Team Quality Vs Playing Time

[Guest]

Even u12 is way to early to get crazy about all of it. My kid is a u17 ECNL player. Less than 1/2 of the players on her team’s roster were on the “pre-ECNL” team. Follow your kid’s lead. By late u14, things start really ramping up and the funnel tightens significantly. By that age, no kid is going to commit the time and effort required just to please an overly invested parent. The kids that really want it for themselves are the ones that make it through the high school years on the top teams.

Oh I agree, we made the jump at Pre and I regret it. My kid is doing fine but we should have waited. My advice for the OP is to wait, enjoy the innocence years and focus on development. Folks should concentrate on the coach, find a great one that cares about the players and who concentrates on development. This is far harder than it seems.

[Guest]

Wrong site, if you came here for advice. Must be new. Find a coach who will focus on development. You need to take a major step back if you're talking about stronger/weaker teams at 8. Come back when she's 11, the age that teams form a Pre-ECNL/GA team. For now enjoy the innocence of the game, plenty of time for it to be corrupted by off field favors and other nonsense. Relax and enjoy the next 2-3 yrs

yes new but have learned a lot poking around, like what age blocked in middle school was etc. again appreciate the advice all including the obvious enjoy the ride (reminders are always good!)

[Guest]

yes new but have learned a lot poking around, like what age blocked in middle school was etc. again appreciate the advice all including the obvious enjoy the ride (reminders are always good!)

Please do not poke around on this site and expect to find any useful advice. Best advice find a great coach and stick with him/her for the next few years.

[Guest]

Unless of course the kid ends up on the professional pathway... playing time is by far one of the most important aspects of a kid's soccer experience, AT ANY AGE!
Don't be fooled by this notion that at U14/15 that's when it starts getting more serious and you have to earn your minutes. Bull****.
Any kid on any team who fulfills all of the coaches principles (in most cases commitment, discipline, respect) should be given meaningful playing minutes.
It's NOT fun to be on a great team by get limited meaningful minutes during games.

[Guest]

I'm sure this has been beat to death but looking for honest assessments.

At what age is it better to have your child be a bench player on a stronger team (playing and contributing, but not having heavy minutes) Vs having heavy minutes on a weaker team?

Looking at clubs for my youngest and wondering which approach is better and when that approach should possibly shift, if ever.

We are looking at the usual suspects FC, NEFC etc. and just looking for general perspective not factoring in the whole ECNL Vs GA aspect of it.

I'm assuming until a certain age the more time playing better (even if they could make the better team - then again I can talk myself into thinking they're training against better talent so maybe the better team is better regardless of game time)

Appreciate any advice from folks who navigated this before.

If it helps the conversation - daughter will be turning 9 this summer.

9? Playing time, get more touches. Nourish their passion for the game. Team name won’t matter for a very long time.

[Guest]

Unless of course the kid ends up on the professional pathway... playing time is by far one of the most important aspects of a kid's soccer experience, AT ANY AGE! Don't be fooled by this notion that at U14/15 that's when it starts getting more serious and you have to earn your minutes. Bull****.
Any kid on any team who fulfills all of the coaches principles (in most cases commitment, discipline, respect) should be given meaningful playing minutes.
It's NOT fun to be on a great team by get limited meaningful minutes during games.

Notice that the words "ability" and "merit" were not included.

Also notice the use of the word "given" instead of "earned".

[Guest]

Oh I agree, we made the jump at Pre and I regret it. My kid is doing fine but we should have waited. My advice for the OP is to wait, enjoy the innocence years and focus on development. Folks should concentrate on the coach, find a great one that cares about the players and who concentrates on development. This is far harder than it seems.

How does one focus on development unless one is surrounded by equivalently talented players?

The coach is important. But teammates more so. And also opponent quality.

Don't let them fool you into thinking you can wait until 8th grade to jump in. More likely, they are just aggressively weeding out the competition right now.

[Guest]

Notice that the words "ability" and "merit" were not included.

Also notice the use of the word "given" instead of "earned".

You glossed over "meeting coaches criteria: and "meaningful minutes " If a player doesn't have the skill the coach never should have taken them in the first place. Once they do a coach not giving a player meaningful minutes (note that doesn't mean equal) is a thief.

[Guest]

You glossed over "meeting coaches criteria: and "meaningful minutes " If a player doesn't have the skill the coach never should have taken them in the first place. Once they do a coach not giving a player meaningful minutes (note that doesn't mean equal) is a thief.

Exactly! A kid who a) shows up to every practice, b) does their best in terms of effort, c) is respectful to the coach and teammates... has EARNED meaningful minutes, regardless of their performance on the field. It's a learning environment, not a performance environment.
Again, like I said, unless it's a professional pathway where I do agree that performing and results are more important than development. But 99% of kids playing youth soccer are NOT on the professional pathway, therefore regardless of level or league, that's just how it is. If your kid is not playing meaningful minutes (vs garbage minutes), then your kid is on the wrong team with the wrong coach and you should move asap.

[Guest]

Exactly! A kid who a) shows up to every practice, b) does their best in terms of effort, c) is respectful to the coach and teammates... has EARNED meaningful minutes, regardless of their performance on the field. It's a learning environment, not a performance environment.
.

Again, what age? Because if a kid a) Shows up to every practice, b) does their best in terms of effort, c) is respectful of coach and teammates, and d) stinks then they shouldn't be out there.

[Guest]

D's team had an agreement with the coach, that in any game that was more than 1hr drive from home field, every player would play at least 1/2 the game.

[Guest]

Again, what age? Because if a kid a) Shows up to every practice, b) does their best in terms of effort, c) is respectful of coach and teammates, and d) stinks then they shouldn't be out there.

Age is irrelevant. Just because a kid is 15 it doesn't mean they are on the path to or targeting a professional soccer career.
Did the coach/club take the kid? Then if the kid is meeting the coach/club's criteria for a) b) and c)... I don't see how what's to question in regards to playing time.

[Guest]

I've coached for close to 30 years and I can say that the idea that it's better for a kid to practice on a better team even if he/she gets limited game playing time... is a myth.
It is NOT better at all, quite the contrary. It is rare that any kid progresses and develops without actual real playing time, no matter what their environment is, no matter what the level of play is.

[Guest]

If a coach under U14/15 doesn’t give at least half a games Move immediately. If a coach brings in other players to ensure a win when they have good number of kids on bench move. To them it’s about winning and their record not development. It’s the biggest sign out there for younger kiddos. And if you pay for a team and coach is bringing in players when you have enough subs well you remember you are paying for both coaching and playing time in the younger years.

[Guest]

How does one focus on development unless one is surrounded by equivalently talented players?

The coach is important. But teammates more so. And also opponent quality.

Don't let them fool you into thinking you can wait until 8th grade to jump in. More likely, they are just aggressively weeding out the competition right now.

I do agree with this. Many people here are all focusing on the games. Real development comes in practice. Find a club where your child wants to go to all of the practices every week. Start with that.