As a bit of background - My son is a talented little soccer player. He plays for a Victorian NPL under 11 kangas team, scored 30 goals this year from midfield, played up in under 12's for the last part of the year, does 500 juggles, tricks, almost made the state school boys team as a year younger etc etc etc...but I can tell you as a parent of a good young athlete, trying to navigate things hasn't been easy.

I would almost say that that one almost needs to be an outlier (and avoid the system) in order to help your kid reach any sort of potential. I'm not sure how much you know about soccer at junior levels in VIC but the best outcomes are not coming from NPL clubs or the FFV systems but through outlying 'academies' - like Glen eira soccer club, Heart wings world and some clubs in geelong - who are not only producing more technical kids but kids who look happier and kids who are ultimately making the state teams and getting picked for Melbourne Victory and melbourne City academies.

Ned Zelic said in a recent podcast that the problem is that we don't look after our good young players. The system is geared towards 'fun' and perceived fairness when in fact its a little unfair to treat all kids the same when some work harder and sacrifice more than others...So these academies tend to be more meritocracies whilst the NPL clubs have identity issues - are they community clubs or are they cradles for young elite athletes.

Many believe 'enjoyment' being the key to retention I reckon this has two aspects. 1. why is retention the be all and end all ? As I said if a child doesn't have the competency, the drive etc isn't dropping out and trying other things normal? Secondly from an elite perspective i wonder if elite kids drop out because they don't get recognition and reward for signs of early competence?

So a typical example is one child at an early age is taught that effort = rewards and that the more you practice they better you will be. In my opinion kids are never too young to learn about personal responsibility and that actions have consequences. So the child, with a little prompting by the parent slowly learns really good habits which translate to excellent onfield performance over the next 4 years.

But we know what happens in real life - the coach and the other parents emphasise 'the team' before the individual, the advanced kid rotates in the same positions as the less advanced kid, the team captain is rewarded as an encouragement award, and on the sidelines the parent applaud the one thing a less advanced kid does in a game and ignore the 30 things the better kid does week in and week out...This then plays out again and again and again in differnet ways as the kids advance - and then the child with the good habit says at some point - whats the point! Unless someone in a position of authority or power also recognises the childs performance.

As a parent its difficult because I reckon most parents with talented kids kind of give up and let their kids drop back into the pack rather than fight to find the best place to help their kids reach their potential. Ive had 3 NPL technical directors tell me things like - This club has never produced a kid who played in the seniors, the only kids who will ever be any good need a parent who played professional sport, and now I hear that the new youth technical director of an a-league club reckons none of the kids in the talent identification squad for under 13's would make a top academy in Europe...Whats the point then? Where is the excellence? I disagree with all of them but i can tell you its not easy bringing up a well rounded kid, with a talent - and trying to help him reach his potential. Many times the well meaning administrators and the clubs themselves are at fault

Moral - Look after and respect the good players - they probably deserve it!