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What makes us different? |
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A. C. Desoto is located in
an unusual geological position. We are closer to Tennessee and
the various programs in Memphis than we are to any Mississippi
clubs. The club was started for several reasons:
We are a Mississippi non-profit corporation formed to promote and develop youth soccer within our community. Our program is based on 3 days a week with 1 out of town trip each fall and spring season. During the seasons we either play a game a week and train twice a week or train three times a week. Some clubs are 4 or more days a week with a skills day or a shooting and goalkeeping day and team practices. Many also take monthly trips out of town, etc. AC Desoto believes in family, church, and school. We produce quality soccer players with a maximum of 3 days a week. This does not mean that we do not expect and encourage players to work out both with and without a ball at home. We do everything we can to avoid Wednesday evening and Sunday morning/evening practices. We try to have our Saturday practices early to leave as much of the weekend as possible for the family.
"Competitive soccer"
is a buzz or catch phrase that has come to be associated
with big money and traveling. Undoubtedly both can be true but
neither are necessary to a soccer player's development. The
US is the only country in the world that requires big money
for the game to be played by children. Taking a realistic
look at the game one would see that it only
requires a ball to be played. Pele grew up kicking a ball
made of rags in the streets of Brazil. Maradonna slept with
his soccer ball because it was the only thing that
he owned. Christiano
Ronaldo escaped poverty through the game. The US is
not producing many professionals playing in other countries
and considering our population we are not very
competitive at the International level. More
and more Division 1 college players are
coming from foreign counties. These are indications
that something is wrong
with the training in our country. Unfortunately
in this country the focus is on training the
financially elite for profitability and not focusing on the
best players overall. AC
Desoto's club fees and club philosophy are geared
towards more kids playing better soccer,
not just those that can afford 1200+ dollars a year to play
the game.
Competitive
soccer is also developmental soccer but that does not sound
as glamorous. Recreational soccer has little resemblance to
the team organization, speed of play and ball control of
competitive. Being able to kick a ball half field or more is
a blessing that can make a recreational superstar but it has
nothing to do with how the game should be played. Being able
to out run other players is something that certainly cannot
be taught. It does not mean that it will have the same
impact in competitive as it does in recreational where
little or no defense is taught. None of this is to say that
any child cannot compete in competitive. It is intended as a
reference that rarely, if ever does a child or a team come
from recreational to competitive and find instant
success. As players grow mentally and physically they should
be exposed to the next challenges the game has to offer. The
younger the player the more technical their play, learning
to move with the ball and having the confidence to take on
opponents is paramount to players below 12 years old. As
they grow both mentally and physically the game becomes more
tactical. Learning to move as a team and developing
the ability to play as a group. The game it's self is a
journey, not a destination and players do not peak and play
the game at the mental and physical levels until their early
20s.
The things to look
for in a club and coaching staff are their developmental
philosophies and their experience. Is the club committed to
developing every player? Do they guarantee that everyone
receives game to gain experience and show what they have
learned in training? Does the coach have playing experience?
Is it above the recreational level? Are they committed to
coaching education and continuing that education? When you
choose a soccer club you are choosing your child's teacher.
"Cookie cutter" clubs
are not beneficial for a player's development in the game.
Part of the complexity of soccer is that each player brings
individual flair to the game. When they are forced into a
style of play their creativity is lost. Players should be
given a minimal set of guidelines to follow (never run in
straight lines, always face the ball, defend with your back
to your goal, play the direction you're facing) and put them
on the field. If a team plays a certain way their opponent
usually recognizes it and shuts it down. Then what? All of
the great players are heralded because of their creativity,
not because they do the same thing over and over. Clubs whose
teams all play the same send a message to prospective
players that the coaching staff only knows how to each the
game one way and do not adapt to each player's unique
contribution to the game.
Recruiting is
against the policies of most State organizations. There are
specific dates in which it can happen in Tennessee. In
Mississippi it's illegal. Some still do it. Parents are
always flattered and overlook three things:
1. The club you are at
has developed your child to the point that they are catching
other people's eye. Why would you move them?
2. The club that is
recruiting you: Why are they having to recruit? Why are they
not developing their talent? Why would
you put your child into a
new environment when they are obviously growing where
they are?
3. Knowing that
approaching a child to come play for a club is against the
policies of most states what does this say about the ethics
and morals of the club that
has approached you about your child?
There are many rumors
that have nothing to do with the reality of
a child eventually playing college. What a child does
before their junior year makes an eye catching resume. Simply attending a
college showcases does not guarantee being seen by a
recruiter or in crease the
chances of playing college soccer. Common sense tells
you that if there are 8 fields of teams playing at a time
the chances of being seen by a recruiter are very slim. It
is when they are in front of the college coach or recruiter
that a player must show that they have learned how to play
the game. At that moment it does not matter if they have won
6 state titles or never won a game. The key to getting into
that situation is done by marketing one's self to colleges,
not by hoping to be noticed at a soccer event.
Coaching: All
competitive coaches should
have playing experience, coaching experience, and
have attended coaching certification courses put on by the
USSF or the NSCAA. How high
a level has your coach played? Are they continuing their
education or are they happy with the minimum level to
coach? Are they able to provide you with their coaching
philosophy? Can they give you 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses
of your child?
Memphis Shelby
Soccer Federation (MSSF) - The Competitive League: A
league played at Mike Rose Soccer Complex with like kind
and quality club teams from the Memphis area. A
fantastic opportunity because it allows weekly games at
the higher level of play to work in conjunction with the
teams training cycle. There are no awards for playing
or winning the league.
Tournaments: As
should be expected there are only so many clubs and so
many children playing competitive in the Memphis area.
Playing in tournaments is a great way to see new
competition and give the team a chance to earn some
hardware. We try to keep our traveling to within a three
hour radius but within that area are some great
tournaments.
Fees - With
recreational soccer there is a registration fee. That fee
usually includes a uniform. Competitive soccer has a uniform
fee, registration fee, league fees, referee fees, tournament
fees and training fees. It seems and initially sounds
overwhelming but our fees are less than half of most area
clubs when all things are considered. Many clubs break these
fees into team and club fees. We present them all together
on our fees page
The uniform is a
variable because sometimes children can wear them for
several seasons. If you are doing club research you will
find that even with our uniform included the total is less
than most local club fees and those clubs still charge
league, referee, and tournament fees as team fees.
While there is no guarantee of playing time we acknowledge that playing time is the key to a player's growth. Our playing time policy is as follows: 1. League games are for development. Barring circumstances that dictate otherwise, all players should receive considerable playing time. 2. Tournament games, while in contention, will be coached to win. 3. Tournament games, once out of contention, (+/- 3 goals) are handled in a fashion similar to league games. Why we are not associated with a State organization We make a
conscious effort to keep all fees associated with our program as
affordable as possible. That includes player registration. Most
of the surrounding State organizations are approximately $30.00
for competitive
registration. Mississippi is $95.00 per player. To register in
the lowest possible traveling division it is $37.00 and a travel
permit must be obtained anytime the team leaves the State for an
additional $20.00. |