Travel Soccer teams around NOVA let's discuss

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously... A kid that is a stand-out player isn't going to be kept down on the C/D team just so a coach/club can save face that they mis-placed the kid initially. If the kid is that good, the coach will move them up to the environment that keeps them challenged and benefits the upper teams. If the kid isn't moving, then they don't match up as well as you think they would. Or ask for a shot for them to prove themselves, then you'll see.

Stop with the conspiracy theories!

The problem is, once placed on the lower team the misplaced kid gets inferior coaching and inferior teammates. It is impossible for this kid to improve enough to make the A team at their home club. Coaches confirmation bias sets in and they never look at the lower team kid again. Tryouts at these clubs see the teams on together on their field and new kids get looked at freshly and then sorted as best they can.

If your kid improves as a player it is just easier to standout by going to another club where there is no knowledge of the kid.

I disagree with the bolded sentence above. In my experience as a parent and coach of youth travel players it is actually pretty easy for a kid to improve enough to move up a team or two. At the younger ages where there are still 3 or 4 teams many of those kids don't have the desire and work ethic to keep up the necessary pace of development to keep their roster spot -- they simply don't want to work hard to constantly improve. So if a kid on a lower team practices on his own, or works with a knowledgable sibling, parent, or trainer on the side, or plays with friends on the days the team does not practice,etc. it is rather easy for that kid to surpass some of the kids that were initially placed on higher teams who are just coasting on their early advantage in size or speed.

What if you are on the F team? We have six teams in our age group. That's quite a ladder to scale...especially in one team increments and with new players from outside clubs filtering in at the higher teams mid-season and filling the spots.

That sounds way too big to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously... A kid that is a stand-out player isn't going to be kept down on the C/D team just so a coach/club can save face that they mis-placed the kid initially. If the kid is that good, the coach will move them up to the environment that keeps them challenged and benefits the upper teams. If the kid isn't moving, then they don't match up as well as you think they would. Or ask for a shot for them to prove themselves, then you'll see.

Stop with the conspiracy theories!

The problem is, once placed on the lower team the misplaced kid gets inferior coaching and inferior teammates. It is impossible for this kid to improve enough to make the A team at their home club. Coaches confirmation bias sets in and they never look at the lower team kid again. Tryouts at these clubs see the teams on together on their field and new kids get looked at freshly and then sorted as best they can.

If your kid improves as a player it is just easier to standout by going to another club where there is no knowledge of the kid.

I disagree with the bolded sentence above. In my experience as a parent and coach of youth travel players it is actually pretty easy for a kid to improve enough to move up a team or two. At the younger ages where there are still 3 or 4 teams many of those kids don't have the desire and work ethic to keep up the necessary pace of development to keep their roster spot -- they simply don't want to work hard to constantly improve. So if a kid on a lower team practices on his own, or works with a knowledgable sibling, parent, or trainer on the side, or plays with friends on the days the team does not practice,etc. it is rather easy for that kid to surpass some of the kids that were initially placed on higher teams who are just coasting on their early advantage in size or speed.

Yes the kid improving enough is not the issue. The issue is that coaches usually don't see it and if there isn't significant movement, while a C team kid can climb the ladder it takes years within the club. It is just easier to get a fresh start at another club. And that is the problem. Most clubs bring in "higher" level kids from outside and this is the only reason A team kids get pushed down, but upward movement is rare within most clubs unless there is a mass exodus and no new fresh blood comes in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously... A kid that is a stand-out player isn't going to be kept down on the C/D team just so a coach/club can save face that they mis-placed the kid initially. If the kid is that good, the coach will move them up to the environment that keeps them challenged and benefits the upper teams. If the kid isn't moving, then they don't match up as well as you think they would. Or ask for a shot for them to prove themselves, then you'll see.

Stop with the conspiracy theories!

The problem is, once placed on the lower team the misplaced kid gets inferior coaching and inferior teammates. It is impossible for this kid to improve enough to make the A team at their home club. Coaches confirmation bias sets in and they never look at the lower team kid again. Tryouts at these clubs see the teams on together on their field and new kids get looked at freshly and then sorted as best they can.

If your kid improves as a player it is just easier to standout by going to another club where there is no knowledge of the kid.

I disagree with the bolded sentence above. In my experience as a parent and coach of youth travel players it is actually pretty easy for a kid to improve enough to move up a team or two. At the younger ages where there are still 3 or 4 teams many of those kids don't have the desire and work ethic to keep up the necessary pace of development to keep their roster spot -- they simply don't want to work hard to constantly improve. So if a kid on a lower team practices on his own, or works with a knowledgable sibling, parent, or trainer on the side, or plays with friends on the days the team does not practice,etc. it is rather easy for that kid to surpass some of the kids that were initially placed on higher teams who are just coasting on their early advantage in size or speed.

Yes the kid improving enough is not the issue. The issue is that coaches usually don't see it and if there isn't significant movement, while a C team kid can climb the ladder it takes years within the club. It is just easier to get a fresh start at another club. And that is the problem. Most clubs bring in "higher" level kids from outside and this is the only reason A team kids get pushed down, but upward movement is rare within most clubs unless there is a mass exodus and no new fresh blood comes in.

I agree with this poster. And that's the reason a kid isn't noticed or recognized for significant improvement. They bring in outside players and immediately try them out against the A team--while players on the lower teams never even step foot on the same scrimmage field with the upper team. Add in that the coach also doesn't watch the lower kids play and you have the reason for being locked in. It's strange to keep the kids completely isolated. That many kids is the perfect opportunity to so many mixed scrimmages. It's really not an academy system when you lock out a significant portion of your players at very young ages when nobody knows how any of them will pan out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously... A kid that is a stand-out player isn't going to be kept down on the C/D team just so a coach/club can save face that they mis-placed the kid initially. If the kid is that good, the coach will move them up to the environment that keeps them challenged and benefits the upper teams. If the kid isn't moving, then they don't match up as well as you think they would. Or ask for a shot for them to prove themselves, then you'll see.

Stop with the conspiracy theories!

The problem is, once placed on the lower team the misplaced kid gets inferior coaching and inferior teammates. It is impossible for this kid to improve enough to make the A team at their home club. Coaches confirmation bias sets in and they never look at the lower team kid again. Tryouts at these clubs see the teams on together on their field and new kids get looked at freshly and then sorted as best they can.

If your kid improves as a player it is just easier to standout by going to another club where there is no knowledge of the kid.

I disagree with the bolded sentence above. In my experience as a parent and coach of youth travel players it is actually pretty easy for a kid to improve enough to move up a team or two. At the younger ages where there are still 3 or 4 teams many of those kids don't have the desire and work ethic to keep up the necessary pace of development to keep their roster spot -- they simply don't want to work hard to constantly improve. So if a kid on a lower team practices on his own, or works with a knowledgable sibling, parent, or trainer on the side, or plays with friends on the days the team does not practice,etc. it is rather easy for that kid to surpass some of the kids that were initially placed on higher teams who are just coasting on their early advantage in size or speed.

Yes the kid improving enough is not the issue. The issue is that coaches usually don't see it and if there isn't significant movement, while a C team kid can climb the ladder it takes years within the club. It is just easier to get a fresh start at another club. And that is the problem. Most clubs bring in "higher" level kids from outside and this is the only reason A team kids get pushed down, but upward movement is rare within most clubs unless there is a mass exodus and no new fresh blood comes in.

I agree with this poster. And that's the reason a kid isn't noticed or recognized for significant improvement. They bring in outside players and immediately try them out against the A team--while players on the lower teams never even step foot on the same scrimmage field with the upper team. Add in that the coach also doesn't watch the lower kids play and you have the reason for being locked in. It's strange to keep the kids completely isolated. That many kids is the perfect opportunity to so many mixed scrimmages. It's really not an academy system when you lock out a significant portion of your players at very young ages when nobody knows how any of them will pan out.

I wrote the bolded paragraph above about how your kid will have to outwork some kids on higher teams in order to move up in a multi-team age group. It may seem daunting at first when there are 3 or 4 teams above your child but it can and does happen IF THE KID WANTS IT BADLY ENOUGH. Let me repeat, it is the KID (not the parents) who have to want to work hard enough to move up to the higher teams. At some point if the player has improved enough, the coaching staff will recognize it, and will absolutely want that kid to play on the higher team. But keep in mind that it is often a multi-year process for an initially "average" kid to advance up the ladder. Also keep in mind that advancement in a club often happens during the addition of 2-3 new roster spots on every team at U11 (for 8v8), and 2-3 more at U13 when teams go to 11v11.

My own DC was initially placed on the C team of a small club (due largely to his small size I assume), and through hard work and solid continual improvement he was asked to play on the A team when a couple roster spots were added at U11. The first season at U11 he played half a game at most but through continued extra training at home, extra fitness training, etc., juggling in the garage during the winter months, etc. over the course of the U-11 to U13 years he ultimately became one of the best players on the A team. When that team plateaued competitively HE DECIDED he wanted to try out for a more competitive team and (to our surprise) he made a state cup finalist team at another club at U14.

Bottom line is that if your kid is not a superstar he/she will have to work incredibly hard so that coaches have no choice but to recognize the improvement -- whether within your club or at a different club. If THE KID doesn't want to work harder than the dozens of other kids in your club then to be blunt, he/she is not destined for the upper level teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously... A kid that is a stand-out player isn't going to be kept down on the C/D team just so a coach/club can save face that they mis-placed the kid initially. If the kid is that good, the coach will move them up to the environment that keeps them challenged and benefits the upper teams. If the kid isn't moving, then they don't match up as well as you think they would. Or ask for a shot for them to prove themselves, then you'll see.

Stop with the conspiracy theories!

The problem is, once placed on the lower team the misplaced kid gets inferior coaching and inferior teammates. It is impossible for this kid to improve enough to make the A team at their home club. Coaches confirmation bias sets in and they never look at the lower team kid again. Tryouts at these clubs see the teams on together on their field and new kids get looked at freshly and then sorted as best they can.

If your kid improves as a player it is just easier to standout by going to another club where there is no knowledge of the kid.

I disagree with the bolded sentence above. In my experience as a parent and coach of youth travel players it is actually pretty easy for a kid to improve enough to move up a team or two. At the younger ages where there are still 3 or 4 teams many of those kids don't have the desire and work ethic to keep up the necessary pace of development to keep their roster spot -- they simply don't want to work hard to constantly improve. So if a kid on a lower team practices on his own, or works with a knowledgable sibling, parent, or trainer on the side, or plays with friends on the days the team does not practice,etc. it is rather easy for that kid to surpass some of the kids that were initially placed on higher teams who are just coasting on their early advantage in size or speed.

Yes the kid improving enough is not the issue. The issue is that coaches usually don't see it and if there isn't significant movement, while a C team kid can climb the ladder it takes years within the club. It is just easier to get a fresh start at another club. And that is the problem. Most clubs bring in "higher" level kids from outside and this is the only reason A team kids get pushed down, but upward movement is rare within most clubs unless there is a mass exodus and no new fresh blood comes in.

I agree with this poster. And that's the reason a kid isn't noticed or recognized for significant improvement. They bring in outside players and immediately try them out against the A team--while players on the lower teams never even step foot on the same scrimmage field with the upper team. Add in that the coach also doesn't watch the lower kids play and you have the reason for being locked in. It's strange to keep the kids completely isolated. That many kids is the perfect opportunity to so many mixed scrimmages. It's really not an academy system when you lock out a significant portion of your players at very young ages when nobody knows how any of them will pan out.

I wrote the bolded paragraph above about how your kid will have to outwork some kids on higher teams in order to move up in a multi-team age group. It may seem daunting at first when there are 3 or 4 teams above your child but it can and does happen IF THE KID WANTS IT BADLY ENOUGH. Let me repeat, it is the KID (not the parents) who have to want to work hard enough to move up to the higher teams. At some point if the player has improved enough, the coaching staff will recognize it, and will absolutely want that kid to play on the higher team. But keep in mind that it is often a multi-year process for an initially "average" kid to advance up the ladder. Also keep in mind that advancement in a club often happens during the addition of 2-3 new roster spots on every team at U11 (for 8v8), and 2-3 more at U13 when teams go to 11v11.

My own DC was initially placed on the C team of a small club (due largely to his small size I assume), and through hard work and solid continual improvement he was asked to play on the A team when a couple roster spots were added at U11. The first season at U11 he played half a game at most but through continued extra training at home, extra fitness training, etc., juggling in the garage during the winter months, etc. over the course of the U-11 to U13 years he ultimately became one of the best players on the A team. When that team plateaued competitively HE DECIDED he wanted to try out for a more competitive team and (to our surprise) he made a state cup finalist team at another club at U14.

Bottom line is that if your kid is not a superstar he/she will have to work incredibly hard so that coaches have no choice but to recognize the improvement -- whether within your club or at a different club. If THE KID doesn't want to work harder than the dozens of other kids in your club then to be blunt, he/she is not destined for the upper level teams.

I don't disagree. It is unfair some mediocre players get placed on the top team after 3 hours at 8 years old and it takes a few years to shake them out. It's hard for kids that beat these players 9 times out of 10 at camps, playgrounds, recess, pick up games to wrap their head around why Johnny is up there and he's at the bottom.

BUT- I don't think it's a bad thing for the passionate kid. My kid got angry. Down-right pissed. So- he trains, trains, trains,,he went from juggling 20 times to over 500 in 6 months at 10 (even with head and shoulders). He trains outside the club with older kids and much better players. He has a private trainer that has been a fabulous mentor. The self-esteem that was in the shitter is coming out. I told him his best defense was to be the best player he could be and what is happening at this one club is irrelevant. By taking him around the area over summer and winter to different camps with different styles he had an eye-opening. It has motivated him more than anyone has done for him in his own club where hard work might take years to be recognized. I also refuse to buy training from the coach for pure advancement purposes like so many do. I'm going to find the best training out there and if it's not somebody with in the home club, so be it.

Starting from the bottom has developed grit and passion in him. Now he doesn't think his home club is good enough for him. Anyone who has played at a high level has had this experience at some point in their career. I will say it was easier to go through it yourself, then watch your kid go through it---but it definitely has life-long benefits. It is kid-driven. If he continues to want it-I'll help anyway I can. If he doesn't want to continue at this intensity--it will free up my Holiday weekends.

If he started at the top right out of the gates, I'm not so sure he'd have the same passion he does now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously... A kid that is a stand-out player isn't going to be kept down on the C/D team just so a coach/club can save face that they mis-placed the kid initially. If the kid is that good, the coach will move them up to the environment that keeps them challenged and benefits the upper teams. If the kid isn't moving, then they don't match up as well as you think they would. Or ask for a shot for them to prove themselves, then you'll see.

Stop with the conspiracy theories!

The problem is, once placed on the lower team the misplaced kid gets inferior coaching and inferior teammates. It is impossible for this kid to improve enough to make the A team at their home club. Coaches confirmation bias sets in and they never look at the lower team kid again. Tryouts at these clubs see the teams on together on their field and new kids get looked at freshly and then sorted as best they can.

If your kid improves as a player it is just easier to standout by going to another club where there is no knowledge of the kid.

I disagree with the bolded sentence above. In my experience as a parent and coach of youth travel players it is actually pretty easy for a kid to improve enough to move up a team or two. At the younger ages where there are still 3 or 4 teams many of those kids don't have the desire and work ethic to keep up the necessary pace of development to keep their roster spot -- they simply don't want to work hard to constantly improve. So if a kid on a lower team practices on his own, or works with a knowledgable sibling, parent, or trainer on the side, or plays with friends on the days the team does not practice,etc. it is rather easy for that kid to surpass some of the kids that were initially placed on higher teams who are just coasting on their early advantage in size or speed.

Yes the kid improving enough is not the issue. The issue is that coaches usually don't see it and if there isn't significant movement, while a C team kid can climb the ladder it takes years within the club. It is just easier to get a fresh start at another club. And that is the problem. Most clubs bring in "higher" level kids from outside and this is the only reason A team kids get pushed down, but upward movement is rare within most clubs unless there is a mass exodus and no new fresh blood comes in.

I agree with this poster. And that's the reason a kid isn't noticed or recognized for significant improvement. They bring in outside players and immediately try them out against the A team--while players on the lower teams never even step foot on the same scrimmage field with the upper team. Add in that the coach also doesn't watch the lower kids play and you have the reason for being locked in. It's strange to keep the kids completely isolated. That many kids is the perfect opportunity to so many mixed scrimmages. It's really not an academy system when you lock out a significant portion of your players at very young ages when nobody knows how any of them will pan out.

I wrote the bolded paragraph above about how your kid will have to outwork some kids on higher teams in order to move up in a multi-team age group. It may seem daunting at first when there are 3 or 4 teams above your child but it can and does happen IF THE KID WANTS IT BADLY ENOUGH. Let me repeat, it is the KID (not the parents) who have to want to work hard enough to move up to the higher teams. At some point if the player has improved enough, the coaching staff will recognize it, and will absolutely want that kid to play on the higher team. But keep in mind that it is often a multi-year process for an initially "average" kid to advance up the ladder. Also keep in mind that advancement in a club often happens during the addition of 2-3 new roster spots on every team at U11 (for 8v8), and 2-3 more at U13 when teams go to 11v11.

My own DC was initially placed on the C team of a small club (due largely to his small size I assume), and through hard work and solid continual improvement he was asked to play on the A team when a couple roster spots were added at U11. The first season at U11 he played half a game at most but through continued extra training at home, extra fitness training, etc., juggling in the garage during the winter months, etc. over the course of the U-11 to U13 years he ultimately became one of the best players on the A team. When that team plateaued competitively HE DECIDED he wanted to try out for a more competitive team and (to our surprise) he made a state cup finalist team at another club at U14.

Bottom line is that if your kid is not a superstar he/she will have to work incredibly hard so that coaches have no choice but to recognize the improvement -- whether within your club or at a different club. If THE KID doesn't want to work harder than the dozens of other kids in your club then to be blunt, he/she is not destined for the upper level teams.

I don't disagree. It is unfair some mediocre players get placed on the top team after 3 hours at 8 years old and it takes a few years to shake them out. It's hard for kids that beat these players 9 times out of 10 at camps, playgrounds, recess, pick up games to wrap their head around why Johnny is up there and he's at the bottom.

BUT- I don't think it's a bad thing for the passionate kid. My kid got angry. Down-right pissed. So- he trains, trains, trains,,he went from juggling 20 times to over 500 in 6 months at 10 (even with head and shoulders). He trains outside the club with older kids and much better players. He has a private trainer that has been a fabulous mentor. The self-esteem that was in the shitter is coming out. I told him his best defense was to be the best player he could be and what is happening at this one club is irrelevant. By taking him around the area over summer and winter to different camps with different styles he had an eye-opening. It has motivated him more than anyone has done for him in his own club where hard work might take years to be recognized. I also refuse to buy training from the coach for pure advancement purposes like so many do. I'm going to find the best training out there and if it's not somebody with in the home club, so be it.

Starting from the bottom has developed grit and passion in him. Now he doesn't think his home club is good enough for him. Anyone who has played at a high level has had this experience at some point in their career. I will say it was easier to go through it yourself, then watch your kid go through it---but it definitely has life-long benefits. It is kid-driven. If he continues to want it-I'll help anyway I can. If he doesn't want to continue at this intensity--it will free up my Holiday weekends.

If he started at the top right out of the gates, I'm not so sure he'd have the same passion he does now.

It's great that your kid is training so hard. But it's likely his "grit" was enhanced by you taking him around to a variety of camps and getting him a personal trainer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously... A kid that is a stand-out player isn't going to be kept down on the C/D team just so a coach/club can save face that they mis-placed the kid initially. If the kid is that good, the coach will move them up to the environment that keeps them challenged and benefits the upper teams. If the kid isn't moving, then they don't match up as well as you think they would. Or ask for a shot for them to prove themselves, then you'll see.

Stop with the conspiracy theories!

The problem is, once placed on the lower team the misplaced kid gets inferior coaching and inferior teammates. It is impossible for this kid to improve enough to make the A team at their home club. Coaches confirmation bias sets in and they never look at the lower team kid again. Tryouts at these clubs see the teams on together on their field and new kids get looked at freshly and then sorted as best they can.

If your kid improves as a player it is just easier to standout by going to another club where there is no knowledge of the kid.

I disagree with the bolded sentence above. In my experience as a parent and coach of youth travel players it is actually pretty easy for a kid to improve enough to move up a team or two. At the younger ages where there are still 3 or 4 teams many of those kids don't have the desire and work ethic to keep up the necessary pace of development to keep their roster spot -- they simply don't want to work hard to constantly improve. So if a kid on a lower team practices on his own, or works with a knowledgable sibling, parent, or trainer on the side, or plays with friends on the days the team does not practice,etc. it is rather easy for that kid to surpass some of the kids that were initially placed on higher teams who are just coasting on their early advantage in size or speed.

Yes the kid improving enough is not the issue. The issue is that coaches usually don't see it and if there isn't significant movement, while a C team kid can climb the ladder it takes years within the club. It is just easier to get a fresh start at another club. And that is the problem. Most clubs bring in "higher" level kids from outside and this is the only reason A team kids get pushed down, but upward movement is rare within most clubs unless there is a mass exodus and no new fresh blood comes in.

I agree with this poster. And that's the reason a kid isn't noticed or recognized for significant improvement. They bring in outside players and immediately try them out against the A team--while players on the lower teams never even step foot on the same scrimmage field with the upper team. Add in that the coach also doesn't watch the lower kids play and you have the reason for being locked in. It's strange to keep the kids completely isolated. That many kids is the perfect opportunity to so many mixed scrimmages. It's really not an academy system when you lock out a significant portion of your players at very young ages when nobody knows how any of them will pan out.

I wrote the bolded paragraph above about how your kid will have to outwork some kids on higher teams in order to move up in a multi-team age group. It may seem daunting at first when there are 3 or 4 teams above your child but it can and does happen IF THE KID WANTS IT BADLY ENOUGH. Let me repeat, it is the KID (not the parents) who have to want to work hard enough to move up to the higher teams. At some point if the player has improved enough, the coaching staff will recognize it, and will absolutely want that kid to play on the higher team. But keep in mind that it is often a multi-year process for an initially "average" kid to advance up the ladder. Also keep in mind that advancement in a club often happens during the addition of 2-3 new roster spots on every team at U11 (for 8v8), and 2-3 more at U13 when teams go to 11v11.

My own DC was initially placed on the C team of a small club (due largely to his small size I assume), and through hard work and solid continual improvement he was asked to play on the A team when a couple roster spots were added at U11. The first season at U11 he played half a game at most but through continued extra training at home, extra fitness training, etc., juggling in the garage during the winter months, etc. over the course of the U-11 to U13 years he ultimately became one of the best players on the A team. When that team plateaued competitively HE DECIDED he wanted to try out for a more competitive team and (to our surprise) he made a state cup finalist team at another club at U14.

Bottom line is that if your kid is not a superstar he/she will have to work incredibly hard so that coaches have no choice but to recognize the improvement -- whether within your club or at a different club. If THE KID doesn't want to work harder than the dozens of other kids in your club then to be blunt, he/she is not destined for the upper level teams.

I don't disagree. It is unfair some mediocre players get placed on the top team after 3 hours at 8 years old and it takes a few years to shake them out. It's hard for kids that beat these players 9 times out of 10 at camps, playgrounds, recess, pick up games to wrap their head around why Johnny is up there and he's at the bottom.

BUT- I don't think it's a bad thing for the passionate kid. My kid got angry. Down-right pissed. So- he trains, trains, trains,,he went from juggling 20 times to over 500 in 6 months at 10 (even with head and shoulders). He trains outside the club with older kids and much better players. He has a private trainer that has been a fabulous mentor. The self-esteem that was in the shitter is coming out. I told him his best defense was to be the best player he could be and what is happening at this one club is irrelevant. By taking him around the area over summer and winter to different camps with different styles he had an eye-opening. It has motivated him more than anyone has done for him in his own club where hard work might take years to be recognized. I also refuse to buy training from the coach for pure advancement purposes like so many do. I'm going to find the best training out there and if it's not somebody with in the home club, so be it.

Starting from the bottom has developed grit and passion in him. Now he doesn't think his home club is good enough for him. Anyone who has played at a high level has had this experience at some point in their career. I will say it was easier to go through it yourself, then watch your kid go through it---but it definitely has life-long benefits. It is kid-driven. If he continues to want it-I'll help anyway I can. If he doesn't want to continue at this intensity--it will free up my Holiday weekends.

If he started at the top right out of the gates, I'm not so sure he'd have the same passion he does now.

It's great that your kid is training so hard. But it's likely his "grit" was enhanced by you taking him around to a variety of camps and getting him a personal trainer.

Totally. It can be very insular at one place. Once he began seeing what other kids were doing elsewhere, it really motivated him.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have details on what is going on with the merger of Great Falls, Reston, and Sterling? Are they combining all of those clubs? How many teams will they have per age group now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have details on what is going on with the merger of Great Falls, Reston, and Sterling? Are they combining all of those clubs? How many teams will they have per age group now?

Really? I could see Great Falls and Reston, but going out to Sterling seems like a stretch.

[Anonymous]

Also, Great Falls and Reston both seem pretty big already (at least at the younger ages; I admit I don't know about the older kids).

[Anonymous]

I have muliple kids in soccer. My kids have played multiple sports until 12 and then my oldest 2 went with soccer. My oldest 2 both dropped off at one point and then had to make the decision to work harder. Both went from starting and playing a lot on the top team to sitting on the bench almost completely so more physically mature players could take over. The best thing you can do is to put your child on the best team where they have skill development and they play. I talked my oldest in to going elsewhere to another good team and it was the best thing FOR THAT CHILD. The coach was good, had different ideas, and taught DC new techniques and DC got better. DC’s play time increased and then DC’s confidence increased. DC is now significantly better than the kids on the field when DC was on the bench.
My second is on a highly ranked team and rosters seem VERY SET according to who plays the whole game and who does not. DC #2 practices daily. DAILY ! and was written up by pros for performance and still play time is the same. Will be looking around in the spring.
A soccer who had played pro abroad said that the best players do not always come from the top teams; that paly time is very important. But, the team should be playing with a quick ball speed. The most winning teams just make fewer mistakes across all the players. But, the very best player could be on the losing team and he/she could be making up for the mistakes of his/her teammates. A top quality recruiting coach would notice this.
My #1 has never played in national league, but his team beat a few of them at local tournaments. DC has definitely stood out over ALL OTHER players on the field and is getting noticed.
A basketball coach said to me once, that sometimes the only thing a coach can see is what his long time players are doing wrong. They don’t notice when the player improves because they cannot forget the mistakes. New players without the same history with that coach get to come in as an experience player and start fresh.
In basketball, you change teams every season and can play with different teams in different leagues. The ownership rule of the CCL league is awful and I expect tit will eventually change. Funny how it cost you $2K per child and then you can’t leave. Coaches can bench you as much as they want. The idea came out of Virginia Beach where that club is the only CCL team.

If your child can be on the second best or third best team and play much, much more, do it!

[Anonymous]

So I think your main point is...playing time increases confidence, increased confidence increases effort, desire to play, etc which leads to improvement. Is that true? I definitely agree with that, but, if the kid is training on a higher level team with higher level kids and higher level coaching (for what...6 hours a week) and not getting as much playing time out of a 60-90 minute game per week. I'm not so sure that's a bad thing. A kid can still be motivated to improve by not getting that playing time and still have confidence. This is just a different point of view to comment on and not a disagreement or argument.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I think your main point is...playing time increases confidence, increased confidence increases effort, desire to play, etc which leads to improvement. Is that true? I definitely agree with that, but, if the kid is training on a higher level team with higher level kids and higher level coaching (for what...6 hours a week) and not getting as much playing time out of a 60-90 minute game per week. I'm not so sure that's a bad thing. A kid can still be motivated to improve by not getting that playing time and still have confidence. This is just a different point of view to comment on and not a disagreement or argument.

My kid couldn't handle riding the bench. I'd put him on a team where he gets playing time. If there are multiple levels/teams- ask to stop down one to get play time--still will get same training. Sitting on the bench most of the game is soul crushing.

My sibling (professional player) refused to move up to A team a year or two because he played full 90 min with B team.

[Anonymous]

My son is young. At what age do teams let only the best kids play and the subs rarely get in? Does your club have equal playing time? If so, until what age? Do some kids NEVER get in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son is young. At what age do teams let only the best kids play and the subs rarely get in? Does your club have equal playing time? If so, until what age? Do some kids NEVER get in?

Our club still has equal playing time at U-10. I know older teams don't, but not sure the cutoff.