When DS was trying out, we had an offer we would happily accept but he had one team he liked a bit more (external to both if it matters). I texted a coach we knew at the club he liked more and explained the situation and asked if there was any intel on offer timing so we could let the first club know. He told us that offers were going out that night and we would be getting one. It wasn’t a big deal because we weren’t trying to leverage anything - just trying to figure out if we should take the bird in hand.

I will say, this probably depends a lot on your relationship with the clubs and coaches in question. Honestly, are you difficult or easy and patient at your current club?

Anonymous wrote:It won’t go the way you want. If your kid were that good they would already be placed where you want. Even if this somehow strong arms the club into the putting him on a higher team, he won’t get the playing time and fall behind.

Clubs have endless supply of paying customers. They really don’t care about your threats to leave. They’d rather take another customer who isn’t trying to leverage their way into teams and is surely a constant source of meddling for the coach.

I agree with this 100%. I’ve witnessed this as well. Parents forced the coaches hand, weren’t necessarily that great of a player to begin with and in the end, the player suffered with very little playing time. It’s just not worth it playing the club vs club game if it’s going to come at a cost to your kid.

We haven’t done this but my ds is bottom of the bench on a first team. He knows it, we all know it. Sucky place to be.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I tried this with my club and they did not budge. They insisted my kid would be challenged/ developed more staying where they are at -vs- going to the 1st team at a competing club.

My kid wanted to stay at the current club at U13, so we are staying.

We will keep working and see if they let my kid move up or practice w the 1st team next year.

They also said, you got to do what is best for your family. But your current offer still stands.

So you tried to leverage a competing offer, they said no, and you backed down and stayed?

No we took the offer and turned down the current club. Unfortunately tryouts happen during the season so we were punished with a loss of playing time.

Ironically in favor of a player they thought was staying, but didn't. His family just stalled on the offer until after the season.

I work in recruiting in a competitive field and see so many parallels to travel soccer. In my experience it helps to tell a team, current or new, if they are your top pick. Letting them know you would immediately take a spot of given one has little to no down side.

Also letting them know you have competing offers and any specific deadline is helpful to the decision process.

But trying to leverage one offer for another usually doesn't work in your favor. Youre more likely to get a "congratulations and good luck with your other offer" than a "let us drop everything and rearrange for you".

OP, you are not alone. DC is seen as 2nd team despite being much better than the rest of that team. Have gotten than feedback directly from coaches. Club will not move them up. We can definitely go 1st team elsewhere but it ends up being a long drive to every practice. I'm ticked at club, DC is ticked at club, and there is no solution that will work. I honestly hate youth soccer. We have not agreed to sign offer yet.

If they wouldn't consider moving your kid up when you had an offer from another club for a higher team, then they 1) see your kid solidly a second team player and will never move him up and 2) know you are a sucker who will keep paying for B team, even after having the chance to switch to another place's A team.

Anonymous wrote:I tried this with my club and they did not budge. They insisted my kid would be challenged/ developed more staying where they are at -vs- going to the 1st team at a competing club.

My kid wanted to stay at the current club at U13, so we are staying.

We will keep working and see if they let my kid move up or practice w the 1st team next year.

They also said, you got to do what is best for your family. But your current offer still stands.

So you tried to leverage a competing offer, they said no, and you backed down and stayed?

I tried this with my club and they did not budge. They insisted my kid would be challenged/ developed more staying where they are at -vs- going to the 1st team at a competing club.

My kid wanted to stay at the current club at U13, so we are staying.

We will keep working and see if they let my kid move up or practice w the 1st team next year.

They also said, you got to do what is best for your family. But your current offer still stands.

I think the club will say good luck it sounds like a great opportunity. Most clubs have a lot of pressure this year with the age change and will probably be happy to have one less player to try to squeeze in.

Is travel soccer in the DMV really just a place for 45 year olds to relive their high school days and form a social hierarchy with high drama politics both real and perceived, but to do it while using their kids skills at this one particular and relatively randomly chosen sport as a proxy? Also why did you guys choose a sport with like no future income potential? If you guys were like this about football or basketball or even baseball it would at least make sense from a money stand point .

We did something similar last year and while it got the coach very involved in trying to convince us to stay at the current level it got us nothing in terms of moving up.

Then when we picked the new club DS lost his starting spot and half of his play time for the remainder of the year at his current club.

It always amazes me how complicated people make this feel. Call the coach/age group coordinator and have a conversation.
Everyone makes these coaches and directors as these evil guys who "cut kids" and "play politics" but if you have a conversation and let them know what you're thinking and what you want for your kid, I'm sure they'll hear you out and you can get a good feel of what they're looking for.

I've never had my kid join a team where I didn't have a conversation with the coach to see what his/her philosophy is and what they saw in my kid to pick them. If I'm the paying costumer, I want to know what you're going to provide for my kid and why you selected my kid for that specific team.