How good are travel teams in the low tier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This begs the question: Why do so many people on the DCUM soccer forum randomly watch other teams/clubs play, then feel compelled to post about it?

You apparently don’t have a kid in a club sport.

Kids are required to be there warming up 30 mins before kickoff, which means I’m often watching 45 minutes of another teams game.

Why post about it? Simple curiosity. Why oust anything related to how or why people spend money the way they do - almost the entire finances and real estate forums relate to this.

Op, we joined club for the great workouts, commitment to a team and team work ethics and to build their confidence. Our goal isn’t to develop the highest level soccer player, but to have healthy, confident kids who understand how to work with others, and have fun doing it. Turns out we’ve got one on the highest level team and another on the second level.

I'm not complaining about anyone choosing travel, or low tier travel, or the quality of players. I am criticizing the coaches, who I believe are paid. I would have expected them to mold the players into being pretty good, at least as a team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This begs the question: Why do so many people on the DCUM soccer forum randomly watch other teams/clubs play, then feel compelled to post about it?

You apparently don’t have a kid in a club sport.

Kids are required to be there warming up 30 mins before kickoff, which means I’m often watching 45 minutes of another teams game.

Why post about it? Simple curiosity. Why oust anything related to how or why people spend money the way they do - almost the entire finances and real estate forums relate to this.

Op, we joined club for the great workouts, commitment to a team and team work ethics and to build their confidence. Our goal isn’t to develop the highest level soccer player, but to have healthy, confident kids who understand how to work with others, and have fun doing it. Turns out we’ve got one on the highest level team and another on the second level.

I'm not complaining about anyone choosing travel, or low tier travel, or the quality of players. I am criticizing the coaches, who I believe are paid. I would have expected them to mold the players into being pretty good, at least as a team.

Totally agree. Our coach yells and tells them to "think smart", "do better". These kids need some fundamentals first.

[Anonymous]

First - until u13 kids play less than 11 v 11. Teams combine and combine again as kids get older because you need more kids on older age teams. Half the kids on your club’s u12 B team will be on the A team at u13.

Second - kids find other things they are interested in doing as they get older. That starts in middle school and continues through high school. Interests change. Abilities change. Time demands grow. The best players at u9 are rarely the best players at u13, and those best players are rarely the best at u20s/college. Probably the best player in my daughters club in her age group from u9 - u12 was hit hard by puberty growth spurts. She ended up quitting at u15 and switched to lacrosse. She was team captain for a Big10 lacrosse team though. Another B team kid with my daughter switched to cross country in high school and ran for a Big10 school.

And - lots of kids will play because it is fun and it will help them make a varsity team in high school. In areas with lots of soccer - if you quit club at a young age - you are not playing in high school. Same with other big club sports that have caps on team numbers; volleyball, baseball, hockey.

B teams at young ages are standard. My daughter played 4 years in college. At u11 and u12 she was on her club’s B team as were 2 other girls (not the x-country kid) who also played 4 years in college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First - until u13 kids play less than 11 v 11. Teams combine and combine again as kids get older because you need more kids on older age teams. Half the kids on your club’s u12 B team will be on the A team at u13.

Second - kids find other things they are interested in doing as they get older. That starts in middle school and continues through high school. Interests change. Abilities change. Time demands grow. The best players at u9 are rarely the best players at u13, and those best players are rarely the best at u20s/college. Probably the best player in my daughters club in her age group from u9 - u12 was hit hard by puberty growth spurts. She ended up quitting at u15 and switched to lacrosse. She was team captain for a Big10 lacrosse team though. Another B team kid with my daughter switched to cross country in high school and ran for a Big10 school.

And - lots of kids will play because it is fun and it will help them make a varsity team in high school. In areas with lots of soccer - if you quit club at a young age - you are not playing in high school. Same with other big club sports that have caps on team numbers; volleyball, baseball, hockey.

B teams at young ages are standard. My daughter played 4 years in college. At u11 and u12 she was on her club’s B team as were 2 other girls (not the x-country kid) who also played 4 years in college.

I agree that B players can become good enough to play high school or college soccer or even another sport. But B players aren’t going pro. Maybe for girls, that’s possible, but not for boys. Many of the kids on the A team aren’t aiming to play just to be good enough to play in high school or college, they’re hoping to go pro. I think that’s a completely different mindset. Sure, they’ll have a great chance at college level soccer once they realize they may not be good enough to go pro. But the kids who eventually become pro aren’t playing on B teams, unless maybe they’re playing up and it’s a B team that is good. I have no idea if my kid will succeed in going pro but the difference in his mindset from his B player brother or other players is stark. He’s not unique though as a couple of friends with talented kids have the same mindset. I’m sure some other parents can relate with their soccer playing kids about what I’m talking about.

[Anonymous]

Know a kid who played with Pulisic on a club B team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Know a kid who played with Pulisic on a club B team.

Pulisic was playing up on a B team which I noted was fine if you were typically a A player.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know a kid who played with Pulisic on a club B team.

Pulisic was playing up on a B team which I noted was fine if you were typically a A player.

Coach that didn’t take Pulisic for his A team must feel like a heel now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know a kid who played with Pulisic on a club B team.

Pulisic was playing up on a B team which I noted was fine if you were typically a A player.

Coach that didn’t take Pulisic for his A team must feel like a heel now.

Pulisic was likely playing on both A teams and B teams at the same time. A team in his age group and B playing up. But I heard he played up most of his youth career. His father is a well connected soccer coach/manager who played college and semi pro soccer. His nephew, pulisics cousin plays for Austin fc. I’m sure he was influential as to where his son was placed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know a kid who played with Pulisic on a club B team.

Pulisic was playing up on a B team which I noted was fine if you were typically a A player.

Coach that didn’t take Pulisic for his A team must feel like a heel now.

Pulisic was likely playing on both A teams and B teams at the same time. A team in his age group and B playing up. But I heard he played up most of his youth career. His father is a well connected soccer coach/manager who played college and semi pro soccer. His nephew, pulisics cousin plays for Austin fc. I’m sure he was influential as to where his son was placed.

His parents have stressed they only had him play for 1 team at a time. They didn't over-stress him. His mom and dad are great people. The kid had talent and was lucky to have parents that knew people and the landscape. How they handled his talent and didn't over-expose him in his youth and let him lead is a big reason for his success and how normal he turned out.

[Anonymous]

I'm not complaining about anyone choosing travel, or low tier travel, or the quality of players. I am criticizing the coaches, who I believe are paid. I would have expected them to mold the players into being pretty good, at least as a team.

What are they supposed to do if the kids just aren't that athletic, motivated, interested, or capable? My son's team is a mixed bag - no one is that good, but there is a pretty wide range of ability and dedication within not being that good. The coach gives reasonable instructions and direction, but many people cannot execute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know a kid who played with Pulisic on a club B team.

Pulisic was playing up on a B team which I noted was fine if you were typically a A player.

Coach that didn’t take Pulisic for his A team must feel like a heel now.

Pulisic was likely playing on both A teams and B teams at the same time. A team in his age group and B playing up. But I heard he played up most of his youth career. His father is a well connected soccer coach/manager who played college and semi pro soccer. His nephew, pulisics cousin plays for Austin fc. I’m sure he was influential as to where his son was placed.

His parents have stressed they only had him play for 1 team at a time. They didn't over-stress him. His mom and dad are great people. The kid had talent and was lucky to have parents that knew people and the landscape. How they handled his talent and didn't over-expose him in his youth and let him lead is a big reason for his success and how normal he turned out.

How does one overexpose their kid and why would that be a bad thing? Genuinely curious as I have no idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Know a kid who played with Pulisic on a club B team.

Pulisic was playing up on a B team which I noted was fine if you were typically a A player.

Coach that didn’t take Pulisic for his A team must feel like a heel now.

Pulisic was likely playing on both A teams and B teams at the same time. A team in his age group and B playing up. But I heard he played up most of his youth career. His father is a well connected soccer coach/manager who played college and semi pro soccer. His nephew, pulisics cousin plays for Austin fc. I’m sure he was influential as to where his son was placed.

"Likely" this and "likely" that

[Anonymous]

Paying for a b team is for rich folks who want their kids to have activities. B team is rarely going A but will have 3-4 days where their kids are playing and parents are driving. The A teams are going to play in HS and College if they want to continue path (many will burn out way before that happens). Playing on B is supporting the A team and the league (thank you!) but your B team player will stay B.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This begs the question: Why do so many people on the DCUM soccer forum randomly watch other teams/clubs play, then feel compelled to post about it?

You apparently don’t have a kid in a club sport.

Kids are required to be there warming up 30 mins before kickoff, which means I’m often watching 45 minutes of another teams game.

Why post about it? Simple curiosity. Why oust anything related to how or why people spend money the way they do - almost the entire finances and real estate forums relate to this.

Op, we joined club for the great workouts, commitment to a team and team work ethics and to build their confidence. Our goal isn’t to develop the highest level soccer player, but to have healthy, confident kids who understand how to work with others, and have fun doing it. Turns out we’ve got one on the highest level team and another on the second level.

I'm not complaining about anyone choosing travel, or low tier travel, or the quality of players. I am criticizing the coaches, who I believe are paid. I would have expected them to mold the players into being pretty good, at least as a team.

Some B teams around here are pretty good and some are not. Coaches can and do take all players and mold them into better players but sometimes the team dynamics are off or there are just better B teams out there that season. If you can afford it and it makes your child happy who cares if your child is on the A, B, C or even D team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Paying for a b team is for rich folks who want their kids to have activities. B team is rarely going A but will have 3-4 days where their kids are playing and parents are driving. The A teams are going to play in HS and College if they want to continue path (many will burn out way before that happens). Playing on B is supporting the A team and the league (thank you!) but your B team player will stay B.

This is probably one of the dumbest comments I've seen on this forum. Clearly you have no clue about youth sports or kids' physical and mental progression as they age.