What Situations Would Make You Move Clubs at U16 and up?

[Anonymous]

My U17 DD switched to a larger club this year to play in some bigger tournaments. Old club didn’t get into Disney /CASL/Jeff Cup/PDA. She wants to play in college and not getting in was limiting schools from seeing her. She at least gets to play in front of some lower D1 and the D2/3s now.

One note on the comments regarding roster bloat, I have noticed a lot more injuries and unavailability in the HS age groups for girls. The U18/19 teams really struggle fielding teams at times with injuries and things like SAT/ACT/Prom/College visits. The U16 and U17 teams do have to support the U18/19 team, so rosters of 18 (or maybe 18+ on one of the teams) are needed in these age groups.

[Anonymous]

With boys the physicality thing is such a big deal, unlike girls who have all reached maturity by 15 or so.

My kid is just starting his growth spurt at U15 (turned 14 in Dec). He is on a first team with great technical skill and IQ. I could see when he grows into his height (men are around 6'0-6'2" late growers in our family) he will need to move most likely. Right now as one of the youngest on his team and from a family of later growers---he at 5'1" is dwarfed by players that look like men--though he can hang in there. He has a size 11.5 shoes and the awkwardness at times that comes from the feet growing way before shooting up vertically, as well as knee issues. It will be interesting to see since all the pieces are there from having to rely on brain and technical skill due to being at a disadvantage due to birth year. Ultimately, I think it was an advantage for a lot of these boys that didn't rely on size/physical advantage.

This situation could have us re-assessing after the year of growth his orthopedist expects.

[Anonymous]

Go where your kid can play positions that fit them athletically. If that is where they are now - great. If not - move.

If your kid is a forward playing in back then move, and vice versa. Don’t stay somewhere 2 other kids are playing where your kid should be playing. I tell folks all the time my kid played center and wing D from u11 through graduation. Not one college coach saw her as a defender - too short. In 4 years of college ball she played about 90 minutes on Defense. She spent the bulk of her Sophomore year learning to be a mid. I should have moved her to a club where she could have been a starting mid. It was dumb not to do that.