Spring Tryouts - ECNL/DA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just be aware that coaches talk.

Thanks. Just to be clear with respect to this warning that coaches talk, is your advice that, in all situations in which you child wants to practice with/tryout for another ECNL/DA club, your child should tell their current coach ahead of time? And what do you do if the coach tells your child not to do it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is better if they know your kid and where he/she plays. Also, make sure your coach knows because coaches talk.

Is this right? If you tell you daughter's coach that you want to practice and tryout at other clubs (even if solely as a fall-back option in case your daughter does not make the top team in the spring, in the OP's case), then I'd be surprised if that would be received positively by the coach or the club. This would seem to be true in both the positive situation in which your daughter likes her coach and vice versa (in which case, the coach could perceive her desire to tryout at another club as a slight or as a criticism of the coach), as well as the negative situation in which your daughter does not like her coach or club (in which case, you could see the coach or club becoming petty over the request to tryout elsewhere). Maybe your point is that it does not matter, since all coaches talk and it will be widely known that she is attending practice/trying out at another club.

It just seems that telling her current coach could create more negative results, than positive ones. But I admittedly doesn't know, as we have never been through this situation.

This is tricky. It really depends on the situation and, ultimately, where your child stands and what the relationship is between the 2 clubs (and coaches).

In my daughter's situation last spring, we did not tell her coach that she was attending practices at another club. The 2 clubs involved are the largest and most competitive in our state (big rivals). That said, she was given a pre-offer for her current team during this time, which we did not accept (told the coach at that point that we would decide closer to tryouts), so he knew that we were keeping options open for her. I'm confident that her new club's coach did not reach out to her current coach--that probably would have been a turn-off for us. Once she decided that she wanted to move, I let her current coach know (prior to tryouts, so that he knew that he would need to replace her).

Thanks. You mentioned that your daughter had a pre-offer from her current club. Is this how it works for ECNL/DA teams, including the U12 teams that become the ECNL/DA team at U13? The current club gives some players on their top team a pre-offer before the official spring tryouts for the next season?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just be aware that coaches talk.

Thanks. Just to be clear with respect to this warning that coaches talk, is your advice that, in all situations in which you child wants to practice with/tryout for another ECNL/DA club, your child should tell their current coach ahead of time? And what do you do if the coach tells your child not to do it?

The truth is simply talk to your current coach about your child's status on the team and the role on the team the coach envisions for her next year. If you are happy with the answer then don't bother with tryouts at other clubs.

You should only really tryout at another club if you are serious about joining the team. That doesn't mean you will leave but that you are willing to walk away from your current team.

If you are happy where you are and your kid is secure with a roster spot the drama simply is not worth it. If you are not happy where you are then don't sweat going to other teams practices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is better if they know your kid and where he/she plays. Also, make sure your coach knows because coaches talk.

Is this right? If you tell you daughter's coach that you want to practice and tryout at other clubs (even if solely as a fall-back option in case your daughter does not make the top team in the spring, in the OP's case), then I'd be surprised if that would be received positively by the coach or the club. This would seem to be true in both the positive situation in which your daughter likes her coach and vice versa (in which case, the coach could perceive her desire to tryout at another club as a slight or as a criticism of the coach), as well as the negative situation in which your daughter does not like her coach or club (in which case, you could see the coach or club becoming petty over the request to tryout elsewhere). Maybe your point is that it does not matter, since all coaches talk and it will be widely known that she is attending practice/trying out at another club.

It just seems that telling her current coach could create more negative results, than positive ones. But I admittedly doesn't know, as we have never been through this situation.

This is tricky. It really depends on the situation and, ultimately, where your child stands and what the relationship is between the 2 clubs (and coaches).

In my daughter's situation last spring, we did not tell her coach that she was attending practices at another club. The 2 clubs involved are the largest and most competitive in our state (big rivals). That said, she was given a pre-offer for her current team during this time, which we did not accept (told the coach at that point that we would decide closer to tryouts), so he knew that we were keeping options open for her. I'm confident that her new club's coach did not reach out to her current coach--that probably would have been a turn-off for us. Once she decided that she wanted to move, I let her current coach know (prior to tryouts, so that he knew that he would need to replace her).

Thanks. You mentioned that your daughter had a pre-offer from her current club. Is this how it works for ECNL/DA teams, including the U12 teams that become the ECNL/DA team at U13? The current club gives some players on their top team a pre-offer before the official spring tryouts for the next season?

Any kid can tryout at any club anytime they wish. You need to get past the notion that tryout season is is this formally agreed upon thing.

For kids on their current team, every practice, every game is their tryout. And the best time to determine how your kid stacks up on a different team is simply at one of their practices, not at a tryout. You want to see how the team practices and what their overall skill level is and that is simply hard to do at a tryout.

And while coaches talk, parents actually talk more and the more faces at a tryout is also the most eyes and the most mouths to report back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is better if they know your kid and where he/she plays. Also, make sure your coach knows because coaches talk.

Is this right? If you tell you daughter's coach that you want to practice and tryout at other clubs (even if solely as a fall-back option in case your daughter does not make the top team in the spring, in the OP's case), then I'd be surprised if that would be received positively by the coach or the club. This would seem to be true in both the positive situation in which your daughter likes her coach and vice versa (in which case, the coach could perceive her desire to tryout at another club as a slight or as a criticism of the coach), as well as the negative situation in which your daughter does not like her coach or club (in which case, you could see the coach or club becoming petty over the request to tryout elsewhere). Maybe your point is that it does not matter, since all coaches talk and it will be widely known that she is attending practice/trying out at another club.

It just seems that telling her current coach could create more negative results, than positive ones. But I admittedly doesn't know, as we have never been through this situation.

This is tricky. It really depends on the situation and, ultimately, where your child stands and what the relationship is between the 2 clubs (and coaches).

In my daughter's situation last spring, we did not tell her coach that she was attending practices at another club. The 2 clubs involved are the largest and most competitive in our state (big rivals). That said, she was given a pre-offer for her current team during this time, which we did not accept (told the coach at that point that we would decide closer to tryouts), so he knew that we were keeping options open for her. I'm confident that her new club's coach did not reach out to her current coach--that probably would have been a turn-off for us. Once she decided that she wanted to move, I let her current coach know (prior to tryouts, so that he knew that he would need to replace her).

Thanks. You mentioned that your daughter had a pre-offer from her current club. Is this how it works for ECNL/DA teams, including the U12 teams that become the ECNL/DA team at U13? The current club gives some players on their top team a pre-offer before the official spring tryouts for the next season?

Keep in mind that I am in another state, so people from the DC area will have to weigh in.

At our previous club, they definitely try to lock up players ahead of tryouts. I'd say that its typically the top 2/3 of the team that are given pre-offers, leaving flexibility for them to move around the bottom 1/3. When my daughter moved clubs last year, she and one of her teammates (who also moved) were given pre-offers about 3 weeks prior to tryouts (they actually didn't attend tryouts), and I know that another friend of theirs (who was with the club already) had accepted a pre-offer at least a month ahead of tryouts. This was for U12 (pre-ECNL), so this is the age group that the club pulls kids from all different regions of the state to form the team, so I assume they are trying to get a core group established prior to tryouts. I believe they will make pre-offers (based on what I have heard from parents of older ECNL players) to some kids going in to U13 as well.

If it works the same in your area (I would think it does), then the takeaway is that it's much better for your kid to be seen prior to scheduled tryout dates. Even at U10 and U11 at my daughter's old club, there were new players "checking out" practices at pretty much every practice in April/May. I expect the same this year. Fair or not, coaches have a pretty good idea of what the top couple of teams will look like prior to tryouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just be aware that coaches talk.

Thanks. Just to be clear with respect to this warning that coaches talk, is your advice that, in all situations in which you child wants to practice with/tryout for another ECNL/DA club, your child should tell their current coach ahead of time? And what do you do if the coach tells your child not to do it?

The truth is simply talk to your current coach about your child's status on the team and the role on the team the coach envisions for her next year. If you are happy with the answer then don't bother with tryouts at other clubs.

You should only really tryout at another club if you are serious about joining the team. That doesn't mean you will leave but that you are willing to walk away from your current team.

If you are happy where you are and your kid is secure with a roster spot the drama simply is not worth it. If you are not happy where you are then don't sweat going to other teams practices.

I would just add a bit of caution to this. U13 is an age group that typically sees quite a bit of movement due to DA and ECNL. The coach might envision a particular role for a player and be completely honest in telling the parent this information during the spring, but if new players pop up, that standing could change. It's never a bad idea (in my opinion), to look at options. There is no harm in attending another club's practice (not referring to the actual tryout, just going to a practice)--even just to have your child experience a different coach/training.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your child is happy and developing. If they are open to checking out a practice with another team... great. If they don't want to, then it probably isn't worth pushing them to go to one....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just be aware that coaches talk.

Thanks. Just to be clear with respect to this warning that coaches talk, is your advice that, in all situations in which you child wants to practice with/tryout for another ECNL/DA club, your child should tell their current coach ahead of time? And what do you do if the coach tells your child not to do it?

The truth is simply talk to your current coach about your child's status on the team and the role on the team the coach envisions for her next year. If you are happy with the answer then don't bother with tryouts at other clubs.

You should only really tryout at another club if you are serious about joining the team. That doesn't mean you will leave but that you are willing to walk away from your current team.

If you are happy where you are and your kid is secure with a roster spot the drama simply is not worth it. If you are not happy where you are then don't sweat going to other teams practices.

I would just add a bit of caution to this. U13 is an age group that typically sees quite a bit of movement due to DA and ECNL. The coach might envision a particular role for a player and be completely honest in telling the parent this information during the spring, but if new players pop up, that standing could change. It's never a bad idea (in my opinion), to look at options. There is no harm in attending another club's practice (not referring to the actual tryout, just going to a practice)--even just to have your child experience a different coach/training.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your child is happy and developing. If they are open to checking out a practice with another team... great. If they don't want to, then it probably isn't worth pushing them to go to one....

This is all contextual of course. If your kid has large role on the team currently, starting, no less than 75% of minutes and the coach is optimistic then you should be fine. If your player is not a starter is at 50% or less playing time then sure you should be looking.

Kids in the first scenario are generally kids looking for the best fit, better league etc. The kid in the second scenario is in more jeopardy form outside talent.

But only by talking with the coach will you get even the faintest idea of whether the coaches words match the reality that you have seen play-out. In general, most coaches won't cut kids for outside same as talent. It happens but when it does there are other issues at play. Coaches certainly like to add talent but incrementally a player or two at a time. No coach like to take on more than 50% new roster, and frankly with all the ECNL and DA options even, it is generally a buyers market for players.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is better if they know your kid and where he/she plays. Also, make sure your coach knows because coaches talk.

Is this right? If you tell you daughter's coach that you want to practice and tryout at other clubs (even if solely as a fall-back option in case your daughter does not make the top team in the spring, in the OP's case), then I'd be surprised if that would be received positively by the coach or the club. This would seem to be true in both the positive situation in which your daughter likes her coach and vice versa (in which case, the coach could perceive her desire to tryout at another club as a slight or as a criticism of the coach), as well as the negative situation in which your daughter does not like her coach or club (in which case, you could see the coach or club becoming petty over the request to tryout elsewhere). Maybe your point is that it does not matter, since all coaches talk and it will be widely known that she is attending practice/trying out at another club.

It just seems that telling her current coach could create more negative results, than positive ones. But I admittedly doesn't know, as we have never been through this situation.

This is tricky. It really depends on the situation and, ultimately, where your child stands and what the relationship is between the 2 clubs (and coaches).

In my daughter's situation last spring, we did not tell her coach that she was attending practices at another club. The 2 clubs involved are the largest and most competitive in our state (big rivals). That said, she was given a pre-offer for her current team during this time, which we did not accept (told the coach at that point that we would decide closer to tryouts), so he knew that we were keeping options open for her. I'm confident that her new club's coach did not reach out to her current coach--that probably would have been a turn-off for us. Once she decided that she wanted to move, I let her current coach know (prior to tryouts, so that he knew that he would need to replace her).

Thanks. You mentioned that your daughter had a pre-offer from her current club. Is this how it works for ECNL/DA teams, including the U12 teams that become the ECNL/DA team at U13? The current club gives some players on their top team a pre-offer before the official spring tryouts for the next season?

Keep in mind that I am in another state, so people from the DC area will have to weigh in.

At our previous club, they definitely try to lock up players ahead of tryouts. I'd say that its typically the top 2/3 of the team that are given pre-offers, leaving flexibility for them to move around the bottom 1/3. When my daughter moved clubs last year, she and one of her teammates (who also moved) were given pre-offers about 3 weeks prior to tryouts (they actually didn't attend tryouts), and I know that another friend of theirs (who was with the club already) had accepted a pre-offer at least a month ahead of tryouts. This was for U12 (pre-ECNL), so this is the age group that the club pulls kids from all different regions of the state to form the team, so I assume they are trying to get a core group established prior to tryouts. I believe they will make pre-offers (based on what I have heard from parents of older ECNL players) to some kids going in to U13 as well.

If it works the same in your area (I would think it does), then the takeaway is that it's much better for your kid to be seen prior to scheduled tryout dates. Even at U10 and U11 at my daughter's old club, there were new players "checking out" practices at pretty much every practice in April/May. I expect the same this year. Fair or not, coaches have a pretty good idea of what the top couple of teams will look like prior to tryouts.

We've been at two DA/ECNL clubs in the NoVA area, and neither has done "pre-offers". All current players try out alongside new ones. Some of this is mere formality of course, as current players have the advantage and those at the top of the depth chart know very well where they stand. They are often used as calibration points for the new players. The process really only affects players in the bottom half of the depth chart.

For new players, it's great to know where you stand, and of course, the best way to achieve this is to arrange to work out with a team prior to tryouts. It's easier to do this in January than it is in April. Based on this exposure, you will have a better feel for where you stand and can adjust your priorities to suit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just be aware that coaches talk.

Thanks. Just to be clear with respect to this warning that coaches talk, is your advice that, in all situations in which you child wants to practice with/tryout for another ECNL/DA club, your child should tell their current coach ahead of time? And what do you do if the coach tells your child not to do it?

The truth is simply talk to your current coach about your child's status on the team and the role on the team the coach envisions for her next year. If you are happy with the answer then don't bother with tryouts at other clubs.

You should only really tryout at another club if you are serious about joining the team. That doesn't mean you will leave but that you are willing to walk away from your current team.

If you are happy where you are and your kid is secure with a roster spot the drama simply is not worth it. If you are not happy where you are then don't sweat going to other teams practices.

I would just add a bit of caution to this. U13 is an age group that typically sees quite a bit of movement due to DA and ECNL. The coach might envision a particular role for a player and be completely honest in telling the parent this information during the spring, but if new players pop up, that standing could change. It's never a bad idea (in my opinion), to look at options. There is no harm in attending another club's practice (not referring to the actual tryout, just going to a practice)--even just to have your child experience a different coach/training.

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your child is happy and developing. If they are open to checking out a practice with another team... great. If they don't want to, then it probably isn't worth pushing them to go to one....

This is all contextual of course. If your kid has large role on the team currently, starting, no less than 75% of minutes and the coach is optimistic then you should be fine. If your player is not a starter is at 50% or less playing time then sure you should be looking.

Kids in the first scenario are generally kids looking for the best fit, better league etc. The kid in the second scenario is in more jeopardy form outside talent.

But only by talking with the coach will you get even the faintest idea of whether the coaches words match the reality that you have seen play-out. In general, most coaches won't cut kids for outside same as talent. It happens but when it does there are other issues at play. Coaches certainly like to add talent but incrementally a player or two at a time. No coach like to take on more than 50% new roster, and frankly with all the ECNL and DA options even, it is generally a buyers market for players.

Good point about all of the options in your area.... We are in New England, only 3 DA and 4 ECNL options across 6 states....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is better if they know your kid and where he/she plays. Also, make sure your coach knows because coaches talk.

Is this right? If you tell you daughter's coach that you want to practice and tryout at other clubs (even if solely as a fall-back option in case your daughter does not make the top team in the spring, in the OP's case), then I'd be surprised if that would be received positively by the coach or the club. This would seem to be true in both the positive situation in which your daughter likes her coach and vice versa (in which case, the coach could perceive her desire to tryout at another club as a slight or as a criticism of the coach), as well as the negative situation in which your daughter does not like her coach or club (in which case, you could see the coach or club becoming petty over the request to tryout elsewhere). Maybe your point is that it does not matter, since all coaches talk and it will be widely known that she is attending practice/trying out at another club.

It just seems that telling her current coach could create more negative results, than positive ones. But I admittedly doesn't know, as we have never been through this situation.

This is tricky. It really depends on the situation and, ultimately, where your child stands and what the relationship is between the 2 clubs (and coaches).

In my daughter's situation last spring, we did not tell her coach that she was attending practices at another club. The 2 clubs involved are the largest and most competitive in our state (big rivals). That said, she was given a pre-offer for her current team during this time, which we did not accept (told the coach at that point that we would decide closer to tryouts), so he knew that we were keeping options open for her. I'm confident that her new club's coach did not reach out to her current coach--that probably would have been a turn-off for us. Once she decided that she wanted to move, I let her current coach know (prior to tryouts, so that he knew that he would need to replace her).

Thanks. You mentioned that your daughter had a pre-offer from her current club. Is this how it works for ECNL/DA teams, including the U12 teams that become the ECNL/DA team at U13? The current club gives some players on their top team a pre-offer before the official spring tryouts for the next season?

Keep in mind that I am in another state, so people from the DC area will have to weigh in.

At our previous club, they definitely try to lock up players ahead of tryouts. I'd say that its typically the top 2/3 of the team that are given pre-offers, leaving flexibility for them to move around the bottom 1/3. When my daughter moved clubs last year, she and one of her teammates (who also moved) were given pre-offers about 3 weeks prior to tryouts (they actually didn't attend tryouts), and I know that another friend of theirs (who was with the club already) had accepted a pre-offer at least a month ahead of tryouts. This was for U12 (pre-ECNL), so this is the age group that the club pulls kids from all different regions of the state to form the team, so I assume they are trying to get a core group established prior to tryouts. I believe they will make pre-offers (based on what I have heard from parents of older ECNL players) to some kids going in to U13 as well.

If it works the same in your area (I would think it does), then the takeaway is that it's much better for your kid to be seen prior to scheduled tryout dates. Even at U10 and U11 at my daughter's old club, there were new players "checking out" practices at pretty much every practice in April/May. I expect the same this year. Fair or not, coaches have a pretty good idea of what the top couple of teams will look like prior to tryouts.

We've been at two DA/ECNL clubs in the NoVA area, and neither has done "pre-offers". All current players try out alongside new ones. Some of this is mere formality of course, as current players have the advantage and those at the top of the depth chart know very well where they stand. They are often used as calibration points for the new players. The process really only affects players in the bottom half of the depth chart.

For new players, it's great to know where you stand, and of course, the best way to achieve this is to arrange to work out with a team prior to tryouts. It's easier to do this in January than it is in April. Based on this exposure, you will have a better feel for where you stand and can adjust your priorities to suit.

Yes they have done pre-offers, you just didn't get one is all.

[Anonymous]

Tryouts are for outside kids and bubble kids only. And smart outside kids attend a few practices ahead of time if they are serious about joining. The coach will give any of the following feedback:

1. She did great and would love to have her as part of the team. (This IS the offer. For this to become formal requires registering for tryouts and showing up.)
2. Come back again to another practice and register for tryouts. (This is positive but not an offer. This generally means he/she just wants to see a little bit more of the player in regards to best fit, position and possible roster ranking compared to current players. Likely this kid is closer to a same as the middle pack of players.)
3. She seems like a good little player, register for tryouts. (This generally means depending on who shows up at tryouts.)
4. She is nice, let me talk with the TD and I'll get back to you. Register for tryouts. (This means, the coach would probably like to recommend your player for the team below but does not wish to speak for that coach.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tryouts are for outside kids and bubble kids only. And smart outside kids attend a few practices ahead of time if they are serious about joining. The coach will give any of the following feedback:

1. She did great and would love to have her as part of the team. (This IS the offer. For this to become formal requires registering for tryouts and showing up.)
2. Come back again to another practice and register for tryouts. (This is positive but not an offer. This generally means he/she just wants to see a little bit more of the player in regards to best fit, position and possible roster ranking compared to current players. Likely this kid is closer to a same as the middle pack of players.)
3. She seems like a good little player, register for tryouts. (This generally means depending on who shows up at tryouts.)
4. She is nice, let me talk with the TD and I'll get back to you. Register for tryouts. (This means, the coach would probably like to recommend your player for the team below but does not wish to speak for that coach.)

Edit to #1... with a true pre-offer, the coach says that, you register for the tryout, then they send the contract right away. Tryout date is meaningless...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tryouts are for outside kids and bubble kids only. And smart outside kids attend a few practices ahead of time if they are serious about joining. The coach will give any of the following feedback:

1. She did great and would love to have her as part of the team. (This IS the offer. For this to become formal requires registering for tryouts and showing up.)
2. Come back again to another practice and register for tryouts. (This is positive but not an offer. This generally means he/she just wants to see a little bit more of the player in regards to best fit, position and possible roster ranking compared to current players. Likely this kid is closer to a same as the middle pack of players.)
3. She seems like a good little player, register for tryouts. (This generally means depending on who shows up at tryouts.)
4. She is nice, let me talk with the TD and I'll get back to you. Register for tryouts. (This means, the coach would probably like to recommend your player for the team below but does not wish to speak for that coach.)

Edit to #1... with a true pre-offer, the coach says that, you register for the tryout, then they send the contract right away. Tryout date is meaningless...

Mileage will vary, but in most cases coaches like everyone to show up at the tryout because it looks more transparent and they like to see big numbers on the field. They love to boast in social media about big turnouts at tryouts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is better if they know your kid and where he/she plays. Also, make sure your coach knows because coaches talk.

Is this right? If you tell you daughter's coach that you want to practice and tryout at other clubs (even if solely as a fall-back option in case your daughter does not make the top team in the spring, in the OP's case), then I'd be surprised if that would be received positively by the coach or the club. This would seem to be true in both the positive situation in which your daughter likes her coach and vice versa (in which case, the coach could perceive her desire to tryout at another club as a slight or as a criticism of the coach), as well as the negative situation in which your daughter does not like her coach or club (in which case, you could see the coach or club becoming petty over the request to tryout elsewhere). Maybe your point is that it does not matter, since all coaches talk and it will be widely known that she is attending practice/trying out at another club.

It just seems that telling her current coach could create more negative results, than positive ones. But I admittedly doesn't know, as we have never been through this situation.

This is tricky. It really depends on the situation and, ultimately, where your child stands and what the relationship is between the 2 clubs (and coaches).

In my daughter's situation last spring, we did not tell her coach that she was attending practices at another club. The 2 clubs involved are the largest and most competitive in our state (big rivals). That said, she was given a pre-offer for her current team during this time, which we did not accept (told the coach at that point that we would decide closer to tryouts), so he knew that we were keeping options open for her. I'm confident that her new club's coach did not reach out to her current coach--that probably would have been a turn-off for us. Once she decided that she wanted to move, I let her current coach know (prior to tryouts, so that he knew that he would need to replace her).

Thanks. You mentioned that your daughter had a pre-offer from her current club. Is this how it works for ECNL/DA teams, including the U12 teams that become the ECNL/DA team at U13? The current club gives some players on their top team a pre-offer before the official spring tryouts for the next season?

Keep in mind that I am in another state, so people from the DC area will have to weigh in.

At our previous club, they definitely try to lock up players ahead of tryouts. I'd say that its typically the top 2/3 of the team that are given pre-offers, leaving flexibility for them to move around the bottom 1/3. When my daughter moved clubs last year, she and one of her teammates (who also moved) were given pre-offers about 3 weeks prior to tryouts (they actually didn't attend tryouts), and I know that another friend of theirs (who was with the club already) had accepted a pre-offer at least a month ahead of tryouts. This was for U12 (pre-ECNL), so this is the age group that the club pulls kids from all different regions of the state to form the team, so I assume they are trying to get a core group established prior to tryouts. I believe they will make pre-offers (based on what I have heard from parents of older ECNL players) to some kids going in to U13 as well.

If it works the same in your area (I would think it does), then the takeaway is that it's much better for your kid to be seen prior to scheduled tryout dates. Even at U10 and U11 at my daughter's old club, there were new players "checking out" practices at pretty much every practice in April/May. I expect the same this year. Fair or not, coaches have a pretty good idea of what the top couple of teams will look like prior to tryouts.

We've been at two DA/ECNL clubs in the NoVA area, and neither has done "pre-offers". All current players try out alongside new ones. Some of this is mere formality of course, as current players have the advantage and those at the top of the depth chart know very well where they stand. They are often used as calibration points for the new players. The process really only affects players in the bottom half of the depth chart.

For new players, it's great to know where you stand, and of course, the best way to achieve this is to arrange to work out with a team prior to tryouts. It's easier to do this in January than it is in April. Based on this exposure, you will have a better feel for where you stand and can adjust your priorities to suit.

Yes they have done pre-offers, you just didn't get one is all.

haha, I knew some ignorant twat would post something like this. Merry Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tryouts are for outside kids and bubble kids only. And smart outside kids attend a few practices ahead of time if they are serious about joining. The coach will give any of the following feedback:

1. She did great and would love to have her as part of the team. (This IS the offer. For this to become formal requires registering for tryouts and showing up.)
2. Come back again to another practice and register for tryouts. (This is positive but not an offer. This generally means he/she just wants to see a little bit more of the player in regards to best fit, position and possible roster ranking compared to current players. Likely this kid is closer to a same as the middle pack of players.)
3. She seems like a good little player, register for tryouts. (This generally means depending on who shows up at tryouts.)
4. She is nice, let me talk with the TD and I'll get back to you. Register for tryouts. (This means, the coach would probably like to recommend your player for the team below but does not wish to speak for that coach.)

Edit to #1... with a true pre-offer, the coach says that, you register for the tryout, then they send the contract right away. Tryout date is meaningless...

Mileage will vary, but in most cases coaches like everyone to show up at the tryout because it looks more transparent and they like to see big numbers on the field. They love to boast in social media about big turnouts at tryouts.

Perhaps, but if they are really doing pre-offers, many of the kids showing up are already locked (contract signed) in and on a roster.