Kids football/grassroots help picking a team for my son!

[asgoodasitgets]

A little tale if I may.
A lad I work with has a son on an u8 s team in Swinton. Quite good and fairly well known for bringing kids through. Now this lad has no interest whatsoever in football but takes his son as a fatherly duty . He would come back to me week on week and tell me about the games as best he could. He always went on about this one lad who was far better than his teammates and whose Dad wanted him picked up by Scouts.
Long story short, he was taken on by Rochdale , was stopped from playing football with his mates and his school so they could have full access to his development . They dropped him a year later with no explanation and apparently he hasn’t been the same since. He won’t come back to play with his mates and won’t join another club. All in all, it’s a very sad story .
Whatever you decide, I wish you both well.

 

[Jonny_H]

Out of interest, is he a Q1 baby?

Sorry if I’m being thick but am I right in saying you mean was he born Jan-March?

No his birthday is June. He’s actually 5 right now but is 6 in 2 weeks.

 

[Jonny_H]

A little tale if I may.
A lad I work with has a son on an u8 s team in Swinton. Quite good and fairly well known for bringing kids through. Now this lad has no interest whatsoever in football but takes his son as a fatherly duty . He would come back to me week on week and tell me about the games as best he could. He always went on about this one lad who was far better than his teammates and whose Dad wanted him picked up by Scouts.
Long story short, he was taken on by Rochdale , was stopped from playing football with his mates and his school so they could have full access to his development . They dropped him a year later with no explanation and apparently he hasn’t been the same since. He won’t come back to play with his mates and won’t join another club. All in all, it’s a very sad story .
Whatever you decide, I wish you both well.

Yeh I’ve heard plenty of stories like this. Really sad to be fair.
I suppose as parents you have to make the decision you feel is right at the time.

 

[Feed the Elk]

Sorry if I’m being thick but am I right in saying you mean was he born Jan-March?

No his birthday is June. He’s actually 5 right now but is 6 in 2 weeks.

No, Q1 is September to December.
If he’s young in the year and doing well which it sounds like he is, then fair play, but maybe wait a season or so and see how he and the team settle before looking for greener grass.
As long as he’s comfortable and able to play freely, that’s important. Whatever you do, don’t fall into the trap of complaining about the coaches or the other parents because he’ll only end up repeating what you say and he’ll become frustrated as you will probably be his biggest influence.

If you’re positive then he’ll be positive.
Main thing is for you both to enjoy the journey

 

[denislawsbackheel]

3Rs?

Reading, writing and arithmetic.

 

[better dead than red]

I can appreciate this.

No I think my post has been mistaken.

I just want to make sure I’m not holding him back by perhaps not moving to a better team

Oh goody, another mind reader..

They can probably pay up… hopefully he can see how shit that project is

I’m not saying “how do I get him scouted or in an academy right now” it’s more “if he’s clearly better than the level he’s playing - am I holding him back by not moving him to a higher level? And am I reducing his opportunities.

Ok. As you have said I can appreciate this.

However, he's five years old mate. He's not too far removed from running around acting like a dinosaur or something similar. He still may and fair play to him if he does.

I can understand your excitement and pride of him being good. I feel the same way with my daughter. She's going to Spain this summer for a tournament. Ive told her, prepare to be humbled possibly but learn from it.

Most all of us who have played any sport growing up knew a kid who was considerably better than everyone else. In a couple of years, once the other kids hit a growth spurt, or figured their bodies out or whatever else, the "really good player " could barely keep up anymore.

You aren't doing him a disservice. You're letting him have fun and decide what he wants from football. In two years he may decide he'd rather play rugby or cricket because his mates are doing it.

This isn't directed at you OP, just some words of wisdom I got from another parent on my older daughter's team, in her chosen sport. "Parents are always the ones ruining youth sports." I've seen he's almost 100% correct.

 

[TonyColemansbagofapples]

Does anyone know who City's scouts are for the Leeds / York region?

 

[city saint]

tbf ive seen kids who look brilliant at 6 or 7 years of age because they are a bit bigger and stronger but when the other kids start developing physically and getting better they normally dont stand out as much if at all.theres a kid who could hardly kick a ball at that age who is their best player.a lad on my other grandsons team was with blackburn for 2 years then dropped and although hes with another team now his heart dosnt seem in it.

 

[charlie smudgeboots]

Professional clubs spread a blanket over local kids football so they don't miss one. I've been there and done it with my lad, it's not pretty. At 18 the rejection was so severe he's never kicked a football since, now 34. Plays and lives rugby now.

 

[Stoned Rose]

Does anyone know who City's scouts are for the Leeds / York region?

No such thing nowadays.

These days, the players go to the club, not the other way round.

Look out for RTC open trial dates.