Reply to Travel teams now 4-5 teams deep? Is this for real?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=RantingSoccerDad]As others have said, this is absolutely not new. Ten years ago, a typical club would have two teams in NCSL and 2-3 in ODSL. Then it became one in CCL or VPL (now ECNLRLVPSLNPL), two in NCSL and 1-2 in ODSL. Then one in the DA (RIP) or ECNL, 1-2 in CCL, VPL and/or EDP, 2-3 in NCSL and one in ODSL. And so on.

By U-13 or so, things shake out a bit more sensibly. Kids who aren't going to have big soccer futures leave travel teams and hopefully continue to play rec rather than dropping out of the sport entirely. [b]The parents who continue to coach at that level have been doing it for several years by then and have picked up the same licenses as the alleged "pro" coaches on lower-level travel teams.[/b] Clubs drop down to maybe 2-3 teams per age group at U-13 (aside from the very biggest) for 11v11 games.

The problem is U-9 through U-12. The clubs take 40-50 kids out of the rec program, and their parents leave coaching. Then you have to grab new coaches who may not have even gotten their licenses, even though US Soccer now makes it ridiculously easy to get basic grassroots instruction online. And the players don't take it seriously enough to listen to the coaches, anyway. So U-9 and U-10 rec soccer can be dire, and it can be a pretty bad experience for serious players who either get overlooked at tryouts or can't make the commitment to travel. (You might get lucky, though -- I've seen some good players at U-9 in particular this past year, when COVID shook up the tryout process, so *some* games can be decent quality.)

If I had all-encompassing power, I'd register 4-5 travel teams at U-9 but rotate players between travel and rec. Give all players who want it access to the top coaches at the club at least once a week. Don't lock in a full-time travel team roster until U-11. Keep giving kids access, and keep evaluating them week to week [b]instead of locking in kids for a year based on a couple of small-sided tryout games that a few athletic but uncoachable kids will dominate.[/b]

We, of course, do not allow such sensible things.[/quote]

Why are you so delusional and bitter?[/quote]

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