U18s JSL competition

[God is an Englishman]

We need to give players the opportunity to stay at their club for as long as possible. Most don't want to play amateurs at 16-18yrs, playing against 30yr plus players. Players actually want to stay and play for their club for as long as possible. It's usually delusional parents that want their kids to move, because it gives them a better opportunity to play EPL. My son has been at his club for 3 years now and he always says that he will play there till the end.....lets see if he changes his mind once he turns 15???
It is all about players playing the game and enjoying the greatest game in the world for as long as possible.
The reality is 90% of the players coming through the system will not play in the NPL. Therefore the ffsa needs to cater for the majority.
Allow kids to play up until U18 at juniors and you will see the results immediately.

They do that already don't they?

There's an 18's comp, 17's comp, 16's comp...

There's only one 18's or 17's team per club. Plenty of kids get rejected and never play again.

Are you recommending they create more 18's or 17's team per club?

I'm saying that if the clubs thought it was worth it they would obviously do it. If enough clubs thought it was worthwhile, then a league will exist. I think the FFSA are complete muppets but I'm struggling to work out exactly what you want them to do here.

[fball12]

There are a lot of hacks in the Collegiate & Amateur divisions and that puts off 16-20 yr olds.

I played Sunday Div 2 amateurs at 19 and remember how rough and unskilled some players were and the referees did little to protect the ball players. I would hope its changed for the better.

I still recommend an U20 Amateurs comp to retain young players and supporters of the game in this state.
100's of kids drop out from 15-20 yrs of age and many never come back into amateurs.

+1

+1

[fball12]

Also needs to be remembered, playing football or any sport for that matter is a social activity.
16-20 yr olds do not want to play with 30+ yr olds.

They are more comfortable playing in a 16-20 age group where they have friends and know other older kids and will enjoy the game.

Hence the need for U20's amateurs.

+1

[simmo]

We need to give players the opportunity to stay at their club for as long as possible. Most don't want to play amateurs at 16-18yrs, playing against 30yr plus players. Players actually want to stay and play for their club for as long as possible. It's usually delusional parents that want their kids to move, because it gives them a better opportunity to play EPL. My son has been at his club for 3 years now and he always says that he will play there till the end.....lets see if he changes his mind once he turns 15???
It is all about players playing the game and enjoying the greatest game in the world for as long as possible.
The reality is 90% of the players coming through the system will not play in the NPL. Therefore the ffsa needs to cater for the majority.
Allow kids to play up until U18 at juniors and you will see the results immediately.

They do that already don't they?

There's an 18's comp, 17's comp, 16's comp...

There's only one 18's or 17's team per club. Plenty of kids get rejected and never play again.

Are you recommending they create more 18's or 17's team per club?

I'm suggesting U18 play as juniors on a Sunday.
Currently 16s is good but 17s is a rubbish comp. Too many clubs are playing kids in 15-16 comp on Sundays and 18s on Saturday, claiming it is good for their development....each to their own.
But 18s on a Sunday will also strengthen the 17s comp and the 18s team will be players exclusively playing at that level. Therefore if you are 15 and good enough, you play 18s.
Then Seniors is Reserves (or 23s) and First team.
This gives players the opportunity to represent their club up to 18yrs and then if they don't make it to the seniors they are old enough to play amateurs.

[God is an Englishman]

There are a lot of hacks in the Collegiate & Amateur divisions and that puts off 16-20 yr olds.

I played Sunday Div 2 amateurs at 19 and remember how rough and unskilled some players were and the referees did little to protect the ball players. I would hope its changed for the better.

I still recommend an U20 Amateurs comp to retain young players and supporters of the game in this state.
100's of kids drop out from 15-20 yrs of age and many never come back into amateurs.

+1

+1

I didn't, I wanted to play against adults and test myself. It was fun watching them trying to kick me and not even getting close.

[magnet]

There's only one 18's or 17's team per club. Plenty of kids get rejected and never play again.

Are you recommending they create more 18's or 17's team per club?

I'm suggesting U18 play as juniors on a Sunday.
Currently 16s is good but 17s is a rubbish comp. Too many clubs are playing kids in 15-16 comp on Sundays and 18s on Saturday, claiming it is good for their development....each to their own.
But 18s on a Sunday will also strengthen the 17s comp and the 18s team will be players exclusively playing at that level. Therefore if you are 15 and good enough, you play 18s.
Then Seniors is Reserves (or 23s) and First team.
This gives players the opportunity to represent their club up to 18yrs and then if they don't make it to the seniors they are old enough to play amateurs.

Have you watched the 18's? It's a dreadful comp made up of teams of 14-16 year olds who are being pushed way too early. You have kids playing in JPLC who are also playing 18's. They are nowhere near good enough for their own age group let alone 18's, yet clubs wheel them out and spin the "younger player" line after getting smashed week in, week out.

[simmo]

There's only one 18's or 17's team per club. Plenty of kids get rejected and never play again.

Are you recommending they create more 18's or 17's team per club?

I'm suggesting U18 play as juniors on a Sunday.
Currently 16s is good but 17s is a rubbish comp. Too many clubs are playing kids in 15-16 comp on Sundays and 18s on Saturday, claiming it is good for their development....each to their own.
But 18s on a Sunday will also strengthen the 17s comp and the 18s team will be players exclusively playing at that level. Therefore if you are 15 and good enough, you play 18s.
Then Seniors is Reserves (or 23s) and First team.
This gives players the opportunity to represent their club up to 18yrs and then if they don't make it to the seniors they are old enough to play amateurs.

Have you watched the 18's? It's a dreadful comp made up of teams of 14-16 year olds who are being pushed way too early. You have kids playing in JPLC who are also playing 18's. They are nowhere near good enough for their own age group let alone 18's, yet clubs wheel them out and spin the "younger player" line after getting smashed week in, week out.

I agree 100%. That is why, by moving them to Sundays under the junior comp, this issue will be resolved. There will no longer be the prestige of playing 18s as seniors on Saturday. Those that are good enough will be playing reserves or first team.
Finally I am not against young players playing up but they have to be good enough. I played Div 1 seniors at the age of 17, back in the old days, so I'm all for young players playing at high levels but they must earn it.

[msox1512]

There's only one 18's or 17's team per club. Plenty of kids get rejected and never play again.

Are you recommending they create more 18's or 17's team per club?

I'm suggesting U18 play as juniors on a Sunday.
Currently 16s is good but 17s is a rubbish comp. Too many clubs are playing kids in 15-16 comp on Sundays and 18s on Saturday, claiming it is good for their development....each to their own.
But 18s on a Sunday will also strengthen the 17s comp and the 18s team will be players exclusively playing at that level. Therefore if you are 15 and good enough, you play 18s.
Then Seniors is Reserves (or 23s) and First team.
This gives players the opportunity to represent their club up to 18yrs and then if they don't make it to the seniors they are old enough to play amateurs.

Have you watched the 18's? It's a dreadful comp made up of teams of 14-16 year olds who are being pushed way too early. You have kids playing in JPLC who are also playing 18's. They are nowhere near good enough for their own age group let alone 18's, yet clubs wheel them out and spin the "younger player" line after getting smashed week in, week out.

What planet are you living on?

Our U18 team of mainly 14-15 year olds smashed a top 4 U17 team of mainly 17 year old players by double figures. The best players are in the U18 teams at 14-15 years of age.

If the U18 competition is dreadful then what does that make the U17 and U16 JPL competition?

[simmo]

Every U16A JPL team will beat any U17 team. But The top 5 U16A JPL teams will beat most U18 teams.....and this is the problem.
There are many players that are playing U18s that wouldn't make any of the U16A JPL1 sides.

[msox1512]

Every U16A JPL team will beat any U17 team. But The top 5 U16A JPL teams will beat most U18 teams.....and this is the problem.
There are many players that are playing U18s that wouldn't make any of the U16A JPL1 sides.

Not at the same club unless you have problems at your club.

[Maldini]

Every U16A JPL team will beat any U17 team. But The top 5 U16A JPL teams will beat most U18 teams.....and this is the problem.
There are many players that are playing U18s that wouldn't make any of the U16A JPL1 sides.

Yeah I can't agree with that either.

[Pie and Bovril]

Every U16A JPL team will beat any U17 team. But The top 5 U16A JPL teams will beat most U18 teams.....and this is the problem.
There are many players that are playing U18s that wouldn't make any of the U16A JPL1 sides.

U16 JPLA would beat mid to lower NPL 18's and almost all SL1 and SL2 18's. Those lower teams are using players from 15B's and C's and 16B's and C's. It also doesn't help that the U18 comp is based on senior positions so some SL1 teams would beat lower NPL 18's.

Plenty of clubs holding open trials for 18's in the next few weeks.

[fball12]

Every U16A JPL team will beat any U17 team. But The top 5 U16A JPL teams will beat most U18 teams.....and this is the problem.
There are many players that are playing U18s that wouldn't make any of the U16A JPL1 sides.

Not at the same club unless you have problems at your club.

+1

[magnet]

You get a sharp drop off from the older players playing U18's (17 year olds). It could be a combination of birds, booze and also the realisation that they ain't making reserves next year. This is where players drop out of the game and this is the reason why younger players are being used.

[N5 1BH]

What planet are you living on?

Our U18 team of mainly 14-15 year olds smashed a top 4 U17 team of mainly 17 year old players by double figures. The best players are in the U18 teams at 14-15 years of age.

If the U18 competition is dreadful then what does that make the U17 and U16 JPL competition?

Think you’ve answered your own question. Wonder then on the logic of leaving the stic kids in 16s and ntc kids in 17s and who exactly benefits from half of seniors being made up of basically children. Ffsa approach is like trying to keep a leaking bucket full with water without first fixing the hole