Top team offers are already out—how’s your team shaping up?

[Anonymous]

I know tryout season just wrapped for most top teams. Is there a lot of movement on yours? Anyone make it who probably shouldn’t have?

Here’s how things went with my DC team:
• 2 new kids from outside the club
• 2 kids moved up from the B team
• 1 kid left for another club
• And somehow, 2 kids who clearly didn’t earn a top spot still made the cut

What’s the situation like with your team?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know tryout season just wrapped for most top teams. Is there a lot of movement on yours? Anyone make it who probably shouldn’t have?

Here’s how things went with my DC team:
• 2 new kids from outside the club
• 2 kids moved up from the B team
• 1 kid left for another club
• And somehow, 2 kids who clearly didn’t earn a top spot still made the cut

What’s the situation like with your team?

Retention over talent is annoying but so common. Very few clubs bump kids down a team even when they really should.

3 left and 3 bumped from second team for us. We also have 2 players who stayed and shouldn't be on the team. They sit on the bench all year but I guess their parents would rather have them sitting on the bench to have a first team title to beat about than having their kid actually playing on a second or third team and starting.

[Anonymous]

We also have 3 players on the team who ideally should have been cut. They tend to demonstrate low soccer IQ, hold onto the ball too long, rarely pass, and lack speed. However, since our roster was expanded this year, the coach chose not to cut them and instead added even more players to the group.

[Anonymous]

All very common. Follow the money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All very common. Follow the money.

Nice trope, but really this happens so often it's more of just keeping what you have vs. some unknown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All very common. Follow the money.

Nice trope, but really this happens so often it's more of just keeping what you have vs. some unknown.

Usually, the players who stay on the team despite being clearly below the expected level are those with older siblings in the club, parents on the board, families making significant donations, or whose parent happens to be the team manager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All very common. Follow the money.

I really don't understand how it's all about the $$$. Our club will not move anyone down. With the number of people leaving there will be one less team this year unless they can massively recruit over the summer. So either they get the parents $$ for the kids that deserve to be on the team or they get the same amount of money but will lose more games and alienate those that chose to stay and actually belong there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All very common. Follow the money.

I really don't understand how it's all about the $$$. Our club will not move anyone down. With the number of people leaving there will be one less team this year unless they can massively recruit over the summer. So either they get the parents $$ for the kids that deserve to be on the team or they get the same amount of money but will lose more games and alienate those that chose to stay and actually belong there.

Sound like your club is sinking! Do your kid a favor by jumping to somewhere else, I’ve been there and done that! Don't stay!

[Anonymous]

My report for a rising U13G ECNL team is - we have no idea who is on the team since it's just forming. Welp?

[Anonymous]

Parents: We want teams to focus on developing players not just winning.

Also Parents: We should cut 3 players because they hold onto the ball too long and have low soccer IQ.

Parents, you are the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know tryout season just wrapped for most top teams. Is there a lot of movement on yours? Anyone make it who probably shouldn’t have?

Here’s how things went with my DC team:
• 2 new kids from outside the club
• 2 kids moved up from the B team
• 1 kid left for another club
• And somehow, 2 kids who clearly didn’t earn a top spot still made the cut

What’s the situation like with your team?

What age group

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents: We want teams to focus on developing players not just winning.

Also Parents: We should cut 3 players because they hold onto the ball too long and have low soccer IQ.

Parents, you are the problem.

We want fairness. Kids who work hard and continue to develop should earn their spot and even move up. On the other hand, kids who consistently hold the team back—whether by being uncoachable, slowing down the team’s development, or contributing to repeated losses—should be moved down to a level that matches their current performance and commitment.

Yes, we want every kid to have a chance to grow, but fairness means holding everyone accountable. It’s not fair to the hardworking players to let others stay in spots they haven’t earned.

[Anonymous]

Do clubs actually announce next season’s rosters when this season isn’t over? Other than from discussing with parents who said they got an offer have no idea who made the team (from current top team), I have no clue of others (from second team or from outside the club).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do clubs actually announce next season’s rosters when this season isn’t over? Other than from discussing with parents who said they got an offer have no idea who made the team (from current top team), I have no clue of others (from second team or from outside the club).

Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do clubs actually announce next season’s rosters when this season isn’t over? Other than from discussing with parents who said they got an offer have no idea who made the team (from current top team), I have no clue of others (from second team or from outside the club).

In my experience, no. 4th year and we have not seen this before. It’s all kinda secretive. Also, they don’t announce rosters to allow for 1 or 2 player movements to happen over the summer. Which cuts down on jealousy issues.