Reply to U9 transition to U10 : facing the cutdown

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Hello OP,

I'll try to answer you questions. First off I am a travel coach in the local area. I've coached at a few clubs throughout the years, but for the most part the team building processes are similar (player selection is a whole nother matter).

First I want to make sure we have the ages right as there is generally no field size changes from U9 to U10, so their shouldn't be a cutdown per se.

If we're talking going from U10 7v7 to U11 9v9, I'll try and walk through that process.

Most clubs will try to keep as many teams as possible, assuming all the resources are there (coaches, players, fields etc.) If you're club has a specific methodology of going from 4 (7v7) to 3 (9v9) to 2 teams at 11v11 then here is what you should consider.

1.) What team are you currently on? Most clubs have internal team rankings usually designated by color eg. the "red" team, "green" team etc. While potentially nebulous to those on the outside, those who know better and in the club should know what that means.

2.) If you're not on the lowest team, I generally wouldn't worry too much unless your child was severely misplaced.

3.) With roster sizes generally going up to 16! at 9v9 theoretically you need the same amount of players for 3x16 (9v9) teams as you do 4x12 (7v7). I almost guarantee you there are some non-returning families, so depending on your clubs general turnout that is even less risk for you.

4.) Don't be afraid to talk to your coach. We do player evaluations twice a year at my current club to give parents an idea on how their players are doing, but if your club doesn't provide that send your coach an email asking for a few minutes to talk about your player. As long as you don't come off as threatening and generally calling due to wanting your player to develop and continue with the program, I think most coaches would be upfront with you if you're willing to hear the news, good or bad.

5.) It's still early. At this age lots can happen. A player that was towards the bottom of a coaches list can find themselves firmly in the middle after several solid game performances and consistently improved training sessions.

So if your child is the bottom player on the bottom team, a few things you have to ask yourself. 
Is my child enjoying the experience and are they improving as a result of the training? 
Am I willing to commit to another year financially and time wise? 
Do I know who the next coach will be? Does it matter (hint: YES!)? 
Practice times and locations?

Too often parents worry about making the next team, but don't think about what can change from one team to the next (hint: A LOT!) so you might make a team you have no intention of joining due to a change (like a coach...).

As my final piece of advice, ALWAYS try out somewhere else. ALWAYS. If nothing else it gives you options and it lets you see what else is out there - you don't need to attend 10 different tryouts, but pick at least 1 or 2 other clubs that you'd consider switching to and attend a tryout or three. Yeah you might get some looks or whatnot if others find out (ironically cause they were there too!), but that stuff doesn't matter. If you're worried about how your club will react to it you might be better off switching anyways.

-Coach

[/quote]

On the tryout recommendation, do clubs care if kids tryout multiple times but don’t accept offers? Does it affect the offer they might get in subsequent years or do big clubs even notice?? [/quote]

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