Even at the older ages winning should not be the only priority. You think Pulisic's parents cared if his DA team won or not? Hell no. Read some of their interviews. They wanted him to grow and develop. Even as teenagers unless they are in rec soccer and aren't looking forward to a future they should be focused on developing and getting better every game and every practice. If they are in rec soccer they can focus on winning now but travel should be about growing as a player and striving towards the future.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry not sorry knows nothing, don't listen.

I have a daughter playing D1 soccer right now and if she gone to the win first A team to which she was invited at U9 she would not be where she is. We kept her on the B team which focused on having fun and learning to play through to U12 and there is no doubt it was the right decision. Only one player from that A team of superstars is playing in college now, only half of them were still playing at the end of high school.

Travel under U13 is for the adults not the children. They should be having fun with their friends and falling in love with the ball. They don't need travel for that. All that crap about getting gotsoccer points and winning trophies is just to make sadsack parents like "sorry, not sorry" feel better and it is actually harmful for the kids. That's why we have the biggest dropout rate worldwide. Stupid parents and clubs who can't step back from their own fragile little egos and put the children's needs ahead of their own.

Even at the older ages winning should not be the only priority. You think Pulisic's parents cared if his DA team won or not? Hell no. Read some of their interviews. They wanted him to grow and develop. Even as teenagers unless they are in rec soccer and aren't looking forward to a future they should be focused on developing and getting better every game and every practice. If they are in rec soccer they can focus on winning now but travel should be about growing as a player and striving towards the future.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry not sorry knows nothing, don't listen.

I have a daughter playing D1 soccer right now and if she gone to the win first A team to which she was invited at U9 she would not be where she is. We kept her on the B team which focused on having fun and learning to play through to U12 and there is no doubt it was the right decision. Only one player from that A team of superstars is playing in college now, only half of them were still playing at the end of high school.

Travel under U13 is for the adults not the children. They should be having fun with their friends and falling in love with the ball. They don't need travel for that. All that crap about getting gotsoccer points and winning trophies is just to make sadsack parents like "sorry, not sorry" feel better and it is actually harmful for the kids. That's why we have the biggest dropout rate worldwide. Stupid parents and clubs who can't step back from their own fragile little egos and put the children's needs ahead of their own.

Even at the older ages winning should not be the only priority. You think Pulisic's parents cared if his DA team won or not? Hell no. Read some of their interviews. They wanted him to grow and develop. Even as teenagers unless they are in rec soccer and aren't looking forward to a future they should be focused on developing and getting better every game and every practice. If they are in rec soccer they can focus on winning now but travel should be about growing as a player and striving towards the future.

## No Child Left Behind
## leave no one behind
## work to get better
## find the level of team that allows you to play
## Nothing in life is given
add on

Anonymous wrote:Well if you have a kid playing 6v6 or 7v7 and someone is only playing half the game and there is no discipline issue then you have a coach who needs immediate direction from the clubs coaching direction about playing time requirements. It would be insulting stupid to have a coach play two subs half a game while others play a whole game. Frankly that’s a club and coach who haven’t a clue about developing kids into players.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry not sorry knows nothing, don't listen.

I have a daughter playing D1 soccer right now and if she gone to the win first A team to which she was invited at U9 she would not be where she is. We kept her on the B team which focused on having fun and learning to play through to U12 and there is no doubt it was the right decision. Only one player from that A team of superstars is playing in college now, only half of them were still playing at the end of high school.

Travel under U13 is for the adults not the children. They should be having fun with their friends and falling in love with the ball. They don't need travel for that. All that crap about getting gotsoccer points and winning trophies is just to make sadsack parents like "sorry, not sorry" feel better and it is actually harmful for the kids. That's why we have the biggest dropout rate worldwide. Stupid parents and clubs who can't step back from their own fragile little egos and put the children's needs ahead of their own.

Even at the older ages winning should not be the only priority. You think Pulisic's parents cared if his DA team won or not? Hell no. Read some of their interviews. They wanted him to grow and develop. Even as teenagers unless they are in rec soccer and aren't looking forward to a future they should be focused on developing and getting better every game and every practice. If they are in rec soccer they can focus on winning now but travel should be about growing as a player and striving towards the future.

In this case, I’m well aware he’s in the bottom quarter of the team in performance, but I think playing 50% of a game where there’s only 8 kids in attendance seems low. I also don’t love that he never starts and kids who are late to warmups (ie show up at game time) start before him. And he’s on the bench for such long stretches (15+ minutes) that it seems like it would be hard to perform well after that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - not - sorry. For equal playing time, play Recreation. For more playing time, improve your skills or play on a less skilled team. Travel, even at the younger ages, is about winning.

I haven't read any post that said equal. Several posts have said appropriate or reasonable. This is U10 after all, and for many kids it is their first travel experience. Besides, it's still the fall. Shouldn't he try coaching some and then declining players?

Just curious what parent expectations are regarding playing time for your kids. Is it ‘win or die’ even at age 10 with kids riding the bench for extended periods of time, or is complete equity no matter what? I’m assuming most parents are somewhere in between and I’m most specifically curious what’s the minimum you’d be okay with and how long you think kids should be sitting while they’re out.

In my specific situation, I’ve got a young kid on a team that’s not the top team for that age group. What’s a reasonable expectat

OP here. Appreciate all the responses. I’m upset about my kid’s lack of playing time because he’s upset. It’s so obvious that it’s demoralizing for him. Moping little kids are kind of pathetic. My spouse is more of the ‘what do the rules say’ so I’m curious on both fronts.

In this case, I’m well aware he’s in the bottom quarter of the team in performance, but I think playing 50% of a game where there’s only 8 kids in attendance seems low. I also don’t love that he never starts and kids who are late to warmups (ie show up at game time) start before him. And he’s on the bench for such long stretches (15+ minutes) that it seems like it would be hard to perform well after that.

We know he’s not that great of a player, but he seems to love it and I do think he can improve if he’s not run out of the sport.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - not - sorry. For equal playing time, play Recreation. For more playing time, improve your skills or play on a less skilled team. Travel, even at the younger ages, is about winning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, there is absolutely no responsibility of the player to find out what improvements need to be made and work towards improving them?

No, at U10 there is a reasonable expectation they will get appropriate playing time. Maybe not start, maybe not every minute of every game, but more than 10 minutes a game.

Now, the coach should be having evaluations with the players. All my kids got those. He can also say that such and such is an expectation to make the team next year. He can and should say to all players that as you move up, playing time changes.

But no, U10. In fact, it is the fall of U10. This is a coaching problem.

Then you should have your kid play in rec. The sad thing is you will not even entertain the idea of determining what shortcomings your player has. While I understand the young age, nevertheless, in travel sports playing time may and can be determined based on merit not just participation. Rec sports allow equal participation regardless of skill or ability to make practices or self improvement.

If you require equal playing time regardless of age you really should consider rec sports especially if you do not feel compelled to help your child improve. Your child is certainly to young to understand this but you are not. Again, the lesson is to work to get better to play more.

I have to wonder if you have any older kids that have been through club soccer.

First, I don't think the OP ever said he wanted equal playing time for his kid. I believe the poster referenced 10 minutes of PT per game, which is absurd at U10.

Second, at U12 and below EVERY player at EVERY level should play 50% of the game at a minimum. The only reason for a coach not to adhere to this would be that they are focused on winning, not development. If that is the case you should RUN from that club.

My daughter plays ECNL at a top club (not in the DC area) and I can tell you that at U14 and below it is extremely rare to see any player not get 50% of a game at minimum. If it happens, it's usually a kid coming back from injury or one that had to be subbed out early for some reason (with no re-entry, that player can't go back in during the same half).

I have older kids. My kids have been that ten minutes a game player at various times, even at that young age. It sucked but you train your way out of it. You talk to the coach. You learn why so your kid can get better.

Travel is about development and that comes in different aspects of the game and that includes humility. Regardless of age take it seriously, enjoy it and work at it. Talk to the coach versus complaining on a forum.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - not - sorry. For equal playing time, play Recreation. For more playing time, improve your skills or play on a less skilled team. Travel, even at the younger ages, is about winning.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So, there is absolutely no responsibility of the player to find out what improvements need to be made and work towards improving them?

No, at U10 there is a reasonable expectation they will get appropriate playing time. Maybe not start, maybe not every minute of every game, but more than 10 minutes a game.

Now, the coach should be having evaluations with the players. All my kids got those. He can also say that such and such is an expectation to make the team next year. He can and should say to all players that as you move up, playing time changes.

But no, U10. In fact, it is the fall of U10. This is a coaching problem.

Then you should have your kid play in rec. The sad thing is you will not even entertain the idea of determining what shortcomings your player has. While I understand the young age, nevertheless, in travel sports playing time may and can be determined based on merit not just participation. Rec sports allow equal participation regardless of skill or ability to make practices or self improvement.

If you require equal playing time regardless of age you really should consider rec sports especially if you do not feel compelled to help your child improve. Your child is certainly to young to understand this but you are not. Again, the lesson is to work to get better to play more.

I have to wonder if you have any older kids that have been through club soccer.

First, I don't think the OP ever said he wanted equal playing time for his kid. I believe the poster referenced 10 minutes of PT per game, which is absurd at U10.

Second, at U12 and below EVERY player at EVERY level should play 50% of the game at a minimum. The only reason for a coach not to adhere to this would be that they are focused on winning, not development. If that is the case you should RUN from that club.

My daughter plays ECNL at a top club (not in the DC area) and I can tell you that at U14 and below it is extremely rare to see any player not get 50% of a game at minimum. If it happens, it's usually a kid coming back from injury or one that had to be subbed out early for some reason (with no re-entry, that player can't go back in during the same half).