Roster size question and guidance
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Anonymous
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For a NCSL level team, what is a typical roster size for U15 group (mostly 8th graders -- with some 9th)? Team has 22 players this year and coach just added another player (so now 23). Each week 4 (now 5) kids are told they won't play in the game that weekend. Coach said it would be alternated but 3 games in and we are already seeing some kids chosen to sit out twice. Is this normal for a NCSL level team (ie not even ASA's MLSNext 1 or 2 team)? I do know the club's handbook says to target a roster size of 16-22 with a "max of 22" and that NCSL official rosters are 22 with game day at 18. (Not sure how there can be 23 kids on the team if only 22 can be rostered.) Do all clubs do this -- trying to understand what is typical in this area and whether the club is even aware of what is happening or if they would care.
To address concerns at beginning of season, Coach said kids who weren't chosen would be given an opportunity to play up (or possibly down) for one of the clubs other teams if they weren't chosen for that weekend--- but that hasn't happened. And now that people are talking across these different club levels it seems that isn't even a possibility because rosters are now stacked at 22. I think parents are upset and after this weekend might start calling the club to complain but seem concerned coach could take it out on their kids. Having not experienced this before, I'm curious if this is a normal situation and what other clubs do? |
Anonymous
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Coach probably doesn’t want that situation either and likely does not possess the management skills to deal with such a big roster.
I’d bring it up to club management. You are a paying customer. That is the key difference between travel and HS soccer (they have large rosters too), but this should not be acceptable for the travel level. |
Anonymous
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Thats crazy! So they have 5+ teams all with 22-23 players?
I would go way way way to the top with this. They only play 9-10 games a season. No kids should be asked to sit out games. |
Anonymous
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23 kids on an NCSL team.
ASA is so greedy! What are they charging for that? |
Anonymous
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We are an EDP team U14.
We have 18 on our roster. I’d say so far this season we have 13-16 kids show up for each game. They get to play 20/15 mins each. The better kids play the whole game. |
Anonymous
| So they’re just taking parents’ money and not letting the kids play? That’s a choice. |
Anonymous
| It is $2,500 for the year and yes it does seem like the reality is that they have taken money with no oversight on the program. The website does advertise a certain # of games, so that's why it is confusing on what is supposed to be happening. It was surprising to show up in the fall and have that many kids on the roster, but I think the promise to parents that any kid chosen to sit out would still get to play in another game kept people from complaining. Now that this hasn't happened, I'm wondering if other clubs do this or just ASA? |
Anonymous
| Wow that is not ok at all. I have 2 kids who play 11v11 - One on NCSL and one on MLSN2. Both rosters are at 18 and it seems like the right number. |
Anonymous
ASA isn’t alone in this—other clubs do the same (now SYC too). Many clubs roster 22+ players, but leagues like the MLS Next Homegrown division only allow 18 to dress and roster on game day. That means some players are left at home and can’t play down either. This creates tension and frustration for both families and players, especially if coaches don’t provide clear communication about how decisions are made. At times, roster selections can appear inconsistent—sometimes looks like favoritism, particularly when the team struggles to perform consistently on game day. |
Anonymous
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No way would I be paying for an NSCL roster spot of 22+ players unless it was clear that multiple players each week had a schedule conflict and would not be able to attend certain games. There is absolutely no prestige to playing on an NSCL team. The only reason to be on that team is to play.
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Anonymous
| What crap |
Anonymous
Agree. You should start a new thread with ASA in the title. The club admins all read this board. Name and shame. |
Anonymous
| We played one of their lower level NCSL reams where like 7 kids sat on the bench pretty much the whole game and hardly played while a couple played the whole game. |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
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[quote=Anonymous]For a NCSL level team, what is a typical roster size for U15 group (mostly 8th graders -- with some 9th)? Team has 22 players this year and coach just added another player (so now 23). Each week 4 (now 5) kids are told they won't play in the game that weekend. Coach said it would be alternated but 3 games in and we are already seeing some kids chosen to sit out twice. Is this normal for a NCSL level team (ie not even ASA's MLSNext 1 or 2 team)? I do know the club's handbook says to target a roster size of 16-22 with a "max of 22" and that NCSL official rosters are 22 with game day at 18. (Not sure how there can be 23 kids on the team if only 22 can be rostered.) Do all clubs do this -- trying to understand what is typical in this area and whether the club is even aware of what is happening or if they would care.
To address concerns at beginning of season, Coach said kids who weren't chosen would be given an opportunity to play up (or possibly down) for one of the clubs other teams if they weren't chosen for that weekend--- but that hasn't happened. And now that people are talking across these different club levels it seems that isn't even a possibility because rosters are now stacked at 22. I think parents are upset and after this weekend might start calling the club to complain but seem concerned coach could take it out on their kids. Having not experienced this before, I'm curious if this is a normal situation and what other clubs do?[/quote] You mention U15 which would be the 2011 kids. Most of those kids are in 9th grade. Are you on a U15 team that has mostly 8th graders? |