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Damian
Student
San Luis, Arizona
1
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how can i become a profesional soccer player?
how do i get to be a really good soccer player. i am in 7th grade and i am 13 ?
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1 answer
Tiffany Stephenson-Super
Senior Recruiter
25
Answers
Columbus, Ohio
Updated
Tiffany’s Answer
Hi, Damien!
First, it takes passion for the game. Typically, those who are on the path to college-level and professional soccer spend most of their free time with a soccer ball at their feet - while they eat, study, watch tv, play rocket league, etc. I know this because by the time my son was in high school, I did not have a single lamp shade or picture frame that wasn't broken by him and his soccer ball. LOL
You also have to diligently train. That means working hard at every training session and when you do not have a training session, going to the local park or school with a friend to shoot goals.
Talk to your coach and ask what you do well and what you need to improve (is it speed to the ball, maintaining your space, winning 1:1 balls, etc.). Work on both - improving what you do well so you can stand out even more AND improving your weak areas so that they do not hold you back.
What is the best club team in your area? Make that your goal to be on that team. Talk to the coach of the team and tell them that you are interested in the club. Ask him to watch you at a tournament and give you some feedback. Club teams have scholarships (based on need and skill) or reduced fees and will help you get to and from tournaments if your family does not have the funds available for that kind of stuff.
Try out for the Olympic Development Program (ODP) team in your area/region. If you make the team, you will be exposed to many other coaches and players who will make you better. These coaches might have different training and teaching styles than other coaches you have worked with and can provide great feedback to you and if they think you are good enough, refer coaches of high performing teams in your area to you.
Mental attitude - can't stop, won't stop - resilience. What you want takes a A LOT of determination, that's why you need to be passionate about it. So, when a coach or trainer tells you are not doing something well, be thankful for the feedback and work on it. And when you get knocked down or have the ball picked from you, don't get mad, stop, or even pause. Get up, get the ball back, be even more determined and more creative about how you recover your position or the ball. <-- THIS is what college and high performing coaches look for in a player. They don't want to see you angry or giving up. They want to see how you deal with adversity on the field. Do you get frustrated and hit the round when you are down? Or do you pop right back up and call out to your team mates what the next move could be in a positive way?
I know you asked about playing professionally. The above things lay all of the groundwork to do that. Most professional players come from an ODP program or from an Academy program sponsored by a professional soccer club in the MLS. There is not an Academy program near your city. So, I recommend the ODP route.
Good luck on your journey. My son has friends from all over the world due to his soccer life. ODP changed his life and lead him to Academy. I never expected him to play in college, so it was a surprise when he was offered a soccer and academic scholarship in college. He has several team mates who play professionally now. It is "the beautiful game" - Pele.
First, it takes passion for the game. Typically, those who are on the path to college-level and professional soccer spend most of their free time with a soccer ball at their feet - while they eat, study, watch tv, play rocket league, etc. I know this because by the time my son was in high school, I did not have a single lamp shade or picture frame that wasn't broken by him and his soccer ball. LOL
You also have to diligently train. That means working hard at every training session and when you do not have a training session, going to the local park or school with a friend to shoot goals.
Talk to your coach and ask what you do well and what you need to improve (is it speed to the ball, maintaining your space, winning 1:1 balls, etc.). Work on both - improving what you do well so you can stand out even more AND improving your weak areas so that they do not hold you back.
What is the best club team in your area? Make that your goal to be on that team. Talk to the coach of the team and tell them that you are interested in the club. Ask him to watch you at a tournament and give you some feedback. Club teams have scholarships (based on need and skill) or reduced fees and will help you get to and from tournaments if your family does not have the funds available for that kind of stuff.
Try out for the Olympic Development Program (ODP) team in your area/region. If you make the team, you will be exposed to many other coaches and players who will make you better. These coaches might have different training and teaching styles than other coaches you have worked with and can provide great feedback to you and if they think you are good enough, refer coaches of high performing teams in your area to you.
Mental attitude - can't stop, won't stop - resilience. What you want takes a A LOT of determination, that's why you need to be passionate about it. So, when a coach or trainer tells you are not doing something well, be thankful for the feedback and work on it. And when you get knocked down or have the ball picked from you, don't get mad, stop, or even pause. Get up, get the ball back, be even more determined and more creative about how you recover your position or the ball. <-- THIS is what college and high performing coaches look for in a player. They don't want to see you angry or giving up. They want to see how you deal with adversity on the field. Do you get frustrated and hit the round when you are down? Or do you pop right back up and call out to your team mates what the next move could be in a positive way?
I know you asked about playing professionally. The above things lay all of the groundwork to do that. Most professional players come from an ODP program or from an Academy program sponsored by a professional soccer club in the MLS. There is not an Academy program near your city. So, I recommend the ODP route.
Good luck on your journey. My son has friends from all over the world due to his soccer life. ODP changed his life and lead him to Academy. I never expected him to play in college, so it was a surprise when he was offered a soccer and academic scholarship in college. He has several team mates who play professionally now. It is "the beautiful game" - Pele.
Great answer, Tiffany!! Thank you for sharing this thoughtful, comprehensive response with Damian and the many other CareerVillage Students!
yoonji KIM, Admin