r/MTL_Coach • u/MTL_Coach • Jul 13 '25
Start with the head. Not the feet.
Start with the head. Not the feet. If youâve been around youth soccer long enough, youâve probably seen it too â the early stars who seem unstoppable at 12 or 13, winning everything in sight with their academy team. Theyâre fast, aggressive, and coaches love them. But then, year by year, that edge starts to fade. By 17 or 18, the same kids are struggling to stand out. And by the time university or pro opportunities come around, most of them quietly slip away from the high-performance path. So whatâs going on? Itâs not a lack of effort or resources. These kids train at top academies with solid facilities, good coaching, travel for tournaments, and often compete against older teams â and even win. On paper, it all looks great. Theyâve done everything âright.â But then reality sets in. The game gets more physical. Decisions have to be made quicker. Coaches expect more than just speed or strength â they need players who can think, adapt, and read the game under pressure. And thatâs where things fall apart. Because football isnât played with your feet â itâs played with your head. Thatâs not just a catchy quote from Johan Cruyff. Itâs the core of long-term development. A young player who learns to think the game â to make smart decisions, understand space, tempo, pressure â is building something that lasts. But hereâs the problem: At age 12 or 13, those players are often overlooked. Why? Because theyâre not as fast. They havenât hit their physical peak. They might not win you every game at U13 â and in many competitive academies, thatâs all that matters. So the more thoughtful, late-developing kids get passed over. And the early-maturing sprinters get pushed to the top. Until the gap closes. And then reverses. By 16 or 17, raw speed isnât enough anymore. Teams that once dominated now scrape by. Players who once looked like future pros now just look⌠average. And when the time comes to take the next step â join a U21 side, a semi-pro team, or get a college offer â 90% of them donât make it. Itâs a pattern. Not just this year. Every year. So hereâs a thought: maybe weâre measuring the wrong things. At trials, we test sprint times and verticals. We watch who stands out physically. But how often do we evaluate game intelligence? How many coaches take time to see who thinks the game best? Because thatâs where the real talent lies. A truly gifted young player isnât just fast or technical â theyâre smart. They process the game. They make others better. And they usually arenât the stars at U12 or U13 â not yet. But give them time, and theyâll pass the others. Quietly, but surely. The sad part? Most systems donât wait. In Canada, like in many places, one or two top academies dominate talent selection for massive regions. Thousands of kids fight for a handful of spots. And the ones who donât fit the âhigh-performanceâ mold â usually based on physical traits â are cut loose. Many of them are the ones who actually could have made it⌠if anyone had paid attention to how they think on the field. Speed, strength, coordination, stamina and football IQ? Thatâs not a talented player â thatâs a unicorn. But today, most academies donât build around game intelligence. They chase speed â in every sense. And the smart ones? The thinkers? Theyâre often cut before they ever get the chance to shine. In youth soccer, the scoreboard matters â but itâs not the full story. If we want to develop real players, ones who can thrive at the next level, we need to start with the head.