Allowing a group to form a lower level travel team

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a few teams like this in our club. They fit in between advanced and travel. One team has had the same kids since U-littles and are now around U15 or U16. They only pick up a player if one leaves. Same coach the entire time. They play in lower level travel tournaments. Not sure what league they play in. I don't see the problem with it. They would be like an E or F team if they were in our normal travel hierarchy. They don't have any effect on any of the normal travel teams, so I say let the kids play.

[phone]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a few teams like this in our club. They fit in between advanced and travel. One team has had the same kids since U-littles and are now around U15 or U16. They only pick up a player if one leaves. Same coach the entire time. They play in lower level travel tournaments. Not sure what league they play in. I don't see the problem with it. They would be like an E or F team if they were in our normal travel hierarchy. They don't have any effect on any of the normal travel teams, so I say let the kids play.

[phone]

OP here. I think what irks me is that if this had been an option for my kid, we might have had a far better experience! He's on a top team, but its not gelling as it should.

[Anonymous]

Some clubs pretty much did this last year due to COVID. At our, a group of families approached the club and were told if they had the numbers they could play. For our group, we ended up with a winning season and competitive in tournaments. Worked out well for the families and for the club ($).

[Anonymous]

If you want to deal with the organizing and the recruiting, your kid could still do it. But your child--and all the kids--have to be quite committed to their friendships and the team itself for this to stick longterm. Some kids may be morderline travel players but there are surely higher level kids who are there to play with friends. But will they want to next year?

I think this is a great idea and it happened somewhat organically for one of my kids. A bunch of his friends tried out for a smallish club and all played together for years. He had a great experience.

[Anonymous]

What a great idea. A child DC is friendly with did this and we are envious. They have been together for a few years now and everyone seems very happy.
The team also does quite well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a few teams like this in our club. They fit in between advanced and travel. One team has had the same kids since U-littles and are now around U15 or U16. They only pick up a player if one leaves. Same coach the entire time. They play in lower level travel tournaments. Not sure what league they play in. I don't see the problem with it. They would be like an E or F team if they were in our normal travel hierarchy. They don't have any effect on any of the normal travel teams, so I say let the kids play.

[phone]

OP here. I think what irks me is that if this had been an option for my kid, we might have had a far better experience! He's on a top team, but its not gelling as it should.

Why can't you form your own team? I don't understand why you are irked.

[Anonymous]

Is a parent coaching? Is the club charging less since there isn't a paid coach?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is a parent coaching? Is the club charging less since there isn't a paid coach?

No, club coach coaching. Like a normal travel team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have a few teams like this in our club. They fit in between advanced and travel. One team has had the same kids since U-littles and are now around U15 or U16. They only pick up a player if one leaves. Same coach the entire time. They play in lower level travel tournaments. Not sure what league they play in. I don't see the problem with it. They would be like an E or F team if they were in our normal travel hierarchy. They don't have any effect on any of the normal travel teams, so I say let the kids play.

[phone]

OP here. I think what irks me is that if this had been an option for my kid, we might have had a far better experience! He's on a top team, but its not gelling as it should.

Why can't you form your own team? I don't understand why you are irked.

I guess maybe because I didn't think of it first! I just never knew this was an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is a parent coaching? Is the club charging less since there isn't a paid coach?

No, club coach coaching. Like a normal travel team.

Our club gave us a coach too, although he was young/newer (not one of the widely known coaches). He did a great job!

[Anonymous]

It's not really an advertised option although maybe it should be.

IME, which is just a total of two of these types of teams I've seen, one in soccer and one in a different sport, I think these teams stick together longer. It's to the benefit of the club really to encourage this.

DC is thinking about moving to a different club, lower level, to be with friends. The team gels better to use your words.

[Anonymous]

If your child clicks with a few other kids maybe you could ask around and see if this is an option and if the other parents know of other players who might want to do this.

I would be all over this if someone brought this up to me.

[Anonymous]

We have this too. It's call Travel Lite. The coaches are unpaid. It's for really good advanced teams, kids who just aren't quite good enough for travel, or kids who don't want the pressure of regular travel anymore and just want to play on a halfway-decent team. Once they get on a team they won't ever be cut the following year. It puts them under the travel umbrella, so they can player in a little better league and tournaments, but they aren't subjected to the normal politics of youth travel teams. It definitely fills a need for some kids and has bee pretty popular.

[Anonymous]

Is this in the D.C. area? The Travel Lite teams?

In the club I know about it is a major DC area club and this team I'm thinking about is a regular travel team. It's not even low level!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have this too. It's call Travel Lite. The coaches are unpaid. It's for really good advanced teams, kids who just aren't quite good enough for travel, or kids who don't want the pressure of regular travel anymore and just want to play on a halfway-decent team. Once they get on a team they won't ever be cut the following year. It puts them under the travel umbrella, so they can player in a little better league and tournaments, but they aren't subjected to the normal politics of youth travel teams. It definitely fills a need for some kids and has bee pretty popular.

Does your club make this known to others?