Offers - is there ever any wiggle room?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this is going to sound ridiculous but I'm going to ask anyway. If a kid is right on the bubble - like they ALMOST made the A team but there was someone who outperformed them - is there ever a scenario in which they end up getting onto the A team because another kid turns down their offer? We are prepared to accept the offer but multiple coaches have commented to me how it was SO CLOSE. This is U11 so it's not like we're heading to college recruiting or something Just a parent trying to see if there's any hope for my kid who is majorly bummed about this.

Almost none.

The reality is your player is not considered a starter on the top team and another player backing out will not change that fact.

So, what should you do? Talk to the A team coach and see if your player can train regularly with the A team. This would allow your player to practice with "better" players while playing significant minutes on the B team.

Considering the is U11 and small sided think ahead to 11v11 and being in a better position then. Your player should be in a position to play meaningful minutes while being properly challenged in practice. Seek out training opportunities outside of the club as well as Futsal to develop and don't give the team placement a second thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is going to sound ridiculous but I'm going to ask anyway. If a kid is right on the bubble - like they ALMOST made the A team but there was someone who outperformed them - is there ever a scenario in which they end up getting onto the A team because another kid turns down their offer? We are prepared to accept the offer but multiple coaches have commented to me how it was SO CLOSE. This is U11 so it's not like we're heading to college recruiting or something Just a parent trying to see if there's any hope for my kid who is majorly bummed about this.

Almost none.

The reality is your player is not considered a starter on the top team and another player backing out will not change that fact.

So, what should you do? Talk to the A team coach and see if your player can train regularly with the A team. This would allow your player to practice with "better" players while playing significant minutes on the B team.

Considering the is U11 and small sided think ahead to 11v11 and being in a better position then. Your player should be in a position to play meaningful minutes while being properly challenged in practice. Seek out training opportunities outside of the club as well as Futsal to develop and don't give the team placement a second thought.

My kid turned down an A team offer at a big Club and I saw that a kid that had accepted a B team offer was moved up. It happens a lot. If a kid leaves and he is next in line--he could very well move up within the week.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there is much "wiggle room" in the sense that your questioning the club's placement decision, and saying that you think your child belongs on the A team etc., is going to cause them to change their minds. One assumes that they know every parent is interested in their child being properly placed, and that many parents might *think* that their child belongs on the A team when the fact is that, relatively speaking, there are other players ahead of their child in development and ability.

If by "wiggle room" you mean whether things could change down the road -- absolutely, in my experience. Kids move up/down on teams, even in the weeks leading up to the start of the fall season, based on how they are performing in the initial practices/scrimmages. Also, as others mentioned, sometimes kids leave--switch clubs at the last minute, move away from the area (quite common, in DC-metro)--and new openings appear. Your child might move up to the A team based.

In any case, if you have, or think you can get, an offered spot on the A team of another club that you *would be happy* playing with, that would certainly be an option I'd consider. I doubt that telling your current club that the folks on "the other club" think your child is an A-team player would change their minds, however.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there is much "wiggle room" in the sense that your questioning the club's placement decision, and saying that you think your child belongs on the A team etc., is going to cause them to change their minds. One assumes that they know every parent is interested in their child being properly placed, and that many parents might *think* that their child belongs on the A team when the fact is that, relatively speaking, there are other players ahead of their child in development and ability.

If by "wiggle room" you mean whether things could change down the road -- absolutely, in my experience. Kids move up/down on teams, even in the weeks leading up to the start of the fall season, based on how they are performing in the initial practices/scrimmages. Also, as others mentioned, sometimes kids leave--switch clubs at the last minute, move away from the area (quite common, in DC-metro)--and new openings appear. Your child might move up to the A team based.

In any case, if you have, or think you can get, an offered spot on the A team of another club that you *would be happy* playing with, that would certainly be an option I'd consider. I doubt that telling your current club that the folks on "the other club" think your child is an A-team player would change their minds, however.

This is OP - I wasn't actually questioning the placement aside from just considering the feedback we got from the coaches, which made it seem like DC almost made it. I wasn't going to question the club as to whether they made the wrong call; just wondering whether there was any chance we'd get a notification that a spot had actually opened up because someone else turned it down.

[Anonymous]

I think PP is dead on with the recommendation for your kid to ask if he can train with the A team once a week. Also he should ask what he can do to move up over time. Could be the best of both worlds. Keep starting position on B team to get playing time and game experience, and get the benefit of training with the A team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there is much "wiggle room" in the sense that your questioning the club's placement decision, and saying that you think your child belongs on the A team etc., is going to cause them to change their minds. One assumes that they know every parent is interested in their child being properly placed, and that many parents might *think* that their child belongs on the A team when the fact is that, relatively speaking, there are other players ahead of their child in development and ability.

If by "wiggle room" you mean whether things could change down the road -- absolutely, in my experience. Kids move up/down on teams, even in the weeks leading up to the start of the fall season, based on how they are performing in the initial practices/scrimmages. Also, as others mentioned, sometimes kids leave--switch clubs at the last minute, move away from the area (quite common, in DC-metro)--and new openings appear. Your child might move up to the A team based.

In any case, if you have, or think you can get, an offered spot on the A team of another club that you *would be happy* playing with, that would certainly be an option I'd consider. I doubt that telling your current club that the folks on "the other club" think your child is an A-team player would change their minds, however.

This is OP - I wasn't actually questioning the placement aside from just considering the feedback we got from the coaches, which made it seem like DC almost made it. I wasn't going to question the club as to whether they made the wrong call; just wondering whether there was any chance we'd get a notification that a spot had actually opened up because someone else turned it down.

I posted earlier about seeking out training time with the A team.

Your kid is young, this is not a death sentence. Wouldn't you rather your kid "earn" the spot versus backing in because another player backed out?

Lots and lots of kids at the top of the B team develop ahead of many A team players in time. Your player will catch up just put the work in this year.

The better question you and your player should ask of the club is "what does my player need to improve to make the team during the season or next year?" Your player should embrace the challenge to improve instead of hoping to slide into the last slot on the team.

[Anonymous]

They likely told all the B team parents that their child *almost* made it. They are trying to keep their paying customers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is going to sound ridiculous but I'm going to ask anyway. If a kid is right on the bubble - like they ALMOST made the A team but there was someone who outperformed them - is there ever a scenario in which they end up getting onto the A team because another kid turns down their offer? We are prepared to accept the offer but multiple coaches have commented to me how it was SO CLOSE. This is U11 so it's not like we're heading to college recruiting or something Just a parent trying to see if there's any hope for my kid who is majorly bummed about this.

Almost none.

The reality is your player is not considered a starter on the top team and another player backing out will not change that fact.

So, what should you do? Talk to the A team coach and see if your player can train regularly with the A team. This would allow your player to practice with "better" players while playing significant minutes on the B team.

Considering the is U11 and small sided think ahead to 11v11 and being in a better position then. Your player should be in a position to play meaningful minutes while being properly challenged in practice. Seek out training opportunities outside of the club as well as Futsal to develop and don't give the team placement a second thought.

This is what out club would do, and they have definitely turned down move my kid up or I’ll leave requests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just know that kids on that bubble can also be moved down no matter the offer. My son was given an A team offer at a young age and happily took it. Practiced in August with the team and did well but new kids showed up and the coach said he was going to be moving some kids to B for some games to help out. My son and at least one other ended up playing mostly on B that year.

If you accept an offer for the A team, and pay, how can they then move the kid to the B team? That's not what you accepted and paid for.

[Anonymous]

I've seen it happen. Parents are upset. Kids is upset. It's bad bad bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just know that kids on that bubble can also be moved down no matter the offer. My son was given an A team offer at a young age and happily took it. Practiced in August with the team and did well but new kids showed up and the coach said he was going to be moving some kids to B for some games to help out. My son and at least one other ended up playing mostly on B that year.

If you accept an offer for the A team, and pay, how can they then move the kid to the B team? That's not what you accepted and paid for.

The offer will often be for the "Academy Team". Essentially, you are offered a spot in the A teams "pool of players".

[Anonymous]

The coaches have had a full year of seeing your DC. They're stringing you along so you don't leave. If your DC almost made the A team have him tryour at other clubs and see what they offer. You may or may not like what their offer is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just know that kids on that bubble can also be moved down no matter the offer. My son was given an A team offer at a young age and happily took it. Practiced in August with the team and did well but new kids showed up and the coach said he was going to be moving some kids to B for some games to help out. My son and at least one other ended up playing mostly on B that year.

If you accept an offer for the A team, and pay, how can they then move the kid to the B team? That's not what you accepted and paid for.

The offer will often be for the "Academy Team". Essentially, you are offered a spot in the A teams "pool of players".

every offer I've ever accepted was team specific. The one time I got a player pool offer, I asked them to clarify before I accepted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just tell them you have an offer from a rival and you will be moved up right away

How horrible can you be?

np--

I would totally do this. They want money. Tell them your kid really wants this location but has a better offer at another club.

Otherwise I would not bet on getting on later. I would take that better offer and tryout again next year.

If you actually have another offer you'd take over B team, go for it. But if you're bluffing, that's a great way to sour the club, and especially the B team coach, on your child when you pull that nonsense and then slink onto the B team anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is going to sound ridiculous but I'm going to ask anyway. If a kid is right on the bubble - like they ALMOST made the A team but there was someone who outperformed them - is there ever a scenario in which they end up getting onto the A team because another kid turns down their offer? We are prepared to accept the offer but multiple coaches have commented to me how it was SO CLOSE. This is U11 so it's not like we're heading to college recruiting or something Just a parent trying to see if there's any hope for my kid who is majorly bummed about this.

Almost none.

The reality is your player is not considered a starter on the top team and another player backing out will not change that fact.

So, what should you do? Talk to the A team coach and see if your player can train regularly with the A team. This would allow your player to practice with "better" players while playing significant minutes on the B team.

Considering the is U11 and small sided think ahead to 11v11 and being in a better position then. Your player should be in a position to play meaningful minutes while being properly challenged in practice. Seek out training opportunities outside of the club as well as Futsal to develop and don't give the team placement a second thought.

This person is correct. There can be a lot of shake up and room to move at U13 with the transition to larger rosters and larger fields. A kid who has been a star on the B team with lots of playing time may have an edge over someone who has been largely riding the bench on A team.