Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked to move my son down because he was basically riding the bench on his higher team. On his current team (U15) he played most of every match. It made a lot more sense for us to play on the lower team because he needed match experience - no point being on the best team but not contributing anything. We only planned to do it for one year and then find either another club or try to move back up but the pandemic. This year, he was offered top teams for a number of clubs.

Lol. It made sense for usto play? Are you on the team too?

There is no need to be so snarky and critical. PP probably referred to the decision as the family decision, because the kid is a teenager.

Thank you! Yes - that is what I meant. For us as a family, we decided it made more sense for him to play more. And it was a good decision. It really improved his game. Sitting on the side of the field was extremely demotivating and depressing for him. Playing on the lower team restored his confidence and love for the game. Because he was able to show the coaches what he can do, he was then offered chances to sub on other teams, playing up on his old team and other teams in the same club.

Anonymous wrote:I’m OP. Our kid probably won’t be a collegiate player, and that is fine (both parents walked on to our collegiate teams, neither in soccer) But we want them to learn grit and resilience and rewards for working hard for improvement. Grit and resilience certainly come from continuing after a demotion - but the reward piece is harder if clubs label players and that’s that.

Have you asked the coach to demote your kids this year?

Possible, yes. But after a certain age - maybe U14 or U15, those those rosters are pretty set as far as the club sees your kid. And then those top players are not actually secure - any new shiny player from another club can always come in and take your DC's place. I had no idea how crazy the youth soccer scene was until my kid was in it. Stress every spring when your kid needs to try out to just stay on their team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked to move my son down because he was basically riding the bench on his higher team. On his current team (U15) he played most of every match. It made a lot more sense for us to play on the lower team because he needed match experience - no point being on the best team but not contributing anything. We only planned to do it for one year and then find either another club or try to move back up but the pandemic. This year, he was offered top teams for a number of clubs.

Lol. It made sense for usto play? Are you on the team too?

You are a horrible human being.

Our DD was moved down last fall and has just been moved back up to her old team. She plays every minute on the team she moved down to, and the experience really motivated her to improve. I suspect she will be one of the better players on her old (higher) team next season.

I’m OP. Our kid probably won’t be a collegiate player, and that is fine (both parents walked on to our collegiate teams, neither in soccer) But we want them to learn grit and resilience and rewards for working hard for improvement. Grit and resilience certainly come from continuing after a demotion - but the reward piece is harder if clubs label players and that’s that.

Lots of movement back and forth at our club between U9 and U12. It probably depends on the club.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I asked to move my son down because he was basically riding the bench on his higher team. On his current team (U15) he played most of every match. It made a lot more sense for us to play on the lower team because he needed match experience - no point being on the best team but not contributing anything. We only planned to do it for one year and then find either another club or try to move back up but the pandemic. This year, he was offered top teams for a number of clubs.

Lol. It made sense for usto play? Are you on the team too?

There is no need to be so snarky and critical. PP probably referred to the decision as the family decision, because the kid is a teenager.

Anonymous wrote:I asked to move my son down because he was basically riding the bench on his higher team. On his current team (U15) he played most of every match. It made a lot more sense for us to play on the lower team because he needed match experience - no point being on the best team but not contributing anything. We only planned to do it for one year and then find either another club or try to move back up but the pandemic. This year, he was offered top teams for a number of clubs.

Lol. It made sense for usto play? Are you on the team too?

Anonymous wrote:It is possible, but it rarely happens. The kid will really need to work hard to move up. There are always players from outside the club, who tryout so you have not be better than both players on the higher level team and players that come to tryouts from other clubs. If you are at a small club, your chances of moving up are significantly better. Otherwise, you are more likely to move up when making a move between the clubs.

Yep it’s a downward cycle. Remember to be moved down the club has judged that player and the player gets labeled within the club.

It is possible, but it rarely happens. The kid will really need to work hard to move up. There are always players from outside the club, who tryout so you have not be better than both players on the higher level team and players that come to tryouts from other clubs. If you are at a small club, your chances of moving up are significantly better. Otherwise, you are more likely to move up when making a move between the clubs.

I asked to move my son down because he was basically riding the bench on his higher team. On his current team (U15) he played most of every match. It made a lot more sense for us to play on the lower team because he needed match experience - no point being on the best team but not contributing anything. We only planned to do it for one year and then find either another club or try to move back up but the pandemic. This year, he was offered top teams for a number of clubs.

No decent club is going to lock in a player on a lower team just because they were moved down one year. Especially for younger players, because so much can change as they grow and develop.

One of the best players I know at U15 (they do national tournaments the team is that good and this is a starter) was bumped down one year and moved back up. Kids change a lot in the early years and then a lot more during their growth spurt. I think it's harder to break in at the older age groups. but there's a lot of movement at all ages before then.

Once a player is offered a spot on a lower team, do they/can they move back up if deserving? Or does movement slow down year-over-year and the teams kind of get "set"?