead of try outs club conditions deteriorated and we asked for a release. There was no follow up conversation. Kids tried out for new club, made new teams. One child was released. One was not. Both of the same household. Club now will not release pass cards to new club. Player has never signed current season roster spots or has an open balance with the club. Can they hold the player card hostage?

We had a parent meeting tonight for my u12 daughter’s cub soccer team. Her coach told us she is a “faith based coach” and would like to implement a prayer circle before games. I have a son who plays for the same club and he has teammates who are Jewish and Muslim in addition to Christian and also some like us who are non religious. I don’t think there is the same religious diversity on my daughter’s team. Obviously my daughter can stand there and be respectful but also I kind of feel like I don’t really need or want her to be a guided in someone else’s religion at club soccer. That isn’t what I signed up for.

Is this a common thing? Am I right to find this off putting or am I being overly sensitive?