Why would a club turn down any kid at the age of 8? Does this actually happen? Is it really possible at that age to tell what they’ll be like as a player when they’re 14, 15, etc?

I thought like OP with my first kid. We went down the street to our big Club that everyone brags about on this board. And, that's what everyone else was doing. Kid made the team. By the end of first season it was clear it was a big f*cking mistake in every way. Granted, I'm not so sure with first kid we would have been able to tell just at tryouts what the Club would be like because they all talk a big game.

However, with our next kid we were sure to check out different options and with older sibling playing somewhere else we already knew much more about the landscape and which Clubs are good at developing young kids which don't always happen to be the ones with winning records in the younger years.

I have learned its best to always have something in your back pocket. Coaches leave, things change constantly in the DMV.

I think its more likely with kids that have older siblings to turn down offers than new players. It's not the first time at the rodeo and they know much more.

Anonymous wrote:I love the posters posting about "we declined" and "we tried out."

You are far, far, too invested in Aiden's and Bethany's soccer "careers."

Actually, we're invested in finding a nice group of kids and coaches who are interested in my kid having fun, learning skills and experiencing a team. You'd be surprised at how many "clubs" can't do all three.

If you’re going to pay and sign a 1-year contract, you better have multiple options so your DC can decide which club/team is the best option or most comfortable for them. Unless they already know which team/club they want to join prior to tryout season, but you still need a backup option should they don’t get accepted.

We got an offer from a lower level team that would conflict with another activity DS is more invested in. So we declined and decided not to do travel soccer. No big deal.

Anonymous wrote:Why have tryouts and not take everyone that attends? Clubs should realize it's a 2 way tryout. Club is evaluating the player and the player is evaluating the club. The ones that have figured it out tend to have less drama.

Seriously. These clubs don't even bother to contact the rejects and let them down politely, they just leave people hanging. You would be crazy not to do tryouts for a few different places-its a big expense and time commitment.

Why have tryouts and not take everyone that attends? Clubs should realize it's a 2 way tryout. Club is evaluating the player and the player is evaluating the club. The ones that have figured it out tend to have less drama.

Anonymous wrote:Reasons?

It’s like searching for a job, good to have better options

It was our second year of tryouts for U9 and DD did not have a great experience her first year up with the club. We decided to tryout at a second club to see a different environment as well as see what offers and coaches we were given before deciding.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Really strange question. Most kids try out at multiple clubs. Maybe she didn't like the coaches or the other kids. DD tried out at 3, got good offers from two and the other offer was not great but she liked the kids the best. Went with the one where she liked the kids the best. I'm sure clubs 1 and 2 thought we the parents were nuts.

when we're considering trying out for travel at U9 it never even cross our mind to go to multiple clubs.

Well that is why I said most and not all.

Anonymous wrote:We declined an offer at U9 because kid tried out at 2 different Clubs and he had to choose one. Why else would you decline? A kid declines because he/she decided not to play travel after all or the kid tried out at more than one Club.

This is not rocket science.

Our kid declined an upper team offer from a big club for somewhere more focused on development with a better/more fun vibe. You would have thought he turned down a Liverpool contract with some of the comments we received afterwards.

These kids are only 8 years old for chrissakes.

Same here.

Also chose smaller club with friendlier vibe. I let my child decide but it was my preference as well.

Because OMG it’s not that serious.

Anonymous wrote:Really strange question. Most kids try out at multiple clubs. Maybe she didn't like the coaches or the other kids. DD tried out at 3, got good offers from two and the other offer was not great but she liked the kids the best. Went with the one where she liked the kids the best. I'm sure clubs 1 and 2 thought we the parents were nuts.

when we're considering trying out for travel at U9 it never even cross our mind to go to multiple clubs.

Really strange question. Most kids try out at multiple clubs. Maybe she didn't like the coaches or the other kids. DD tried out at 3, got good offers from two and the other offer was not great but she liked the kids the best. Went with the one where she liked the kids the best. I'm sure clubs 1 and 2 thought we the parents were nuts.

We declined an offer at U9 because kid tried out at 2 different Clubs and he had to choose one. Why else would you decline? A kid declines because he/she decided not to play travel after all or the kid tried out at more than one Club.

This is not rocket science.

Our kid declined an upper team offer from a big club for somewhere more focused on development with a better/more fun vibe. You would have thought he turned down a Liverpool contract with some of the comments we received afterwards.

These kids are only 8 years old for chrissakes.