Questions to ask before accepting spot on travel team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One coach promised my kid starter before we accepted offer. Two months later, my kid was demoted to second team right after we were back from vacation.

that’s huge, did they provide any rationale? what age group? m or f?

[Anonymous]

I mean, did you accept a spot in which your player was going to be a starter, THEN go on a 2 month vacation? If so, then you shouldn’t be too surprised.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, did you accept a spot in which your player was going to be a starter, THEN go on a 2 month vacation? If so, then you shouldn’t be too surprised.

NP. Even if he accepted the offer in June and then was gone til the early to mid-August?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, did you accept a spot in which your player was going to be a starter, THEN go on a 2 month vacation? If so, then you shouldn’t be too surprised.

NP. Even if he accepted the offer in June and then was gone til the early to mid-August?

PP here. Vacation is only 2-3 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Common Practice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering about this. My son moved to a club this spring - mid-year. I am hoping the kids are coming back b/c he really liked them. Is there any way to find out besides asking the parents if kids are coming back? I don't want to be "that parent" asking the coach or manager, but the players returning does have impacts for my son.

you can always have your son ask his teammates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, did you accept a spot in which your player was going to be a starter, THEN go on a 2 month vacation? If so, then you shouldn’t be too surprised.

Seriously. That's a no brainer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you really think the coach is going to tell you if your kid is going to be sidelined?

No sh@t. Your kid is destined to be a bench player. Now give me $3k. Lol

[Anonymous]

You should ask whatever you want to ask. You are the customer. You are writing the (by the way significant) check. Just keep in mind:

1) Do not believe anything a coach tells you - their incentive is to sell you on the team/club

2) Don't believe anything other parents tell you - why would a parent jeopardize their kid's standing?

*If the coach knows they are leaving, or thinking about it, what happens to their playing time? Maybe they are not the star player and a new kid who could fill their slot shows up at tryouts?
**Why not whisper to that new kid "if I make you an offer right now will you take the spot?" My kid has been asked that at several tryouts before offers go out.
***All of a sudden your kid is the last one standing in a game in a game of musical chairs!
****All because you told some other parent you don't really know your plans for next year? The juice isn't worth the squeeze...

3) Do not believe what anyone on this board says, ever. They are all full of shit.

Present company included

Travel soccer is fun, isn't it?

[Anonymous]

Parents talk and everything gets back to the coaches. There is always that parent. Another strategy to guarantee your mid kid a spot

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering about this. My son moved to a club this spring - mid-year. I am hoping the kids are coming back b/c he really liked them. Is there any way to find out besides asking the parents if kids are coming back? I don't want to be "that parent" asking the coach or manager, but the players returning does have impacts for my son.

What's wrong with asking parents if they are returning?

This! Just talk folks. We adults need to be the adults. We talk. No? Why the bizarro time during tryout season that we all forget this is not about us, but it’s about them. Our kids WANT us to talk to one another to help them stay with their friends we so easily dismiss, or to help them get away from the toxic ones. Either way if we don’t talk to each other on their behalf what good are we as soccer parents. This whole soccer thing is weird af. At times I wish my kid never played it.

[Anonymous]

We asked about roster size. If it's a big roster it just means less playing time for most kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was wondering about this. My son moved to a club this spring - mid-year. I am hoping the kids are coming back b/c he really liked them. Is there any way to find out besides asking the parents if kids are coming back? I don't want to be "that parent" asking the coach or manager, but the players returning does have impacts for my son.

What's wrong with asking parents if they are returning?

This! Just talk folks. We adults need to be the adults. We talk. No? Why the bizarro time during tryout season that we all forget this is not about us, but it’s about them. Our kids WANT us to talk to one another to help them stay with their friends we so easily dismiss, or to help them get away from the toxic ones. Either way if we don’t talk to each other on their behalf what good are we as soccer parents. This whole soccer thing is weird af. At times I wish my kid never played it.

+1

DC is turning down an offer for a “better” team because they like their current teammates and want to stay with them for now. Before declining the other offer, I straight up asked parents on the current team if their child is staying next year. If a bunch of them were leaving, it would’ve made sense to go to the other team. But it turns out that after all the trying out at all these different places, almost everyone is staying put. I can have my opinion on what I think is better for DC’s development, but at the end of the day, this is their thing and I want them to be happy.

[Anonymous]

It's good to ask a lot of questions, but know that they will lie/bend the truth and things can change over the summer, including coaches leaving or moving around in roles at a club. whatever they said to you could have been true from their perspective but then becomes opposite when the new coach or better players show up on the roster over the summer or season.