Spring 2017 soccer club tryouts

[Anonymous]

^^^ and never putting lower team members on tryout fields with upper team players so they still aren't even looking at them at tryouts. The tryouts are just for show. kids are pre-seeded onto fields.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How often do kids who are slow at ages 10-11 speed up later?

I can't answer in general but my older son was chubby and slow at 10-11 and then between 7th/8th grade grew 8 inches, slimmed out and now is markedly faster. He made the team he didn't make the year before when he was chubby and slow. We didn't bother to try out again for the one that told him he would never be a travel soccer player at U9. These kids can change so much when they hit puberty, for better or worse. Puberty happened to be kind to my son.

Yep. My kid was an enormous chubby baby/toddler and a husky (but fast) first/2nd grader.

Theyboegged him as slow his first year of tryouts---mainly by first sight. He excelled greatly and his. Is h kept telling RD and those above they made a placement mistake but to deaf ears.

He is now 11.5 and one of the younger U12s and now dwarfed by the middle schoolers on his team. Now as one of the smaller kids on his current team--he plays whole game and is a clutch player.

The first club left such a sore taste in my mouth. Ironically, all of the kids they praised and said were unbelievable at 8--none of them are on the Ateam 3 years later. Many are in the lowest team going into U13 and their parents are pissed.

We are experiencing the great irony as well. The smug parents that walked around at U9/U10 saying anyone that complained about placement was delusional and their kid was no good. Now at U13, every single one of those players was dropped down, some as far as the bottom team. Guess which parents are running around crying now? Our kids have now moved up and they are crying it's so unfair to their children. It can only be an error if it's their child.

The funny thing about youth soccer, is that kids develop at different paces. A star at U9 isn't necessarily a star at U13, and a dud at U12 can be a star by U16, hence the whole "demotion/promotion" thing. They are placed where they belong according to their development. I know that is not a popular mindset, but it is just how it is, delusions of grandeur notwithstanding.

Except in the instances that the kid was a standout on the team and at tryouts at U9 and placed very poorly. Then, is still a standout down the road and moved up (and Club takes credit for the miraculous development ). No, you f*ckfaces, he was the same younger and you just about destroyed all confidence completely when you kept repeatedly overlooking the kid--even when coaches tried to tell you this and the results were tangible.

Ah yes, the coach is out to get lil johnny. MOVE CLUBS if you aren't happy, there are a million clubs in the area and bitching about it here does nothing. Maybe he was overlooked because he just wasn't a good fit, just because a kid can do a step over does not mean he should be on the team. Wish parents would stop bitching. Skills, fit, and politics are all a part of travel soccer....accept it.

I know right. If the kid is clearly better and was already one of the strongest on the team then the coach will want him on the team. If they were previously on the team and he was a good player, the coach knows that and also knows that a try-out playing 4v4 or 5v5 doesn't always translate to a good showing. If they kid was OK on team but someone at try-outs is clearly better, they are likely to take a chance with the better player. That's just how it works. They are not going to turn away a talented player that could make the team and those around them better.

You all are completely missing the point. Scenario: Coaches from lower teams repeatedly telling upper team coaches and TD a player needs to be moved up. TD and age group head never bothering to even look at the player or take lower coaches recommendations.

Kid being the strongest on mixed indoor futsal league team with upper team players and still not getting moved.

OK, if you think your kid is THAT GOOD, and he/she is being ignored, then change clubs! It's just not a good fit!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How often do kids who are slow at ages 10-11 speed up later?

I can't answer in general but my older son was chubby and slow at 10-11 and then between 7th/8th grade grew 8 inches, slimmed out and now is markedly faster. He made the team he didn't make the year before when he was chubby and slow. We didn't bother to try out again for the one that told him he would never be a travel soccer player at U9. These kids can change so much when they hit puberty, for better or worse. Puberty happened to be kind to my son.

Yep. My kid was an enormous chubby baby/toddler and a husky (but fast) first/2nd grader.

Theyboegged him as slow his first year of tryouts---mainly by first sight. He excelled greatly and his. Is h kept telling RD and those above they made a placement mistake but to deaf ears.

He is now 11.5 and one of the younger U12s and now dwarfed by the middle schoolers on his team. Now as one of the smaller kids on his current team--he plays whole game and is a clutch player.

The first club left such a sore taste in my mouth. Ironically, all of the kids they praised and said were unbelievable at 8--none of them are on the Ateam 3 years later. Many are in the lowest team going into U13 and their parents are pissed.

We are experiencing the great irony as well. The smug parents that walked around at U9/U10 saying anyone that complained about placement was delusional and their kid was no good. Now at U13, every single one of those players was dropped down, some as far as the bottom team. Guess which parents are running around crying now? Our kids have now moved up and they are crying it's so unfair to their children. It can only be an error if it's their child.

The funny thing about youth soccer, is that kids develop at different paces. A star at U9 isn't necessarily a star at U13, and a dud at U12 can be a star by U16, hence the whole "demotion/promotion" thing. They are placed where they belong according to their development. I know that is not a popular mindset, but it is just how it is, delusions of grandeur notwithstanding.

Except in the instances that the kid was a standout on the team and at tryouts at U9 and placed very poorly. Then, is still a standout down the road and moved up (and Club takes credit for the miraculous development ). No, you f*ckfaces, he was the same younger and you just about destroyed all confidence completely when you kept repeatedly overlooking the kid--even when coaches tried to tell you this and the results were tangible.

Ah yes, the coach is out to get lil johnny. MOVE CLUBS if you aren't happy, there are a million clubs in the area and bitching about it here does nothing. Maybe he was overlooked because he just wasn't a good fit, just because a kid can do a step over does not mean he should be on the team. Wish parents would stop bitching. Skills, fit, and politics are all a part of travel soccer....accept it.

I think we could all do without the politics and ass-kissers.

My policy is to never talk assignments. I sure have seen a lot of horseshit in a few short years. The other two are fine.

Years ago when we lived on the west coast, the club we were at would rotate the coaches to build teams during tryouts. Basically, a coach that was not assigned to the previous year's team would do a full assessment on every player that tried out. They would roster the teams without any knowledge of the previous year's performance or status. In fact, he/she would only know them by number. This could be a coach from another age group or on the other gender's side. Once the roster was built, the assigned coach would take over to train and of course had the ability to reshuffle (but it was pretty spot on in terms of skills so we didn't really see much movement). The tryouts were longer and it wasn't spread across weeks, this was like a 3-4 day tryout in a row. I think they did this up to U12/U13. Their message to the parents was pretty simple, "it is not a perfect solution, but the kids know that they have to earn it every time."

This is nice and all but it is still a bad idea to place this much emphasis on four days versus assessing throughout the year. The only thing that this process eliminates is the "politics" but it does not serve as any better form of tryout simply because a "different set of eyes" is on the kids. To discount progression or regression during the course of a season in favor of how well kids perform over 4 days is still the exact same thing as before. This doesn't reinvent the tryout at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am debating whether it makes sense to spend another year (U12) at the bottom level travel team? My kid is going on 11 and loves the game, but has never been a top performer. Anyone been here? What have you done?

Does your kid WANT to be a top performer? If so, invest in outside training with a trainer and/or training clinics. If not, then stay on the lower team, or play house.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does Arlington Soccer post tryout results online? So instead of a caring phone call from a coach role model, young boys and girls find out online that their coach moved them down 1 or 2 teams, and then the family just goes the whole summer with no courtesy call from the coach and starts up in the Fall with the new team/coach??? Wondering how it works from those who have already been through this. I know players moving up get LOTS of contact and feedback pre-tryouts about their potential movement, but do the Arlington coaches really blow off the players moved down and never even five the player feedback or explanation?

Or maybe it is just the bad coaches? Or maybe feedback is only for the players and families that bother to follow up and ask for an explamation , although I imagine most aren't apt to bother doing that for obvious reasons. TIA.

Some have been give no indication they will. E cut. Evaluations don't include any helpful info. In fact, seen praise and then the following week demotion. It's fucking weird.

That's unbelievable to me. You have a coach for an entire year, they say nothing before tryouts, move you down on some Internet public posting, say nothing after tryouts and nothing all summer. Am I missing another point of view here? How is this not outrageous? I would think coaches care about players. There has to be some reason . . .

From my experience in travel soccer, you would be wrong.

My son tried out for travel for the first time this year and they separated the kids into those who were on travel now and those who were new. The ones who were new barely got a look. Why have everyone try out again if you aren't going to give consideration to all the players? It felt like such a farce. I know my kid is pretty good as he has made other teams but ASA is the most convenient for us and the whole thing was just a big fake show.

It isn't the only fake show around. I am realizing it happens pretty much everywhere. My kid was on the lower end of a A team mainly due to lack of speed and aggressiveness at U9. His touch and technique are leaps above many on his team but he wasn't even paired with his own teammates at tryouts while new kids from a different club get new looks and their parents are offering themselves as a packaged deal bump off boys that don't help the team win the U-Little World Cup. American Youth Soccer is a shit show all around. Clubs say it's all for development at this age but their nature is to develop the winning team even at the lowest of ages. The coaches might not even realize what they are doing.

Yup. Same for the girls too.

DD just got demoted down a team in Arlington.

No heads up, explanation, or call from head coach

just the Internet list. Next will be the generic email asking for acceptance and payment.

I'm sure there were warning signs that this might happen if you look back. The first big red flag is playing time or team role that is reduced either suddenly or over time. While a good coach should address the issue that your kid is on the bubble that may not always be the case.

And while playing time may not be the end all beat all of warning signs but if your player was a starter and during the course of the season their role was reduced you might want to talk with the coach about it. Not in a negative way but just to get some clarification on what the expectations are so that you are more aware of whether or not your player is meeting them.

But in general, whether you are told specifically or not, ANY kid that is not a starter is considered a bubble and is subject to "demotion" based on outside talent or developing kids on a lower team.

That said, a demotion to a lower team is more often than not the best thing for a kid. Be honest with yourself regarding your kids confidence and satisfaction with their current role on the team. Getting more minutes and having a bigger role on the B team will have a positive affect on your player as long as you keep a positive attitude. Once the kid gets settled in they are fine with it, it is the parents that carry the grudge more than the kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How often do kids who are slow at ages 10-11 speed up later?

I can't answer in general but my older son was chubby and slow at 10-11 and then between 7th/8th grade grew 8 inches, slimmed out and now is markedly faster. He made the team he didn't make the year before when he was chubby and slow. We didn't bother to try out again for the one that told him he would never be a travel soccer player at U9. These kids can change so much when they hit puberty, for better or worse. Puberty happened to be kind to my son.

Yep. My kid was an enormous chubby baby/toddler and a husky (but fast) first/2nd grader.

Theyboegged him as slow his first year of tryouts---mainly by first sight. He excelled greatly and his. Is h kept telling RD and those above they made a placement mistake but to deaf ears.

He is now 11.5 and one of the younger U12s and now dwarfed by the middle schoolers on his team. Now as one of the smaller kids on his current team--he plays whole game and is a clutch player.

The first club left such a sore taste in my mouth. Ironically, all of the kids they praised and said were unbelievable at 8--none of them are on the Ateam 3 years later. Many are in the lowest team going into U13 and their parents are pissed.

We are experiencing the great irony as well. The smug parents that walked around at U9/U10 saying anyone that complained about placement was delusional and their kid was no good. Now at U13, every single one of those players was dropped down, some as far as the bottom team. Guess which parents are running around crying now? Our kids have now moved up and they are crying it's so unfair to their children. It can only be an error if it's their child.

The funny thing about youth soccer, is that kids develop at different paces. A star at U9 isn't necessarily a star at U13, and a dud at U12 can be a star by U16, hence the whole "demotion/promotion" thing. They are placed where they belong according to their development. I know that is not a popular mindset, but it is just how it is, delusions of grandeur notwithstanding.

Except in the instances that the kid was a standout on the team and at tryouts at U9 and placed very poorly. Then, is still a standout down the road and moved up (and Club takes credit for the miraculous development ). No, you f*ckfaces, he was the same younger and you just about destroyed all confidence completely when you kept repeatedly overlooking the kid--even when coaches tried to tell you this and the results were tangible.

Ah yes, the coach is out to get lil johnny. MOVE CLUBS if you aren't happy, there are a million clubs in the area and bitching about it here does nothing. Maybe he was overlooked because he just wasn't a good fit, just because a kid can do a step over does not mean he should be on the team. Wish parents would stop bitching. Skills, fit, and politics are all a part of travel soccer....accept it.

I think we could all do without the politics and ass-kissers.

My policy is to never talk assignments. I sure have seen a lot of horseshit in a few short years. The other two are fine.

Years ago when we lived on the west coast, the club we were at would rotate the coaches to build teams during tryouts. Basically, a coach that was not assigned to the previous year's team would do a full assessment on every player that tried out. They would roster the teams without any knowledge of the previous year's performance or status. In fact, he/she would only know them by number. This could be a coach from another age group or on the other gender's side. Once the roster was built, the assigned coach would take over to train and of course had the ability to reshuffle (but it was pretty spot on in terms of skills so we didn't really see much movement). The tryouts were longer and it wasn't spread across weeks, this was like a 3-4 day tryout in a row. I think they did this up to U12/U13. Their message to the parents was pretty simple, "it is not a perfect solution, but the kids know that they have to earn it every time."

This is nice and all but it is still a bad idea to place this much emphasis on four days versus assessing throughout the year. The only thing that this process eliminates is the "politics" but it does not serve as any better form of tryout simply because a "different set of eyes" is on the kids. To discount progression or regression during the course of a season in favor of how well kids perform over 4 days is still the exact same thing as before. This doesn't reinvent the tryout at all.

The age group head/upper team coach and TD don't see any players except A team all year----how is that fear to all the players in the age group.

This is better. One bad day--okay. They have 4 days to show. Tough shit if they have a bad 4-day show...go down.

That is the way it works in most sports.

[Anonymous]

^^ fair, not fear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How often do kids who are slow at ages 10-11 speed up later?

I can't answer in general but my older son was chubby and slow at 10-11 and then between 7th/8th grade grew 8 inches, slimmed out and now is markedly faster. He made the team he didn't make the year before when he was chubby and slow. We didn't bother to try out again for the one that told him he would never be a travel soccer player at U9. These kids can change so much when they hit puberty, for better or worse. Puberty happened to be kind to my son.

Yep. My kid was an enormous chubby baby/toddler and a husky (but fast) first/2nd grader.

Theyboegged him as slow his first year of tryouts---mainly by first sight. He excelled greatly and his. Is h kept telling RD and those above they made a placement mistake but to deaf ears.

He is now 11.5 and one of the younger U12s and now dwarfed by the middle schoolers on his team. Now as one of the smaller kids on his current team--he plays whole game and is a clutch player.

The first club left such a sore taste in my mouth. Ironically, all of the kids they praised and said were unbelievable at 8--none of them are on the Ateam 3 years later. Many are in the lowest team going into U13 and their parents are pissed.

We are experiencing the great irony as well. The smug parents that walked around at U9/U10 saying anyone that complained about placement was delusional and their kid was no good. Now at U13, every single one of those players was dropped down, some as far as the bottom team. Guess which parents are running around crying now? Our kids have now moved up and they are crying it's so unfair to their children. It can only be an error if it's their child.

The funny thing about youth soccer, is that kids develop at different paces. A star at U9 isn't necessarily a star at U13, and a dud at U12 can be a star by U16, hence the whole "demotion/promotion" thing. They are placed where they belong according to their development. I know that is not a popular mindset, but it is just how it is, delusions of grandeur notwithstanding.

Except in the instances that the kid was a standout on the team and at tryouts at U9 and placed very poorly. Then, is still a standout down the road and moved up (and Club takes credit for the miraculous development ). No, you f*ckfaces, he was the same younger and you just about destroyed all confidence completely when you kept repeatedly overlooking the kid--even when coaches tried to tell you this and the results were tangible.

Ah yes, the coach is out to get lil johnny. MOVE CLUBS if you aren't happy, there are a million clubs in the area and bitching about it here does nothing. Maybe he was overlooked because he just wasn't a good fit, just because a kid can do a step over does not mean he should be on the team. Wish parents would stop bitching. Skills, fit, and politics are all a part of travel soccer....accept it.

I think we could all do without the politics and ass-kissers.

My policy is to never talk assignments. I sure have seen a lot of horseshit in a few short years. The other two are fine.

Years ago when we lived on the west coast, the club we were at would rotate the coaches to build teams during tryouts. Basically, a coach that was not assigned to the previous year's team would do a full assessment on every player that tried out. They would roster the teams without any knowledge of the previous year's performance or status. In fact, he/she would only know them by number. This could be a coach from another age group or on the other gender's side. Once the roster was built, the assigned coach would take over to train and of course had the ability to reshuffle (but it was pretty spot on in terms of skills so we didn't really see much movement). The tryouts were longer and it wasn't spread across weeks, this was like a 3-4 day tryout in a row. I think they did this up to U12/U13. Their message to the parents was pretty simple, "it is not a perfect solution, but the kids know that they have to earn it every time."

This is nice and all but it is still a bad idea to place this much emphasis on four days versus assessing throughout the year. The only thing that this process eliminates is the "politics" but it does not serve as any better form of tryout simply because a "different set of eyes" is on the kids. To discount progression or regression during the course of a season in favor of how well kids perform over 4 days is still the exact same thing as before. This doesn't reinvent the tryout at all.

The age group head/upper team coach and TD don't see any players except A team all year----how is that fear to all the players in the age group.

This is better. One bad day--okay. They have 4 days to show. Tough shit if they have a bad 4-day show...go down.

That is the way it works in most sports.

Yep. Demoted kid/poor show for 4 days will have an entire year to prove him/herself and move up next year. You know---just like the poor players never being looked at all last year. It's the breaks. Why should that kid be treated any differently?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You all are completely missing the point. Scenario: Coaches from lower teams repeatedly telling upper team coaches and TD a player needs to be moved up. TD and age group head never bothering to even look at the player or take lower coaches recommendations.

Kid being the strongest on mixed indoor futsal league team with upper team players and still not getting moved.

OK, if you think your kid is THAT GOOD, and he/she is being ignored, then change clubs! It's just not a good fit!

Everyone gets your point, and agrees with PP that said change clubs. When your superstar goes to another couple club's tryouts and gets offered spots on their top teams, then you can happily tell the current club that you're leaving for a higher team since they've overlooked you for so long. Or, if you don't get the offers for those top teams, you can start to think that maybe the current club is not too far off base in their assessment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You all are completely missing the point. Scenario: Coaches from lower teams repeatedly telling upper team coaches and TD a player needs to be moved up. TD and age group head never bothering to even look at the player or take lower coaches recommendations.

Kid being the strongest on mixed indoor futsal league team with upper team players and still not getting moved.

OK, if you think your kid is THAT GOOD, and he/she is being ignored, then change clubs! It's just not a good fit!

Everyone gets your point, and agrees with PP that said change clubs. When your superstar goes to another couple club's tryouts and gets offered spots on their top teams, then you can happily tell the current club that you're leaving for a higher team since they've overlooked you for so long. Or, if you don't get the offers for those top teams, you can start to think that maybe the current club is not too far off base in their assessment.

Or you can go to a tournament, run into Coaches from former Club that come to tell you your kid was outstanding and that X coach/Club made a huge mistake. Very nice to hear. Sometimes people aren't looking for a 'team spot', just people that know what they are looking at.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am debating whether it makes sense to spend another year (U12) at the bottom level travel team? My kid is going on 11 and loves the game, but has never been a top performer. Anyone been here? What have you done?

Does your kid WANT to be a top performer? If so, invest in outside training with a trainer and/or training clinics. If not, then stay on the lower team, or play house.

Thanks - pp here who posted this - good reminder to check my ego.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does Arlington Soccer post tryout results online? So instead of a caring phone call from a coach role model, young boys and girls find out online that their coach moved them down 1 or 2 teams, and then the family just goes the whole summer with no courtesy call from the coach and starts up in the Fall with the new team/coach??? Wondering how it works from those who have already been through this. I know players moving up get LOTS of contact and feedback pre-tryouts about their potential movement, but do the Arlington coaches really blow off the players moved down and never even five the player feedback or explanation?

Or maybe it is just the bad coaches? Or maybe feedback is only for the players and families that bother to follow up and ask for an explamation , although I imagine most aren't apt to bother doing that for obvious reasons. TIA.

They used to call but people complained about it. A LOT. Because they always started with the Red team and worked down. Phone calls take a lot longer than online postings, and coaches have real jobs (some), families (some), and they are often coaching in the evenings and weekends. So, they would start to call, and maybe get through 6 phone calls at a time - given Arlington parent's inclination to talk and talk and talk, rather than to just accept or decline the offer. So, it might take 1-2 days to get through the Red team, then another few days to get through the white, and so on. So, kids were going to school and saying "Larlo was called and made travel soccer" and assumed they didn't make it, or they'd have to wait painfully for a week or even longer - (Memorial Day tornaments would sometimes interrupt the calling cycle). So they moved to an online posting scheme.

Technically, I believe the coaches are supposed to call to warn you if your child is in danger of moving down. But I think with the growth in Arlington and the DA shifting kids around and kids coming from outside at tryouts, potentially moving existing kids down, it doesn't happen as often as it should.

You are also supposed to have a parent meeting within a few weeks of tryouts/offers, so it wouldn't be the whole summer going w/o coach contact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You all are completely missing the point. Scenario: Coaches from lower teams repeatedly telling upper team coaches and TD a player needs to be moved up. TD and age group head never bothering to even look at the player or take lower coaches recommendations.

Kid being the strongest on mixed indoor futsal league team with upper team players and still not getting moved.

OK, if you think your kid is THAT GOOD, and he/she is being ignored, then change clubs! It's just not a good fit!

Everyone gets your point, and agrees with PP that said change clubs. When your superstar goes to another couple club's tryouts and gets offered spots on their top teams, then you can happily tell the current club that you're leaving for a higher team since they've overlooked you for so long. Or, if you don't get the offers for those top teams, you can start to think that maybe the current club is not too far off base in their assessment.

Or you can go to a tournament, run into Coaches from former Club that come to tell you your kid was outstanding and that X coach/Club made a huge mistake. Very nice to hear. Sometimes people aren't looking for a 'team spot', just people that know what they are looking at.

I think this is very good advice! Our daughter left her club for a better coach and team; yet she continues to bump into coaches from various old clubs that have watched her play (past tryouts, tournaments, etc.). Rather then running and trying to get a second offer to see whether she is slotted well at her current club, we rely on these relationships to gauge if she is still improving with higher peaks ahead, or is in over her head. This helps us decide on whether her current club remains a good fit. Never burn bridges with coaches you meet. Often the coach of your current player is the worst source of information, and may not even talk to you prior to tryouts, but all the other coaches you know will probably give you more honest advice especially if you can see they don't have a current agenda. Sometimes other coaches at your current club are good sources as well, especially if you have a comfortable relationship. The worst sources are other parents. Keep everything arms length and don't trust anything you're being told. Finally, actions speak louder than words, and never get into a discussion with a coach over improper team placement. I disagree with PPs who say to talk to the coach. If he/she is ignoring you, it will not do any good anyway and maybe burn a bridge after you leave if need be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You all are completely missing the point. Scenario: Coaches from lower teams repeatedly telling upper team coaches and TD a player needs to be moved up. TD and age group head never bothering to even look at the player or take lower coaches recommendations.

Kid being the strongest on mixed indoor futsal league team with upper team players and still not getting moved.

OK, if you think your kid is THAT GOOD, and he/she is being ignored, then change clubs! It's just not a good fit!

Everyone gets your point, and agrees with PP that said change clubs. When your superstar goes to another couple club's tryouts and gets offered spots on their top teams, then you can happily tell the current club that you're leaving for a higher team since they've overlooked you for so long. Or, if you don't get the offers for those top teams, you can start to think that maybe the current club is not too far off base in their assessment.

Or you can go to a tournament, run into Coaches from former Club that come to tell you your kid was outstanding and that X coach/Club made a huge mistake. Very nice to hear. Sometimes people aren't looking for a 'team spot', just people that know what they are looking at.

I think this is very good advice! Our daughter left her club for a better coach and team; yet she continues to bump into coaches from various old clubs that have watched her play (past tryouts, tournaments, etc.). Rather then running and trying to get a second offer to see whether she is slotted well at her current club, we rely on these relationships to gauge if she is still improving with higher peaks ahead, or is in over her head. This helps us decide on whether her current club remains a good fit. Never burn bridges with coaches you meet. Often the coach of your current player is the worst source of information, and may not even talk to you prior to tryouts, but all the other coaches you know will probably give you more honest advice especially if you can see they don't have a current agenda. Sometimes other coaches at your current club are good sources as well, especially if you have a comfortable relationship. The worst sources are other parents. Keep everything arms length and don't trust anything you're being told. Finally, actions speak louder than words, and never get into a discussion with a coach over improper team placement. I disagree with PPs who say to talk to the coach. If he/she is ignoring you, it will not do any good anyway and maybe burn a bridge after you leave if need be.

Yes to everything you said. I am the pp.

[Anonymous]

At the older ages, we have some HS starters who are 2nd team on club - at school, they are above those who are club 1st team. It happens, every team and club has different dynamics. The big difference will be the tournament play and the recruiting that your player will get - like state cup is for top color team only - but that's way far away from u-little team colors.