Travel Soccer Tryout Results - what annoyed you this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The coach for our team knocked down several good players for a few kids who tried out from another club even though they didn't necessarily look better in try-outs. Our kid was one who was bumped, and so we left. Disappointing, as it was a nice team and we hadn't anticipated having to leave.

C'mon, you don't honestly believe that tryouts for the big clubs are anything other than charades do you?
The only point to tryouts is to see if any hidden gems turn up.
Coaches know exactly where the returning players will most likely go before tryouts ever begin.
They see the kids all year...how could a few hours of try-outs possibly trump that?
Your kid wasn't bumped because he didn't do as well in tryouts as the other kids. He was bumped because your coach, that knew your kid well, decided he wasn't as good as the incoming kids.

Agreed except in some cases, the returning players are bumped for a kid with a mediocre display at tryouts. I get it if they're bumped for a kid who tries out exceptionally well. Some clubs will bump their own for anything new that walks through the door.

Yes, but again, the coaches see players from other teams during the season, not just players on his own team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The coach for our team knocked down several good players for a few kids who tried out from another club even though they didn't necessarily look better in try-outs. Our kid was one who was bumped, and so we left. Disappointing, as it was a nice team and we hadn't anticipated having to leave.

C'mon, you don't honestly believe that tryouts for the big clubs are anything other than charades do you?
The only point to tryouts is to see if any hidden gems turn up.
Coaches know exactly where the returning players will most likely go before tryouts ever begin.
They see the kids all year...how could a few hours of try-outs possibly trump that?
Your kid wasn't bumped because he didn't do as well in tryouts as the other kids. He was bumped because your coach, that knew your kid well, decided he wasn't as good as the incoming kids.

Agreed except in some cases, the returning players are bumped for a kid with a mediocre display at tryouts. I get it if they're bumped for a kid who tries out exceptionally well. Some clubs will bump their own for anything new that walks through the door.

Yes, but again, the coaches see players from other teams during the season, not just players on his own team.

This is correct. In many cases coaches actively recruit players from other clubs and knock loyal players out/down to make room, regardless of skill (unless they are already superstars). It's counterintuitive, but given two players at a similar skill level, it seems that coaches tend to prefer the external player to the internal player; probably a "grass is greener" basis in that the coach has seen all of the negatives of the internal player throughout the year, but has yet to fully see those of the new player.

Which all points back to the question of what is more important to the coach, developing strong players from within for the ling term or winning tomorrow at any cost. And we know that answer to that one in almost all cases in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The coach for our team knocked down several good players for a few kids who tried out from another club even though they didn't necessarily look better in try-outs. Our kid was one who was bumped, and so we left. Disappointing, as it was a nice team and we hadn't anticipated having to leave.

C'mon, you don't honestly believe that tryouts for the big clubs are anything other than charades do you?
The only point to tryouts is to see if any hidden gems turn up.
Coaches know exactly where the returning players will most likely go before tryouts ever begin.
They see the kids all year...how could a few hours of try-outs possibly trump that?
Your kid wasn't bumped because he didn't do as well in tryouts as the other kids. He was bumped because your coach, that knew your kid well, decided he wasn't as good as the incoming kids.

Agreed except in some cases, the returning players are bumped for a kid with a mediocre display at tryouts. I get it if they're bumped for a kid who tries out exceptionally well. Some clubs will bump their own for anything new that walks through the door.

Yes, but again, the coaches see players from other teams during the season, not just players on his own team.

This is correct. In many cases coaches actively recruit players from other clubs and knock loyal players out/down to make room, regardless of skill (unless they are already superstars). It's counterintuitive, but given two players at a similar skill level, it seems that coaches tend to prefer the external player to the internal player; probably a "grass is greener" basis in that the coach has seen all of the negatives of the internal player throughout the year, but has yet to fully see those of the new player.

Which all points back to the question of what is more important to the coach, developing strong players from within for the ling term or winning tomorrow at any cost. And we know that answer to that one in almost all cases in this area.

yes, the "grass-is-greener" phenomenon is interesting. My rising U13 has put in a holding pattern by our current club while they took new players they saw for an hour. And there's no issues with work ethic, sportsmanship, family dynamics or whatever else was listed above. If anything, those are some of my kid's strong points.
I ended up taking this kid to tryouts this year and he got two top team offers at much better clubs and bumped their players down. I think a number of coaches just want to mix things up in hopes of getting the magic combo of winning kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The coach for our team knocked down several good players for a few kids who tried out from another club even though they didn't necessarily look better in try-outs. Our kid was one who was bumped, and so we left. Disappointing, as it was a nice team and we hadn't anticipated having to leave.

Same thing happened to my DC. Was on the top team; then team was split this year, with 2/3 going to new "elite" team (with some new kids) and remaining 1/3 going to the regular "premier" team with some kids who were moved up (but still sucked). We ended up dropping it as the 3 practices a week way out in MoCo were too much with homework on top of playing for DS's school team and a rec team, and it just wasn't special anymore with the best kids no longer being on the team. It was not much better than rec-league in quality of play.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The coach for our team knocked down several good players for a few kids who tried out from another club even though they didn't necessarily look better in try-outs. Our kid was one who was bumped, and so we left. Disappointing, as it was a nice team and we hadn't anticipated having to leave.

C'mon, you don't honestly believe that tryouts for the big clubs are anything other than charades do you?
The only point to tryouts is to see if any hidden gems turn up.
Coaches know exactly where the returning players will most likely go before tryouts ever begin.
They see the kids all year...how could a few hours of try-outs possibly trump that?
Your kid wasn't bumped because he didn't do as well in tryouts as the other kids. He was bumped because your coach, that knew your kid well, decided he wasn't as good as the incoming kids.

Agreed except in some cases, the returning players are bumped for a kid with a mediocre display at tryouts. I get it if they're bumped for a kid who tries out exceptionally well. Some clubs will bump their own for anything new that walks through the door.

Yes, but again, the coaches see players from other teams during the season, not just players on his own team.

This is correct. In many cases coaches actively recruit players from other clubs and knock loyal players out/down to make room, regardless of skill (unless they are already superstars). It's counterintuitive, but given two players at a similar skill level, it seems that coaches tend to prefer the external player to the internal player; probably a "grass is greener" basis in that the coach has seen all of the negatives of the internal player throughout the year, but has yet to fully see those of the new player.

Which all points back to the question of what is more important to the coach, developing strong players from within for the ling term or winning tomorrow at any cost. And we know that answer to that one in almost all cases in this area.

Nobody develops. They just continue to look for the diamond. They look for new blood every year. Even the Clubs that swear they develop players are guilty of this.

When they drop kids down it is not to develop them there. It's to forget about them while they train their 12 elite players. But--if those guys/gals don't bring home enough Medals--they are searching high and low for that player they think will be the key to their success.

You can't develop kids when you are constantly getting rid of them. And, Clubs love to snag a player from a rival Club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our big club in the DMV area kind of punished anyone trying out at other clubs, less playing time at the next game, the coach making remarks, etc...

The hypocrisy is our league offered top spots to several outside players, leaving some great and loyal players on B and C teams.

Very frustrated about the whole situation, what is the story at your club that everyone is talking about?

Feel that I have seen this a few times now where playing positions and time are changed reactive to tryout considerations. Playing form generally declines when players have their playing pattern abruptly change. The whole team suffers as a result.

[Anonymous]

I think there is a lot of movement on the girls side. Specially in Va. Seems like everything is shaking out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The coach for our team knocked down several good players for a few kids who tried out from another club even though they didn't necessarily look better in try-outs. Our kid was one who was bumped, and so we left. Disappointing, as it was a nice team and we hadn't anticipated having to leave.

Same thing happened to my DC. Was on the top team; then team was split this year, with 2/3 going to new "elite" team (with some new kids) and remaining 1/3 going to the regular "premier" team with some kids who were moved up (but still sucked). We ended up dropping it as the 3 practices a week way out in MoCo were too much with homework on top of playing for DS's school team and a rec team, and it just wasn't special anymore with the best kids no longer being on the team. It was not much better than rec-league in quality of play.

Wait. So your kid was not moved to the elite team. But was playing on three teams. Yet you say the new kids “suck?”
Already then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The coach for our team knocked down several good players for a few kids who tried out from another club even though they didn't necessarily look better in try-outs. Our kid was one who was bumped, and so we left. Disappointing, as it was a nice team and we hadn't anticipated having to leave.

Which club?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The coach for our team knocked down several good players for a few kids who tried out from another club even though they didn't necessarily look better in try-outs. Our kid was one who was bumped, and so we left. Disappointing, as it was a nice team and we hadn't anticipated having to leave.

C'mon, you don't honestly believe that tryouts for the big clubs are anything other than charades do you?
The only point to tryouts is to see if any hidden gems turn up.
Coaches know exactly where the returning players will most likely go before tryouts ever begin.
They see the kids all year...how could a few hours of try-outs possibly trump that?
Your kid wasn't bumped because he didn't do as well in tryouts as the other kids. He was bumped because your coach, that knew your kid well, decided he wasn't as good as the incoming kids.

Agreed except in some cases, the returning players are bumped for a kid with a mediocre display at tryouts. I get it if they're bumped for a kid who tries out exceptionally well. Some clubs will bump their own for anything new that walks through the door.

Yes, but again, the coaches see players from other teams during the season, not just players on his own team.

This is correct. In many cases coaches actively recruit players from other clubs and knock loyal players out/down to make room, regardless of skill (unless they are already superstars). It's counterintuitive, but given two players at a similar skill level, it seems that coaches tend to prefer the external player to the internal player; probably a "grass is greener" basis in that the coach has seen all of the negatives of the internal player throughout the year, but has yet to fully see those of the new player.

Which all points back to the question of what is more important to the coach, developing strong players from within for the ling term or winning tomorrow at any cost. And we know that answer to that one in almost all cases in this area.

Nobody develops. They just continue to look for the diamond. They look for new blood every year. Even the Clubs that swear they develop players are guilty of this.

When they drop kids down it is not to develop them there. It's to forget about them while they train their 12 elite players. But--if those guys/gals don't bring home enough Medals--they are searching high and low for that player they think will be the key to their success.

You can't develop kids when you are constantly getting rid of them. And, Clubs love to snag a player from a rival Club.


Are you referring to a particular club??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our big club in the DMV area kind of punished anyone trying out at other clubs, less playing time at the next game, the coach making remarks, etc...

The hypocrisy is our league offered top spots to several outside players, leaving some great and loyal players on B and C teams.

Very frustrated about the whole situation, what is the story at your club that everyone is talking about?

You are definitely talking about Mclean. Of the Big 3 - Loudoun, Mclean, and Arlington - everyone is saying Mclean's was one of the worst and did this at tryouts. Coaches making remarks like that is BS, and it was not one coach, so that approach comes from the top.

[Anonymous]

Fake news. It is Arlington and not McLean.

[Anonymous]

Often times the loyal kids are not the very good kids. The club knows you are loyal and will gladly take your money.

Thank you for being so loyal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fake news. It is Arlington and not McLean.

that's laughable....the cultures are night and day between those 2 clubs. my $ on mclean too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fake news. It is Arlington and not McLean.

that's laughable....the cultures are night and day between those 2 clubs. my $ on mclean too.

My question though, how are they finding out players are going to tryouts at other Clubs? Coaches at the other Club telling you, a spy from the home Club, another player back-stabbing, a post on social media with a tryout pic, etc? I did see a Coach from our home Club when my kid was trying out elsewhere.

Travel Clubs like to call players 'the customer'. Well, a smart customer shops around before shelling out $3k. I would welcome parents and players to research and look around before making a commitment. Insecurity is not flattering. If you are comfortable in your product and doing a good job, you should be confident you'll have retention.