CYA All Stars - how are they chosen?

[Anonymous]

Especially curious about the younger ages (like U6/7/8) - how do they choose all-stars? Our team didn't have any superstars, but there were a couple kids who were good that were picked, but others that I thought were better than them but weren't chosen for all stars. I never saw any scouts or anything anywhere. How do they choose all stars at these young ages?

[Anonymous]

What’s CYA?

[Anonymous]

They are picked by the coaches

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They are picked by the coaches

Aaah, that explains why it was the coach's kid and their friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Especially curious about the younger ages (like U6/7/8) - how do they choose all-stars? Our team didn't have any superstars, but there were a couple kids who were good that were picked, but others that I thought were better than them but weren't chosen for all stars. I never saw any scouts or anything anywhere. How do they choose all stars at these young ages?

You would (like to) think that surely politics don't infect something like youth soccer but oh how wrong you'd be. Just wait until U-13 and certainly U-15!

[Anonymous]

Scouts, lol.

At the young ages, they are nominated by the coaches.

At the older ages, the all star coaches (parent volunteers), pick the teams from the list of nominated players (and pick their kids and their kids friends, usually).

[Anonymous]

Usually the coaches kids are automatically on all-stars. I have seen a few instances where the coaches kid wasn't that great and opted not to do it.

[Anonymous]

OP here. That was my guess but I was hoping it would be something else. My kid is good, probably similar to the kids who were on the all star team, but I would certainly never consider him all-star level! Do these kids get creamed when they play up a level? Also I guess that means we are losing our coach because her kid is not on our team anymore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Usually the coaches kids are automatically on all-stars. I have seen a few instances where the coaches kid wasn't that great and opted not to do it.

So all-stars is really just a thank you gesture to the coaches?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Usually the coaches kids are automatically on all-stars. I have seen a few instances where the coaches kid wasn't that great and opted not to do it.

So all-stars is really just a thank you gesture to the coaches?

Yes

[Anonymous]

A lot of times top kids simply aren't available for that weekend because it coincides with Father's Day--a lot of families at younger ages simply have other plans/priorities. Sometimes, too, it's hard for leagues to find enough coaches to actually want to coach that weekend and do all of the administrative stuff that comes along with all stars and many times coaches don't submit their nominations at all so you can be left scrambling to try and find players.

Another factor sometimes when coaches make nominations is: would I want to wish this upon my worst enemy? Meaning, who is coachable and based on attitude and other things that have less to do about skill might be deserving of an opportunity like this?

[Anonymous]

Why don't you just ask CYA? I'm sure they would explain.

[Anonymous]

Coaches nominate kids on their own team for all stars. The youngest age group for all stars is U8. If a kid who is young enough to be playing U6 or U7 is picked, it’s because they were playing up on a U8 team and were good enough to stand out among those kids. Theoretically, if they were good enough to stand out in the regular season, they can hang relatively well in the All-Star games. I think the leagues attempt to put together A, B, C etc teams so they can be properly place in brackets at the tournament, but I’m sure it’s not perfect. Coaches of U6 and U7 teams are not nominating kids for all stars.

There is supposed to be representation from each team at all stars. So if a kid is decent on a really bad team, they’re going to stand out and get picked for all stars. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re really good. Conversely, if a kid happens to be on a team with a lot of good players, it will be tougher to get picked as an all star because there are several standouts.

And yeah, being a coach’s kid definitely increases your chances of being picked. When I think of the kids whose parents coached, all of them have gone to all stars LOL. But of course, plenty of kids whose parents do not coach get picked for all stars.

[Anonymous]

It has been a minute, but FYI, girls that were all-stars formed the nucleus of my daughter's travel team. Pics from parents with various girls bear this out. Not just a popularity contest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Coaches nominate kids on their own team for all stars. The youngest age group for all stars is U8. If a kid who is young enough to be playing U6 or U7 is picked, it’s because they were playing up on a U8 team and were good enough to stand out among those kids. Theoretically, if they were good enough to stand out in the regular season, they can hang relatively well in the All-Star games. I think the leagues attempt to put together A, B, C etc teams so they can be properly place in brackets at the tournament, but I’m sure it’s not perfect. Coaches of U6 and U7 teams are not nominating kids for all stars.

There is supposed to be representation from each team at all stars. So if a kid is decent on a really bad team, they’re going to stand out and get picked for all stars. It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re really good. Conversely, if a kid happens to be on a team with a lot of good players, it will be tougher to get picked as an all star because there are several standouts.

And yeah, being a coach’s kid definitely increases your chances of being picked. When I think of the kids whose parents coached, all of them have gone to all stars LOL. But of course, plenty of kids whose parents do not coach get picked for all stars.

OP here. There was zero transparency around this on our team. My kid has played with these kids since last year and I just found out from talking to a parent that their son has been on the all-stars team last spring and this fall. I didn't even know there WAS an all stars team!