Anonymous wrote:OP here and we are with MLS Next.

THIS is OP. We are not on MLS Next. People are so weird.

Anonymous wrote:My son has been on this team for about a year now and has always gotten sufficient playing time. He's a good player, not an amazing one, but works hard and shows up. The past several games he has gotten either no or only a few minutes of playing time with no explanation from the coach. I have encouraged my son to ask and he probably will but is this normal? He is not on the top team and I feel like he should be playing...if he is doing badly, take him out, but to not be put in at all is infuriating to me and I'm sure feels really crappy for my son. There is a new kid on his team who plays his position and is better than my son, so he gets why he is getting less time, but close to none was not expected. Maybe this is the norm and he just need to deal. Or maybe I need to talk to the coach? I'm not sure.

You didn't expect it but it is very common. The other kid is better and unless your kid becomes better than him, then he will just become his backup.

My son had the same issued around the same age playing at a top team. The following year he moved to the second team but by then he started to lose the "love" and drive for the sport. Second team was not as organized and kids were not as competitive. We also got tired of paying hefty Travel fees and tournament fees. So by 15 he was done with travel soccer.

You should both talk to the coach, but realistically, the likely outcome is that your son will drop one team level next year and get more playing time.
My son no longer plays travel, but it would drive me insane that when they had guest players from a higher level team who played his position, he would get no playing time in that game. He didn't permanently drop because those guest players stayed with their own teams, but the coach was more than happy to bench him for the games they were there in hopes of getting a win. It sucks.


I certainly hope this is not the case. He is a good player but the past few weeks, especially this weekend have felt really bad. I guess we will see. Tryouts for the other team are just starting so I don’t feel like that is part of it. Who knows though

I mean, it is certainly possible that the other kid will move up a team, and your son will get more time next year, but that's not guaranteed. It is unfortunate and painful, and I don't think it is fair to do to kids given how expensive travel is, but the reality is that the player who is slightly stronger is going to get most of the time for that position. I get that moving down a team feels bad, but isn't the point for your son to actually play the game?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If I’m paying travel fees I’m allowed to speak to the Coach about playing time.
I’d have my kid try first but if no change I’m speaking up.

If you did this to me, I would cut your kid. I don’t tolerate these types of parents.

You might want to talk to your board before you cut a kid and oblige them to pay a refund. You'd have to be at a very well off club to get away with that

Anonymous wrote:If I’m paying travel fees I’m allowed to speak to the Coach about playing time.
I’d have my kid try first but if no change I’m speaking up.

If you did this to me, I would cut your kid. I don’t tolerate these types of parents.

Anonymous wrote:OP here and we are with MLS Next.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This happens a lot at our club. They will bring guest players and not play the players who are actually on the team.

I do think if your son is getting less and less playing time, he will be dropped. The typically speech, "if you move to the next team down your son will get more play time and then we can re evaluate and have him move up."

this is definitely ecnl talk. GA as well if multiple teams exisr on age group.

Writings on the wall. Only option is for ur kid to ask what can they do better for more playing time. If coach doesn’t give em a measureable task/metric/goal its time to gooo

Anonymous wrote:My son has been on this team for about a year now and has always gotten sufficient playing time. He's a good player, not an amazing one, but works hard and shows up. The past several games he has gotten either no or only a few minutes of playing time with no explanation from the coach. I have encouraged my son to ask and he probably will but is this normal? He is not on the top team and I feel like he should be playing...if he is doing badly, take him out, but to not be put in at all is infuriating to me and I'm sure feels really crappy for my son. There is a new kid on his team who plays his position and is better than my son, so he gets why he is getting less time, but close to none was not expected. Maybe this is the norm and he just need to deal. Or maybe I need to talk to the coach? I'm not sure.

How can you be with MLSnext and not on the top team?

Oh so you are MLS Next at age 13/14 . . . At that level I would assume that both you and your son know what your strengths and weaknesses are. I’d leave it alone, it’s time to get to work.

OP here and we are with MLS Next.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This happens a lot at our club. They will bring guest players and not play the players who are actually on the team.

I do think if your son is getting less and less playing time, he will be dropped. The typically speech, "if you move to the next team down your son will get more play time and then we can re evaluate and have him move up."

this is definitely ecnl talk. GA as well if multiple teams exisr on age group.

Writings on the wall. Only option is for ur kid to ask what can they do better for more playing time. If coach doesn’t give em a measureable task/metric/goal its time to gooo

Thanks all. I actually think his age group only has 2 levels so not sure moving down is an option. My son isn't expecting to be good enough to play in college but does want to stay competitive with travel and HS. Hopefully we will have some resolution this week.

Anonymous wrote:This happens a lot at our club. They will bring guest players and not play the players who are actually on the team.

I do think if your son is getting less and less playing time, he will be dropped. The typically speech, "if you move to the next team down your son will get more play time and then we can re evaluate and have him move up."

this is definitely ecnl talk. GA as well if multiple teams exisr on age group.

Writings on the wall. Only option is for ur kid to ask what can they do better for more playing time. If coach doesn’t give em a measureable task/metric/goal its time to gooo

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your son needs to talk to the coach himself at 14.

this please don’t coaches hate it

Hate what? Parents talking to them or the kid? I can see them hating parents talking to them but players definitely need to talk to their coaches if not happy. right?

parents… right out of the coaches mouth

It's fine to talk to the coach. Is there a lower team to play on in the club? If not, time to move to a new club or rec.

Your son is U15 now, going to U16 next year. This isn't game minutes mismanagement.

Your son should talk to the coach and ask if this is due to the new boy being better. Ask if it's possible to get more minutes at his current position or if the coach sees that he can get more minutes playing a different position. Ask what does he need to work on to help his team. Your son should ask how to get more minutes if that's his goal. He can also ask, as this is the end of the season, if the club's plan is for him to move down a level?

My guess is he's going to be asked to move down. So he'll probably get a good amount of minutes on the lower team or you can see if another club team is a better fit for him.

I've seen kids move to 3 different clubs at the same level before the child/parents realize being a pro/college player/high school star/whatever isn't in the stars before moving down a level where it's the right competition for the ability. Good luck to your son.

This happens a lot at our club. They will bring guest players and not play the players who are actually on the team.

I do think if your son is getting less and less playing time, he will be dropped. The typically speech, "if you move to the next team down your son will get more play time and then we can re evaluate and have him move up."

Anonymous wrote:You should both talk to the coach, but realistically, the likely outcome is that your son will drop one team level next year and get more playing time.
My son no longer plays travel, but it would drive me insane that when they had guest players from a higher level team who played his position, he would get no playing time in that game. He didn't permanently drop because those guest players stayed with their own teams, but the coach was more than happy to bench him for the games they were there in hopes of getting a win. It sucks.

I certainly hope this is not the case. He is a good player but the past few weeks, especially this weekend have felt really bad. I guess we will see. Tryouts for the other team are just starting so I don’t feel like that is part of it. Who knows though.