Please explain tryouts

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As they age (U11/12) you’ll start to see a shift where defenders start to play most or all of the game if they are good, and weaker players me play some preset minimum time like half a game, but the better player will play significantly more than that.

Thank you for rasing the issue of the position mattering. A few people on our team have been snarky about the fact that my kid plays most of the game as a defender, but since their kid has absolutely no desire to do the position, I have no idea why they care.

The pp is true. My son plays RB/RWB and plays the entire game. However, it’s a very American think to be snarky about someone’s kid playing defense an entire game. Makes no sense to me. It takes a special player to be able to shut down a top notch attacker. I love watching a defender who can put an attacker in shackles during a game

I think by u14 the starting 11 should play most of the game or at least its time to stop the equal playing time approach. Especially for the GK and the defensive backs.

I generally agree, but I personally feel that U15 and u16 is where the competition phase should be truly that — competition. I know a lot of clubs start at u14 and some start a little later at u16. But eventually some kids will play more than others. No way around it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As they age (U11/12) you’ll start to see a shift where defenders start to play most or all of the game if they are good, and weaker players me play some preset minimum time like half a game, but the better player will play significantly more than that.

Thank you for rasing the issue of the position mattering. A few people on our team have been snarky about the fact that my kid plays most of the game as a defender, but since their kid has absolutely no desire to do the position, I have no idea why they care.

The pp is true. My son plays RB/RWB and plays the entire game. However, it’s a very American think to be snarky about someone’s kid playing defense an entire game. Makes no sense to me. It takes a special player to be able to shut down a top notch attacker. I love watching a defender who can put an attacker in shackles during a game

I think by u14 the starting 11 should play most of the game or at least its time to stop the equal playing time approach. Especially for the GK and the defensive backs.

I generally agree, but I personally feel that U15 and u16 is where the competition phase should be truly that — competition. I know a lot of clubs start at u14 and some start a little later at u16. But eventually some kids will play more than others. No way around it

Yes. My U16 plays on a competitive team with a huge roster and there are two sets of midfielders. They play equal time. Alternate when they start...one set starts one game, next set the next. They are fairly equal--some have differing talents.

I would rather a smaller roster and fighting for game time. My son started playing HS soccer with a very large roster and it is ability-based. He was sucking wind at the end of 90 min at CMD...and a lot is because for the past year he is usually only played 45 min per game. I told him, obviously he needs to be conditioning more on his own to be at full game speed for 90 min---but so much comes from playing the whole game. When I grew up, starting positions played the majority of the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As they age (U11/12) you’ll start to see a shift where defenders start to play most or all of the game if they are good, and weaker players me play some preset minimum time like half a game, but the better player will play significantly more than that.

Thank you for rasing the issue of the position mattering. A few people on our team have been snarky about the fact that my kid plays most of the game as a defender, but since their kid has absolutely no desire to do the position, I have no idea why they care.

The pp is true. My son plays RB/RWB and plays the entire game. However, it’s a very American think to be snarky about someone’s kid playing defense an entire game. Makes no sense to me. It takes a special player to be able to shut down a top notch attacker. I love watching a defender who can put an attacker in shackles during a game

I think by u14 the starting 11 should play most of the game or at least its time to stop the equal playing time approach. Especially for the GK and the defensive backs.

I generally agree, but I personally feel that U15 and u16 is where the competition phase should be truly that — competition. I know a lot of clubs start at u14 and some start a little later at u16. But eventually some kids will play more than others. No way around it

It started at U13 at our Club.

[Anonymous]

At Loudoun our teams basically stay the same unless some new kid shows up and blows it out of the water.

We have fancy words and pizza ready for us but realistically our teams are made before tryouts start. We mixed them all up to give parents a fake impression but within 5-7 minutes we’ve already separated every one of the 6 colors in different sectors of the field.

Then we send you the offer and only give you 24 hours to respond. Otherwise we go to the next kid. We have to ensure the money keeps flowing so we max rosters out even if we know some kid might be warming the bench the entire season. That means our bank accounts also stay warm.

First color team does the roster, then next coach can begin the calls and like that all the way to gray. We’re thinking of calling tier 6/7 gold to make parents and kids not feel too bad about themselves.

[Anonymous]

Was platinum taken already?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At Loudoun our teams basically stay the same unless some new kid shows up and blows it out of the water.

We have fancy words and pizza ready for us but realistically our teams are made before tryouts start. We mixed them all up to give parents a fake impression but within 5-7 minutes we’ve already separated every one of the 6 colors in different sectors of the field.

Then we send you the offer and only give you 24 hours to respond. Otherwise we go to the next kid. We have to ensure the money keeps flowing so we max rosters out even if we know some kid might be warming the bench the entire season. That means our bank accounts also stay warm.

First color team does the roster, then next coach can begin the calls and like that all the way to gray. We’re thinking of calling tier 6/7 gold to make parents and kids not feel too bad about themselves.

You realize that’s not unique to Loudoun—it’s done that way at Arlington, McLean, Alexandria, etc., etc..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As they age (U11/12) you’ll start to see a shift where defenders start to play most or all of the game if they are good, and weaker players me play some preset minimum time like half a game, but the better player will play significantly more than that.

Thank you for rasing the issue of the position mattering. A few people on our team have been snarky about the fact that my kid plays most of the game as a defender, but since their kid has absolutely no desire to do the position, I have no idea why they care.

The pp is true. My son plays RB/RWB and plays the entire game. However, it’s a very American think to be snarky about someone’s kid playing defense an entire game. Makes no sense to me. It takes a special player to be able to shut down a top notch attacker. I love watching a defender who can put an attacker in shackles during a game

I think by u14 the starting 11 should play most of the game or at least its time to stop the equal playing time approach. Especially for the GK and the defensive backs.

I generally agree, but I personally feel that U15 and u16 is where the competition phase should be truly that — competition. I know a lot of clubs start at u14 and some start a little later at u16. But eventually some kids will play more than others. No way around it

It started at U13 at our Club.

Our coach did it at a U12 tournament and the kids were not prepared. Some kids literally didn’t play at all in some games. Hard life lesson moments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Loudoun our teams basically stay the same unless some new kid shows up and blows it out of the water.

We have fancy words and pizza ready for us but realistically our teams are made before tryouts start. We mixed them all up to give parents a fake impression but within 5-7 minutes we’ve already separated every one of the 6 colors in different sectors of the field.

Then we send you the offer and only give you 24 hours to respond. Otherwise we go to the next kid. We have to ensure the money keeps flowing so we max rosters out even if we know some kid might be warming the bench the entire season. That means our bank accounts also stay warm.

First color team does the roster, then next coach can begin the calls and like that all the way to gray. We’re thinking of calling tier 6/7 gold to make parents and kids not feel too bad about themselves.

You realize that’s not unique to Loudoun—it’s done that way at Arlington, McLean, Alexandria, etc., etc..

No - it's not. That said - I don't know if it's truly done that way at Loudoun either . But there are plenty of clubs that do not make roster offers to kids that will be warming the bench the entire season. Instead they reduce the roster size if the nineteenth and twentieth kids are at a level where they are not good enough to see much playing time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At Loudoun our teams basically stay the same unless some new kid shows up and blows it out of the water.

We have fancy words and pizza ready for us but realistically our teams are made before tryouts start. We mixed them all up to give parents a fake impression but within 5-7 minutes we’ve already separated every one of the 6 colors in different sectors of the field.

Then we send you the offer and only give you 24 hours to respond. Otherwise we go to the next kid. We have to ensure the money keeps flowing so we max rosters out even if we know some kid might be warming the bench the entire season. That means our bank accounts also stay warm.

First color team does the roster, then next coach can begin the calls and like that all the way to gray. We’re thinking of calling tier 6/7 gold to make parents and kids not feel too bad about themselves.

You realize that’s not unique to Loudoun—it’s done that way at Arlington, McLean, Alexandria, etc., etc..

I realize you must be a paid staffer doing damage control patrolling every thread and trying to clean up a tarnished and devalued reputation. If you ever had one. It’s not how it’s done at every club. Only those where the philosophy is commanded by the love and fixation of the Benjamins. Focus on your 14 year old girls. It’s the only thing you got going on.

[Anonymous]

Focus on your 14 year old girls. It’s the only thing you got going on.

Polish the brand!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As they age (U11/12) you’ll start to see a shift where defenders start to play most or all of the game if they are good, and weaker players me play some preset minimum time like half a game, but the better player will play significantly more than that.

Thank you for rasing the issue of the position mattering. A few people on our team have been snarky about the fact that my kid plays most of the game as a defender, but since their kid has absolutely no desire to do the position, I have no idea why they care.

The pp is true. My son plays RB/RWB and plays the entire game. However, it’s a very American think to be snarky about someone’s kid playing defense an entire game. Makes no sense to me. It takes a special player to be able to shut down a top notch attacker. I love watching a defender who can put an attacker in shackles during a game

I think by u14 the starting 11 should play most of the game or at least its time to stop the equal playing time approach. Especially for the GK and the defensive backs.

I generally agree, but I personally feel that U15 and u16 is where the competition phase should be truly that — competition. I know a lot of clubs start at u14 and some start a little later at u16. But eventually some kids will play more than others. No way around it

It started at U13 at our Club.

Our coach did it at a U12 tournament and the kids were not prepared. Some kids literally didn’t play at all in some games. Hard life lesson moments.

Got to happen at some point. We baby these kids much more now than past generations. Too many parents these days choose to pay for for travel soccer as a protected sport. Kids dont play pick up sports at the playground anymore. Everything is structured and paid for. Gone are the days where kids competed on their own and they knew who was better and who sucked. Those kids even if they sucked competed their butts of to get better in order to be picked in the games. Today its all paid for and guaranteed to have not only a spot on the team but actual equal playing time. Parents are giving this generation a false sense of being good enough by simply writing a check.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As they age (U11/12) you’ll start to see a shift where defenders start to play most or all of the game if they are good, and weaker players me play some preset minimum time like half a game, but the better player will play significantly more than that.

Thank you for rasing the issue of the position mattering. A few people on our team have been snarky about the fact that my kid plays most of the game as a defender, but since their kid has absolutely no desire to do the position, I have no idea why they care.

The pp is true. My son plays RB/RWB and plays the entire game. However, it’s a very American think to be snarky about someone’s kid playing defense an entire game. Makes no sense to me. It takes a special player to be able to shut down a top notch attacker. I love watching a defender who can put an attacker in shackles during a game

I think by u14 the starting 11 should play most of the game or at least its time to stop the equal playing time approach. Especially for the GK and the defensive backs.

I generally agree, but I personally feel that U15 and u16 is where the competition phase should be truly that — competition. I know a lot of clubs start at u14 and some start a little later at u16. But eventually some kids will play more than others. No way around it

It started at U13 at our Club.

Our coach did it at a U12 tournament and the kids were not prepared. Some kids literally didn’t play at all in some games. Hard life lesson moments.

Got to happen at some point. We baby these kids much more now than past generations. Too many parents these days choose to pay for for travel soccer as a protected sport. Kids dont play pick up sports at the playground anymore. Everything is structured and paid for. Gone are the days where kids competed on their own and they knew who was better and who sucked. Those kids even if they sucked competed their butts of to get better in order to be picked in the games. Today its all paid for and guaranteed to have not only a spot on the team but actual equal playing time. Parents are giving this generation a false sense of being good enough by simply writing a check.

Agree in theory but letting the players and parents know ahead of time that this was a norm in travel, before humiliating 11/12 yr olds who have family members in attendance would have been a common courtesy. I have no issue with benching a lower performer or letting stronger players lead especially in critical games. Setting expectations is key and a positive things for teams.

[Anonymous]

Got to happen at some point. We baby these kids much more now than past generations. Too many parents these days choose to pay for for travel soccer as a protected sport. Kids dont play pick up sports at the playground anymore. Everything is structured and paid for. Gone are the days where kids competed on their own and they knew who was better and who sucked. Those kids even if they sucked competed their butts of to get better in order to be picked in the games. Today its all paid for and guaranteed to have not only a spot on the team but actual equal playing time. Parents are giving this generation a false sense of being good enough by simply writing a check.

1. Kids absolutely compete and know who is better and who sucks.

2. Plenty of kids do play pickup and compete on their own. If yours doesn't that's your problem - don't project it onto others.

3. Competition can absolutely happen at tryouts / selection time - and the better clubs also allow for movement between teams. This is much better than simply not playing a kid who is not good enough.

4. Charging a kid to be on a team where he doesn't play is clearly not a sustainable business model - nor should it be. Why should a kid pay to sit on the bench?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As they age (U11/12) you’ll start to see a shift where defenders start to play most or all of the game if they are good, and weaker players me play some preset minimum time like half a game, but the better player will play significantly more than that.

Thank you for rasing the issue of the position mattering. A few people on our team have been snarky about the fact that my kid plays most of the game as a defender, but since their kid has absolutely no desire to do the position, I have no idea why they care.

The pp is true. My son plays RB/RWB and plays the entire game. However, it’s a very American think to be snarky about someone’s kid playing defense an entire game. Makes no sense to me. It takes a special player to be able to shut down a top notch attacker. I love watching a defender who can put an attacker in shackles during a game

I think by u14 the starting 11 should play most of the game or at least its time to stop the equal playing time approach. Especially for the GK and the defensive backs.

I generally agree, but I personally feel that U15 and u16 is where the competition phase should be truly that — competition. I know a lot of clubs start at u14 and some start a little later at u16. But eventually some kids will play more than others. No way around it

It started at U13 at our Club.

Our coach did it at a U12 tournament and the kids were not prepared. Some kids literally didn’t play at all in some games. Hard life lesson moments.

Got to happen at some point. We baby these kids much more now than past generations. Too many parents these days choose to pay for for travel soccer as a protected sport. Kids dont play pick up sports at the playground anymore. Everything is structured and paid for. Gone are the days where kids competed on their own and they knew who was better and who sucked. Those kids even if they sucked competed their butts of to get better in order to be picked in the games. Today its all paid for and guaranteed to have not only a spot on the team but actual equal playing time. Parents are giving this generation a false sense of being good enough by simply writing a check.

Agree in theory but letting the players and parents know ahead of time that this was a norm in travel, before humiliating 11/12 yr olds who have family members in attendance would have been a common courtesy. I have no issue with benching a lower performer or letting stronger players lead especially in critical games. Setting expectations is key and a positive things for teams.

There I believe lies part of the problem. Letting the parents and players know ahead of time is the norm in travel Or thinking its humiliating them when family is in attendance. Thats the isolated make them feel like they are better than they are. Its not a kindergarten school play or even a rec league soccer game. Its a competitive travel soccer league.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Got to happen at some point. We baby these kids much more now than past generations. Too many parents these days choose to pay for for travel soccer as a protected sport. Kids dont play pick up sports at the playground anymore. Everything is structured and paid for. Gone are the days where kids competed on their own and they knew who was better and who sucked. Those kids even if they sucked competed their butts of to get better in order to be picked in the games. Today its all paid for and guaranteed to have not only a spot on the team but actual equal playing time. Parents are giving this generation a false sense of being good enough by simply writing a check.

1. Kids absolutely compete and know who is better and who sucks.

2. Plenty of kids do play pickup and compete on their own. If yours doesn't that's your problem - don't project it onto others.

3. Competition can absolutely happen at tryouts / selection time - and the better clubs also allow for movement between teams. This is much better than simply not playing a kid who is not good enough.

4. Charging a kid to be on a team where he doesn't play is clearly not a sustainable business model - nor should it be. Why should a kid pay to sit on the bench?

I think we are agreeing here. Other than this is travel or competitive so that means compete. Its not rec league, you need to complete to earn your minutes. They shouldn't be handed to you. Thats what rec is for. My thought is if you find your kid is not good enough to earn the minutes he/she shouldn't be rewarded with the minutes. Going back to the playground scenario if you win you stay on if you lose you sit out until you got next. that motivates you to work to get better to stay on if it means enough to you. But most of these parents are more about making their kids feel good than actually teaching them to strive to be good.