Playing up a year when team is bad...

[Anonymous]

My kid plays for a big academy. He is on the 3rd team (out of 5). Team did terrible in the Fall season (finished 7th out of 8 teams). Many games we didn't cross the midfield. The academy has decided to sign the team up to play a year up this Spring to prepare them for 11 a side in the Fall. I cannot wrap my head around this decision. I believe half the team will not finish the season playing this sport due to frustration or injury. At the tail end in the Fall, the team played a year up in a tournament and managed to lose every game including the consolation game in a lopsided manner.
When I have asked the administrators what is the thought process, they tell me that at this age results dont matter and that its good for the kids to face high level competition.
The situation seems insane to me. Any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

My kid’s former team/club did this. I honestly think by playing and inevitably losing, the club could excuse it by saying they were playing tougher competition. Parents weren’t happy but there was nothing we could do about it. We endured and then eventually left.

[Anonymous]

Yes, they know your team will lose either way, so they think they can explain away the losses by pointing to the fact that you were playing up.

And how terrible are the 4th and 5th level teams? Yikes.

[Anonymous]

Ask for a partial refund OR to play on the 4th team OR for your kid's player card so you can go somewhere else?

[Anonymous]

Its so they can expand the roster and make more money. It is actually better for your kid to stay 9v9 as long as possible. Get out if you can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its so they can expand the roster and make more money. It is actually better for your kid to stay 9v9 as long as possible. Get out if you can.

Theoretically, but no one is joining a team that lost all their fall games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its so they can expand the roster and make more money. It is actually better for your kid to stay 9v9 as long as possible. Get out if you can.

Theoretically, but no one is joining a team that lost all their fall games.

The academy had ecnl id sessions last Nov and a couple outside players joined. In addition, a few players from the 4th team were brought up. All these poor souls are begging to leave...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Its so they can expand the roster and make more money. It is actually better for your kid to stay 9v9 as long as possible. Get out if you can.

Theoretically, but no one is joining a team that lost all their fall games.

The academy had ecnl id sessions last Nov and a couple outside players joined. In addition, a few players from the 4th team were brought up. All these poor souls are begging to leave...

The outside players joined the first team, though, right? Not the third team your kid is on?
So now the 4th team doesn't have enough players?

The whole club sounds like a hot mess.

[Anonymous]

A noncompetitive third team out of 5 teams at a big club that clearly doesn't care what's best for the kids? Your son would be a LOT better off on the only team at a small club TBH.
He's never going to get moved up off that 3rd team.

[Anonymous]

This doesn't sound like a good situation that you need to get out of.

OTOH, does the team focus on possession OR building out of the back and or ball control? Sometimes a team sacrifices being more competitive in order to improve/develop at a higher level where if the team gets good at, you'll start to control the game, be more competitive.

Also, maybe the 11v11 league isn't that high-level/just older? Your team might fare better depending on the quality of the league/speed of play.

[Anonymous]

Sounds like you play for TSJ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Also, maybe the 11v11 league isn't that high-level/just older? Your team might fare better depending on the quality of the league/speed of play.

I've seen this situation a lot. Dropping a division lower, but an age up can actually be easier (other than the size advantage). Also just because the team is playing "up", they might also be entirely matched up against other teams playing "up".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A noncompetitive third team out of 5 teams at a big club that clearly doesn't care what's best for the kids? Your son would be a LOT better off on the only team at a small club TBH.
He's never going to get moved up off that 3rd team.

He started in the 5th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't sound like a good situation that you need to get out of.

OTOH, does the team focus on possession OR building out of the back and or ball control? Sometimes a team sacrifices being more competitive in order to improve/develop at a higher level where if the team gets good at, you'll start to control the game, be more competitive.

Also, maybe the 11v11 league isn't that high-level/just older? Your team might fare better depending on the quality of the league/speed of play.

Team does prioritize build out from the back, but we have no attach or midfield so we spend the game in our end.
Team has been destroyed by team their own age. When we played against older, leas talented teams in a tournament last Fall, we still got destroyed. Our team is physically small, has no confidence under pressure (ball is lost within 2 seconds once it reaches midfield), a wingers that refuse to attack. Wonderful combination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't sound like a good situation that you need to get out of.

OTOH, does the team focus on possession OR building out of the back and or ball control? Sometimes a team sacrifices being more competitive in order to improve/develop at a higher level where if the team gets good at, you'll start to control the game, be more competitive.

Also, maybe the 11v11 league isn't that high-level/just older? Your team might fare better depending on the quality of the league/speed of play.

I agree. The issue with moving out mid season is that we will probably be blacklisted for the future. Options are not plentiful. We don't want to burn bridges in case circumstances change years down the road and things are better.