Move club or stay conundrum

[Anonymous]

I have a u12 kid currently playing in his club's 2nd team in a very competitive academy. He has not been subbed in 1 year. Played literally every minute of every game in that time.
Coach of the top team passed him over for promotion and in its place chose to players that averaged 15 minutes per game all season. Coach of the top team said that he saw something in them that he liked.
DS has practiced every day for the past two years (wall work, sprints/resistance, private coach, plus team practices of course). He even spends most summers in Spain training. His main issue is that he looks clumsy, so coaches that haven't coached him tend to waive him off because he is not as smooth as others. However, once a team takes him he is never subbed again because he becomes essential to the team.
Has anyone dealt with this? Is there is any solution to this or is my DS meant to be turned down constantly for the rest of his short career?

[Anonymous]

In short, move.

At length:

Coach has already exhibited a lack of ability to break down why others have been promoted over your kid.

Unfortunately, in youth soccer in US there’s little accountability for coaches. If he/she is buddies with owner or director then forget whatever slim chances there were of actually using quantifiable metrics and sporting reasons for his/her decisions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a u12 kid currently playing in his club's 2nd team in a very competitive academy. He has not been subbed in 1 year. Played literally every minute of every game in that time.
Coach of the top team passed him over for promotion and in its place chose to players that averaged 15 minutes per game all season. Coach of the top team said that he saw something in them that he liked.
DS has practiced every day for the past two years (wall work, sprints/resistance, private coach, plus team practices of course). He even spends most summers in Spain training. His main issue is that he looks clumsy, so coaches that haven't coached him tend to waive him off because he is not as smooth as others. However, once a team takes him he is never subbed again because he becomes essential to the team.
Has anyone dealt with this? Is there is any solution to this or is my DS meant to be turned down constantly for the rest of his short career?

Is your child being challenged on the club's 2nd team or are they dominating? That should provide the answer. If they are not dominating, then you need to reevaluate the work that you are putting in and work on some weaknesses.

All of the habits that you described are of a 1st team player locally so there has to be something missing. If you are from Spain, you should know not to worry about these American style evaluation systems. On our club, there are 3-4 kids that I think could easily make the 1st team but the coach was looking for something different. It's just a thing.

If you are with clubs like SYC or Coppermine, you will be passed by more aggressive and athletic kids. That is the way those clubs roll. They also struggle to string together 5 passes at U12. If you are patient and really have the habits you say you do, it will come together at U14/U15.

There are some Spanish born coaches at a few clubs in the area that can advise you. I don't like putting people's name in these forums unless they ask but the research the two most successful clubs in the area for producing professionals and then go through the coaching profiles. It is probably 1-2 hours of work but it will provide more answers than anybody here in this forum IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a u12 kid currently playing in his club's 2nd team in a very competitive academy. He has not been subbed in 1 year. Played literally every minute of every game in that time.
Coach of the top team passed him over for promotion and in its place chose to players that averaged 15 minutes per game all season. Coach of the top team said that he saw something in them that he liked.
DS has practiced every day for the past two years (wall work, sprints/resistance, private coach, plus team practices of course). He even spends most summers in Spain training. His main issue is that he looks clumsy, so coaches that haven't coached him tend to waive him off because he is not as smooth as others. However, once a team takes him he is never subbed again because he becomes essential to the team.
Has anyone dealt with this? Is there is any solution to this or is my DS meant to be turned down constantly for the rest of his short career?

Sounds like Arlington.

But if you kid trains in Spain and is still a klutz, I don’t have an answer for you.

[Anonymous]

Age is going to make a huge difference in this decision. If you kid is Jan-July it very unlikely he will move from 2nd team to a top team at most clubs. If he is Aug-Dec. I would wait for the age change but also try out at other clubs that will be making the change.

[Anonymous]

I would also say if he is getting some practice and playing time guesting with top team don't fall into the trap of thinking that means he will definitely be on the team the next year. . I have had a kid on a top team from u9 to HS years and every year they have 3-4 kids from second team practice and guest with top team and every spring at the most 1 of those kids make it and the club will bring in 2-3 kids from other teams that are about the same level as kids who practiced with the team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Age is going to make a huge difference in this decision. If you kid is Jan-July it very unlikely he will move from 2nd team to a top team at most clubs. If he is Aug-Dec. I would wait for the age change but also try out at other clubs that will be making the change.

Most important reply in the thread. We are approaching what is going to be a very weird time. There are big clubs right now where half the kids on the U12 top team (currently all 2014s) will lose their spot, because they are Jan-July birthdates and there are 2013 fall birthday kids playing U13 who will drop down. Meanwhile some of the kids on that U12 top team will be Aug-Dec birthdays who will drop to what will basically be the '6th grade' top team next year.

This will be a giant upheaval that most of the clubs will manage poorly. Tryouts and player ID sessions for 2026-27 have already started at some organizations, taking into account all the kids' birthdays.

For your U12 player, you need to manage your own expectations depending on their age classification for next year.

[Anonymous]

OP, we are in a similar position. Despite doing very well in tryouts and was selected for the top team every day of tryouts, club took outside kids over kids on the 2nd team last year. Also, we asked both coaches for feedback and it was very minimal. I.e. they could not provide substantial feedback at all.

Obviously, we will book tryouts with other clubs next year as club hopping seems to leverage better odds of getting promoted.

But one thing I am starting to notice, that is the kids that keep training as they go though puberty really start to stand out. It may take 2 more years yet before his skills really shine over kids who have become complacent on the 1st team.

Lastly, the Coaching might change next year for the teams you want to be on, so opinions may change. (However, Coaches do talk within the Club and may prejudice your son before tryouts even happen.) If you suspect that is the case, then maybe another club is the answer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, we are in a similar position. Despite doing very well in tryouts and was selected for the top team every day of tryouts, club took outside kids over kids on the 2nd team last year. Also, we asked both coaches for feedback and it was very minimal. I.e. they could not provide substantial feedback at all.

Obviously, we will book tryouts with other clubs next year as club hopping seems to leverage better odds of getting promoted.

But one thing I am starting to notice, that is the kids that keep training as they go though puberty really start to stand out. It may take 2 more years yet before his skills really shine over kids who have become complacent on the 1st team.

Lastly, the Coaching might change next year for the teams you want to be on, so opinions may change. (However, Coaches do talk within the Club and may prejudice your son before tryouts even happen.) If you suspect that is the case, then maybe another club is the answer.

My child is on a first team but really don't care what team we are on year to year because none of it matters before puberty. There we two direct players that are on our 2nd team that was like WTF? Coaches have their style of play and now I understand why the coach selected his team.

Regardless, I would pay more attention to the coaching assignments than the actual club and team placement.

[Anonymous]

If your kid is happy, enjoying the game and learning, stay!
Your kid is 11 years old, of course he is clumsy, he's still learning his body.

He won't be making it pro next fall, let him enjoy the game and keep developing, it'll be no different at another club where he'll be on the "top" team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, we are in a similar position. Despite doing very well in tryouts and was selected for the top team every day of tryouts, club took outside kids over kids on the 2nd team last year. Also, we asked both coaches for feedback and it was very minimal. I.e. they could not provide substantial feedback at all.

Obviously, we will book tryouts with other clubs next year as club hopping seems to leverage better odds of getting promoted.

But one thing I am starting to notice, that is the kids that keep training as they go though puberty really start to stand out. It may take 2 more years yet before his skills really shine over kids who have become complacent on the 1st team.

Lastly, the Coaching might change next year for the teams you want to be on, so opinions may change. (However, Coaches do talk within the Club and may prejudice your son before tryouts even happen.) If you suspect that is the case, then maybe another club is the answer.

Why does Arlington do this so much? They want you to spend all early development with Arlington but as soon as pre-academy and academy, Arlington brings in tons of randoms.

[Anonymous]

If Xavi Hernandez or Iniesta played here when they were kids, they would have been relegated to 6th team in any club LOL. US youth system needs a Cruyff to take over and show these “coaches “ how soccer is played. Then maybe we can talk about winning a World Cup one day. Until then world cups are won by smaller and technical players in other parts of the world. Sigh!