The more things change...

...The more they stay the same???

Here's an interesting exercise that I did last year with the '01's, and now repeated with the '02's...

On 7/23/2012, I published my final FBR Ranking for the '02's, a few days prior to the start of the U11 QT.

Since that time, the '02's have gone through their initial QT, a full year of league play at U11, promotion/relegation, an off-season of team/player movement, another QT, and a fall league season where every team in each division has played every other team in their division.

Below is a comparison of the current LHGCL U12 league standings vs. the final FBR Ranking from 16 months ago...

Do you have a list after the first year of U11? Apologies if already posted.

soccerdad1969 wrote:Do you have a list after the first year of U11? Apologies if already posted.

I haven't put it together, but if you'd like to figure it out on your own, you can find the final U11 standings here:

http://events.gotsport.com/events/Default.aspx?EventID=26387&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Impressive and in some cases (like Solar Red) very crystal ball like.  

Do you have a crystal ball factor in your FBR rankings BW?

Good stuff! Thanks B-dub!!!

bigtex wrote:Impressive and in some cases (like Solar Red) very crystal ball like.   

Do you have a crystal ball factor in your FBR rankings BW?  

Think about Solar Red for a minute...

If I am correct, there were a couple of difference making players that were playing with Solar Red '02 during most of U10, (which is what the final FBR was primarily based on), that couldn't play with them at U11, but are now playing with them again at U12... 

So here's solar reds case, the 03's make the team, along with another stud . I won't be shocked to see DM take over and fill some weaker spots with other well coached 03's. they were. A top 5-10 team ( after year one) at best until the additions. That's my opinion anyway.

Great data! So if your dd (not mine), is a top player but is on a D3 team and you know she could easily start in D1, would it behoove a parent to start looking at making a move into D1? It seems like I read somewhere that there was a correlation between D1 colleges and dd's that play in ECNL/LH D1. Would love to hear your thoughts since these girls are just 11-12 year olds.

Half-Caff wrote:Great data! So if your dd (not mine), is a top player but is on a D3 team and you know she could easily start in D1, would it behoove a parent to start looking at making a move into D1? It seems like I read somewhere that there was a correlation between D1 colleges and dd's that play in ECNL/LH D1. Would love to hear your thoughts since these girls are just 11-12 year olds.

Not necessarily, especially at 11-12yo. Just because a girl is on a D1 team, doesn't mean she is "developing". In my opinion, big clubs already expect your daughter to be developed with the skills that they are looking for. As a parent, you are expected to get the technical training on your own. Your daughter WILL be replaced as soon as someone with better technical skill comes along.

My opinion is that if your daughter is getting great technical training, no matter where she is at the moment, as well as having fun, then stay there. This is especially true at 11-12yo.

I would worry about developing technical skills now and worry about ECNL later. Your daughter will make it if she has the right skills no matter if she has played D1 or not.

If you think dd can/wants to play in college then she should play at the highest competitive level she can start/contribute. If you choose to stay at a lower level bc of 'development' don't forget to ask that coach how many players he/she has 'developed' into d1 college players. Often the answer is zero, a vague mumble, or 'I haven't been coaching long enough, I'm just getting a paycheck and learning how to coach.' If they can say that 2 or more of their former players move on to college soccer each year - then you know you are at the right place for now. However she will need to move up and play against the top players in her age group (who will be her competitors for scholarships and when she goes to college) as soon as she can.

My DD began with an Arlington league team but made the jump to a LH DII squad for her third year in select. Last summer she was invited out to train/tryout with some DI teams. She chose instead to play for a DII team. Why? Because those DI teams wanted her solely for outside back.  

Her coach appreciates her defensive skills but chose to develop her into a midfielder. She's learned a 4-5-1 formation in addition to the traditional 4-4-2. This season she has played primarily defensive mid, has occasionally played centerback or outside back when needed. The coach has also pushed her up in attacking mid and even a stint at forward when he wanted physicality up top.

Would she have been given the same opportunity to develop into a utility type player at the DI level? Probably not. Could she have started at outside back for a DI squad? Very likely. Sometimes there's more to development than just starting and contributing.

Next spring she wants to tryout for an ECNL squad. But instead of only being able to say she plays outside back, she can say she has game experience in several positions. So if your DD's not learning anything new, make the jump. Just be sure to jump to a team where the coach wants to teach her something instead of just acquiring her for the skills she already has.

true txtrans, sounds like a good situation for now and you have your eye on the future... don't get caught standing when the music stops though, by end of soph yr most major colleges are finishing up their scouting and moving to the next group. If she's going to play d1 college she has to be seen playing with and against the level of kids she is going to be playing in college by her soph hs year. I would skip D1 altogether if she has a chance to play in ecnl.

DrSoccer wrote:I would skip D1 altogether if she has a chance to play in ecnl.

Absolutely. That's her goal here.

Just wanted to impress upon Half-Caff that DI in the U11-U13 ranks doesn't always mean it's the best place for your kids to develop.

txtransplant wrote:

DrSoccer wrote:I would skip D1 altogether if she has a chance to play in ecnl.

Absolutely. That's her goal here.

Just wanted to impress upon Half-Caff that DI in the U11-U13 ranks doesn't always mean it's the best place for your kids to develop.