In coming weeks our coaches will be making decisions on who will start the season in the ‘first eleven’ in each age group. Our coaches have again be asked to consider longer-term development as a key part of this process, reflecting on which scenario will best enhance children’s longer term development. It does a child no favors to be tacked on to the end of a first-eleven squad when a more dominant presence in the lower graded team would offer them far greater potential for strong involvement and skill development.
Many children that we believe can be first eleven players in 2009 or later are best served by being a key player in an easier grade this coming season, thereby utilizing a less pressured environment in which their skills might blossom. What might appear to be disappointing news to some may well be very smart thinking by our selection teams. Trust their judgement!
