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For kids who are not likely to be playing at the ECNL or similar level (more like a division 1 NCSL team), does the recommendation still hold to reach out to other clubs directly rather than waiting for open tryouts, especially for a goalkeeper for whom open tryouts may not be as useful? If so, at what point during the year do people recommend starting to contact other clubs?
For anyone interested in an update, last night we got an email from the purple coach asking our son to practice with purple rather than cyan again this week but no comment on whether DS might even play with purple this weekend. It's pretty clear the purple coach isn't looking to bring our kid up to his team permanently, he's just trying to stack his bench with options without making a commitment. We responded that he would not be able to practice with purple because we felt it was important for him to practice with his actual team, as it wouldn't be fair to cyan to have someone just drop in for games who hasn't practiced with the team, doesn't understand their play style/strategy, etc.
DS is pissed at us because he thinks we tanked his chances to play with purple. Maybe we did, but I cannot condone this behavior by playing along with it. And I legitimately believe what I said to the purple coach - I think DS bailing on practices for what may be a better opportunity at some point at the expense of his current team is really poor character and sportsmanship. If the purple coach wants DS to commit to his team, he needs to put DS on his team officially so everyone can plan accordingly (including cyan) instead of jerking everyone around.
DS is pissed at us because he thinks we tanked his chances to play with purple. Maybe we did, but I cannot condone this behavior by playing along with it. And I legitimately believe what I said to the purple coach - I think DS bailing on practices for what may be a better opportunity at some point at the expense of his current team is really poor character and sportsmanship. If the purple coach wants DS to commit to his team, he needs to put DS on his team officially so everyone can plan accordingly (including cyan) instead of jerking everyone around.
Go ahead and argue about why I'm wrong and my kid sucks, I really don't care. Just needed to get this out somewhere.
Kid had a good offer from another club last spring while his current club's tryouts were still going on. We reached out to the relevant people at the current club to see what their thinking was on his placement for next year because his preference was to stay with the current club but needed to give an answer to the other club. Coach of the team he had hoped to make (let's call it purple) calls me to say kid is going to be offered a spot on purple and welcome to the team. Kid declines the other offer and then a week later gets an offer from his current club to join cyan, the team below purple. When I reach out to the coach to find out what's going on, he says nothing was definite when we spoke because it wasn't in writing and they were still evaluating for purple for next year so he might have a chance to move up. That's a load of bullshit but whatever, opportunity with the other club was gone so kid didn't have much of a choice for this year.
Right before practices start, kid is asked to practice with purple even though those practices directly conflict with cyan so he wouldn't be able to practice with his own team. After three weeks of practicing exclusively with purple, kid is told he is going to play with purple for Labor Day tournament. This is communicated to the cyan coach, who brings up a player from the team below to take our kid's spot for their tournament. Purple coach then goes silent, and when we follow up today to get the tournament schedule, we are told they don't need my kid for the tournament after all so he won't be playing with them. Cyan coach rightly doesn't want to be a total dick to the player who committed to play with them this weekend, and now there's no room on the cyan tournament roster to add my kid. So my kid is now left out in the cold, not playing at all this weekend.
I so want to pull him out of this club now, because this is total horsehit and the adults involved should be ashamed of themselves. I would not tolerate this as an adult from any employer or organization, but these people apparently have zero qualms about doing this to a kid. My kid is desperate to stay, though, because he doesn't want to go an entire year without playing. But after this year, everyone involved in this club can choke on a dick. Well, except the cyan coach. He can live.
Kid had a good offer from another club last spring while his current club's tryouts were still going on. We reached out to the relevant people at the current club to see what their thinking was on his placement for next year because his preference was to stay with the current club but needed to give an answer to the other club. Coach of the team he had hoped to make (let's call it purple) calls me to say kid is going to be offered a spot on purple and welcome to the team. Kid declines the other offer and then a week later gets an offer from his current club to join cyan, the team below purple. When I reach out to the coach to find out what's going on, he says nothing was definite when we spoke because it wasn't in writing and they were still evaluating for purple for next year so he might have a chance to move up. That's a load of bullshit but whatever, opportunity with the other club was gone so kid didn't have much of a choice for this year.
Right before practices start, kid is asked to practice with purple even though those practices directly conflict with cyan so he wouldn't be able to practice with his own team. After three weeks of practicing exclusively with purple, kid is told he is going to play with purple for Labor Day tournament. This is communicated to the cyan coach, who brings up a player from the team below to take our kid's spot for their tournament. Purple coach then goes silent, and when we follow up today to get the tournament schedule, we are told they don't need my kid for the tournament after all so he won't be playing with them. Cyan coach rightly doesn't want to be a total dick to the player who committed to play with them this weekend, and now there's no room on the cyan tournament roster to add my kid. So my kid is now left out in the cold, not playing at all this weekend.
I so want to pull him out of this club now, because this is total horsehit and the adults involved should be ashamed of themselves. I would not tolerate this as an adult from any employer or organization, but these people apparently have zero qualms about doing this to a kid. My kid is desperate to stay, though, because he doesn't want to go an entire year without playing. But after this year, everyone involved in this club can choke on a dick. Well, except the cyan coach. He can live.
TAFC's U14 boys were disqualified from the Virginian this morning after they'd advanced to semis. Anyone know what was up with that? I heard they were caught cheating, bringing in multiple older kids to play in the tournament. Why would anyone even bother cheating in a third division match?