Anonymous wrote:…for top team selection and/or preferential treatment? It seems to be the only thing that makes sense with some of the u9-u12 teams my DC has played for over the years. Its obvious to all the other parents that a kid should not be on a team or get reasonable minutes, so one conclusion could be that parents are paying on the side? Is this a thing?

They do. Most of the times it comes as a gift( a car, free week at beach house,…etc). In areas where the families are not affluent, the relationship with the coach or taking roles in the team like team admin, photographer , coordinator or whatever does the same trick. These parents know how to get to the coach.

But eventually these politicians get discovered and the team falters as good players who get frustrated by losing over and over leave and these coaches get stuck with their players in a bad team nobody wants to play for.

100% true. Former ECNL coach, top 10 club.

I easily pulled in an extra $50k per season from parent gratuities.

One season we went deep in nationals, a player I took a gamble on and rostered for the tourney had a dad that owns the a Land Rover dealership. I’ve been a customer for life ever since.

Anonymous wrote:At Loudoun, yes. This is a thing.

At Bethesda this is a thing

saying NO to the entitled loudmouth parents who donate a lot or raise holy hell with the club director is how to get an earful. For some of these coaches, it's not chump change. as for winning and losing, mix in the couple of subpar rich kids with your best line. its not like the roster will have 11 of these straphangers, it'll just be a handful of them. totally manageable.

Talk to a single one of these coaches and tell me their egos will let them play weaker players over chasing the win.

Most of these guys think their third tier u8 team is the f**king World Cup…

Anonymous wrote:I am skeptical that coaches are going to select and put on the field weaker players because they are being paid off by parents. This sounds really ridiculous to me. I think coaches would rather have coachable players who can perform well on the field.

Top club/team coaches get 2-3 inquiries per week from parerns about players playing on their team. In the younger ages there's probably 5-6 fairly equivalent players per position. This is what gives coaches the ability to "see who will pay".

But yes, if coaches don't win the grift falls apart quickly.

I am skeptical that coaches are going to select and put on the field weaker players because they are being paid off by parents. This sounds really ridiculous to me. I think coaches would rather have coachable players who can perform well on the field.

I should add that while paying a coach on the side does get players minutes at the younger ages. 80%-90% of the players of the parents doing this end up quitting by u14. So in the end it doesn't really matter.

The players that get screwed are the ones whos parents aren't paying the coach on the side and quit because they don't think they're good enough.

My oldest has played on the top team since she was 3. I was guilty of chasing the stupidness that clubs lay out. My youngest just started playing competitive (u7) and I deliberately asked that she be on the 2nd team. Also this time we went with a smaller club. It's been way more fun and the coaching is exactly the same. It's interesting watching some of the new parents go down the same path I did 10 years ago. Unfortunately nothing I say will change their minds on what they want to do.

Ever wonder how teams with huge roster and don’t send all to showcases have guest players show up from lower teams…. Why pay all year when you can buy in when you want

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:400-1000 per month for mins in games is common at top clubs on west coast.

It’s F in gross.

I was pretty shocked when chatting with a west coast parent and they asked what I pay in 'coach fees' per month... I was stumped (as parent and longtime coach), and told him I had never heard of the concept. He said it is how all of the coaches/clubs in his areas operate, you pay the club a standard fee (for the year) and then pay monthly fees to a coach... Pretty wild if you ask me.

Typing this from Socal...

At the younger ages the way it goes is most top coaches from top clubs run private training sessions which happen outside of regular practices. The cost is $100 to $200 per hour and can be 1-3 players. This is how players from other clubs get on the teams. To directly pay what you do is schedule a private training session + pay for it, then they day before say you can't attend but tell the coach to keep the money. Before and after the private sessions parents buddy up with the coach.

I've also seen parents give coaches rounds of golf at private clubs + they go with them and chat the entire time. This puts the coach in a position where they feel obligated to play money bags kid.

Another common way parents control the team is 4-5 of them group up on decisions then call for a vote. These groups also try to go to other clubs as a package deal. If they can get enough top players in the group any coach will take them.

I'm sure there's more ways to pay coaches but I don't care anymore. Once you get to u14 top players will make themselves known independent of all the parent and coach nonsense.

Anonymous wrote:At LS top teams is $20 per start.

define top team

Anonymous wrote:My husband has always been convinced this is the case. lol

We never paid them. I think sometimes it’s donations to the club too.

what gave that away? The named/reserved parking spots?

Anonymous wrote:At Loudoun, yes. This is a thing.

never seen that at loudoun. Ive seen parents literally cry to coaches or send their kids to coaches/directors demanding playtime (that didn’t end well). I sure hope you aired out your concerns publicly if this is actually true vs loudoun bashing.

Paying for play is a new one. Their coaches are normally well compensated.

At LS top teams is $20 per start.

My husband has always been convinced this is the case. lol

We never paid them. I think sometimes it’s donations to the club too.