RL - worth a push to get there?

[Anonymous]

DD, 11, is in tryouts this week. She has been on the "pre ECRL" team for her club for three years, and is one of the top girls on that team. But, the club has a history of dropping the majority of that team in favor of girls coming in from outside when the teams go NL/RL (many girls in the area come to the club that year for the NL/RL option). DD was injured for about half of the fall season. She has been "guesting" for another club recently who has had more training and a couple of tournaments. She has an offer to join them next season. It is a nice club with athletic kids who play multiple sports, so they don't take the soccer as seriously but probably have more balanced lives (we are in Southern CA where soccer is year round and taken very seriously). DD played poorly in the first day of (unofficial) tryouts for her normal club. They combine the NL and RL girls and it's challenging for her both physically and mentally. We need to prioritize tryouts this week (they overlap). I don't know if it is worth really pushing her tonight at the NL/RL tryout. She will be on the bubble to make the RL team, though we know 2 girls who think they WILL make it who are not better than DD. But, is being one of the lowest players on an RL team worth it? Are we just going to be paying tons to travel to games where she won't play more than 5 minutes? If she drops out of the RL path, it's likely forever (too hard to get back in). Any advice from people who have BTDT?

[Anonymous]

Get out of here and go back to California thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD, 11, is in tryouts this week. She has been on the "pre ECRL" team for her club for three years, and is one of the top girls on that team. But, the club has a history of dropping the majority of that team in favor of girls coming in from outside when the teams go NL/RL (many girls in the area come to the club that year for the NL/RL option). DD was injured for about half of the fall season. She has been "guesting" for another club recently who has had more training and a couple of tournaments. She has an offer to join them next season. It is a nice club with athletic kids who play multiple sports, so they don't take the soccer as seriously but probably have more balanced lives (we are in Southern CA where soccer is year round and taken very seriously). DD played poorly in the first day of (unofficial) tryouts for her normal club. They combine the NL and RL girls and it's challenging for her both physically and mentally. We need to prioritize tryouts this week (they overlap). I don't know if it is worth really pushing her tonight at the NL/RL tryout. She will be on the bubble to make the RL team, though we know 2 girls who think they WILL make it who are not better than DD. But, is being one of the lowest players on an RL team worth it? Are we just going to be paying tons to travel to games where she won't play more than 5 minutes? If she drops out of the RL path, it's likely forever (too hard to get back in). Any advice from people who have BTDT?

It's hard for us to judge since it's probably a different market. I would go with your instinct. I would look for a team where she gets more playing time at this age. If there are other clubs nearby, go to a tryout or watch a game. Think about how your kid would fit in with the other teams. You really want the playing time at this age. If they are good enough in the future, they can always make another team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD, 11, is in tryouts this week. She has been on the "pre ECRL" team for her club for three years, and is one of the top girls on that team. But, the club has a history of dropping the majority of that team in favor of girls coming in from outside when the teams go NL/RL (many girls in the area come to the club that year for the NL/RL option). DD was injured for about half of the fall season. She has been "guesting" for another club recently who has had more training and a couple of tournaments. She has an offer to join them next season. It is a nice club with athletic kids who play multiple sports, so they don't take the soccer as seriously but probably have more balanced lives (we are in Southern CA where soccer is year round and taken very seriously). DD played poorly in the first day of (unofficial) tryouts for her normal club. They combine the NL and RL girls and it's challenging for her both physically and mentally. We need to prioritize tryouts this week (they overlap). I don't know if it is worth really pushing her tonight at the NL/RL tryout. She will be on the bubble to make the RL team, though we know 2 girls who think they WILL make it who are not better than DD. But, is being one of the lowest players on an RL team worth it? Are we just going to be paying tons to travel to games where she won't play more than 5 minutes? If she drops out of the RL path, it's likely forever (too hard to get back in). Any advice from people who have BTDT?

It's hard for us to judge since it's probably a different market. I would go with your instinct. I would look for a team where she gets more playing time at this age. If there are other clubs nearby, go to a tryout or watch a game. Think about how your kid would fit in with the other teams. You really want the playing time at this age. If they are good enough in the future, they can always make another team.

+1

[Anonymous]

My first question would be what does she want to do. While it may not be thefactor it should be [i]a[/a] factor.

Realistically her current club should already have an idea of where they want to place her. Her tryout performance should almost be a non-factor, unless her current coach is gone or getting a new coach that for some reason isn't getting any inputs from her previous coach.

Is it "worth it" to be at the bottom of a RL roster? Well that depends... why is she playing? Is the training going to be better? How does she fit within the current or future team? It sounds like you're leaning to this other club for a better "life balance". If you both feel that way then I'm not sure what else there is to consider.

But button line, her existing club should already have a good feel of her abilities, regardless of tryouts. If you're looking to switch, I would give the new club as many opportunities to see her as possible but sounds like you've been guesting there already so....

Is she going to be the best player on her new team? Is there competition challenging? How is their coaching/training? How does she fit in with the team? How are the parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get out of here and go back to California thread.

Welcome to DCUM 😂

[Anonymous]

I think the only person you need to ask is your daughter. Sounds like you are overthinking it and you said yourself you're pushing her for tryouts. And you think she'll be on RL path forever...calmdown.

[Anonymous]

Go to the other tryouts at other clubs. Your club already knows where they're going to place her even if you don't go to tryouts.

Beach and Slammers ECRL teams can beat lots of SoCal ECNL teams. If your daughter is at one of those clubs, the weekly practices could be worthwhile. But again, your current club will place her on a team regardless. Provide yourself options with the other clubs.

[Anonymous]

ummm why dont you wait until you hear the outcome of tryouts and then make a decision. you need to calm down.

[Anonymous]

Some of this depends on roster size and approach to playing time. We play on a very successful RL team and generally roster 16-18 girls. Generally, bench players are still playing about half the game. On that kind of team, it’s worth it.

I would not want my child on a team where she was getting minimal minutes, even if I liked the training. Probably better to be a starter on a 3rd team in that situation.

[Anonymous]

if you're getting minimal minutes and new to the team, thats ok, there's probably a learning curve to adapt to the level of play.

If you've been on the team for a year and not getting more minutes, probably better off dropping down a level or to a less competitive team - its just not happening at that point.