SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP Expectations for women's soccer development must be higher

interesting and on target.

http://www.potomacsoccerwire.com/news/458/4817

Yup......excellent article!!! And applicable to boys as well as girls.

Excellent article.

I think what you see is a difference in philosophy. UNC and ND play a 3 forward formation which allow them to play the ball quickly to their best players who are usually isolated on a defender 1 v 1. It is a great idea if the goal is to win. UNC and ND don't have to develop the players any more, they want to win. The best from UNC and ND play for the national team and get possession taught there.

The US national team has moved from a 3 forward system (see China) to a 2 forward system. This move alone almost forces a change in playing style to more possession oriented.

This isn't much different then the men's game 25 years ago. teams like Norway and sweden on the men's side used a 3 forward direct style for years to take advantage of the great players they had. The US was much the same (just not very good at it).

At the college level, playing very direct still works for the women. There is still a great difference in the talent level from the top 5 - 10 teams and everyone else. If you could just play your forward and constantly win (AND KEEP YOUR JOB) that is probably the way it will continue to be.

at the national level, the US Fed. (after getting hammered by Brazil) realized they needed a coach (foreign) who understood the indirect style and could teach it. This was the only way the US was to continue to be a world force in soccer on the women's side.

Eventually, the college coaches will have to change their style to be able to feed the national team. or the academy program will be the only source of national level players.

The stakes were very high......national championship.

Of course UNC & ND were just playing for a result. As the author said, when the pressure is on (championships or promotion/relegation), even the high level club games turn ugly (physical and direct). Watch some of the SCYSA semi-finals this Saturday, the winner gets a R3PL spot.

My question doesn't have as much to do with the system of play, as it does with the type of player recruited. I don't think all of the girls on these two teams are the most highly-skilled and creative players (exceptions being Heath and Nogueira), but they certainly seem to fit the mold of "bigger, stronger, faster".

I guess that's why they call it athletics.

Win the Women's World Cup, an Olympic Gold, a Women's U20 World Cup and lose in the Final of the U17s on PKs.

How much higher do we need to set the bar? Should we change what we do so that we can be more competative?

I guess the question many would respond with is, if a particular style and philosophy of play:

1. Produces wins at the younger developmental ages,
2. Produces wins at the intermediate levels,
3. Produces wins at the higher levels of youth soccer,
4. Produces wins at the top levels of college soccer (the most common goal in the sights of youth players looking to advance) and
5. Produces wins against teams trying to play the "right" way...

...then what makes it the "wrong" way to play the game?

Just a little devil's advocate, I suppose.

What are you talking about?

Um...I was referencing the article that started this whole conversation...paraphrasing what the author stated were the immediate, physical results of both the "right way" and the "wrong way" to teach/play the game. It seems it would be hard to convince coaches and players that they are doing something the "wrong way" when you're also telling them it produces success right up through the top level of college competition, which is as far as the overwhelming majority of players will ever go.

Also, with contracts on the line that are dependent on win/loss records, how many college coaches would be willing to change a system that takes them to the championships because they're concerned with feeding the national team?

Coaching U-17 boys and girls I face this alot. Its sad that I have to spend a whole season trying to reprogram these kids to play the right way. They dont know the concept of settling and playing to feet.

If you want to see a team play the "right" way and beat any team in the state look at the CESA U-16 premier team. Nick Finotti wont let them play Americanized "run and gun" soccer. The ball is kept on the ground 90% of the time and everyone plays 2 and 3 touch.