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    Town premiers

    My kid is interested in her town premier program because her friends are there. She already played at a premier club (not town) but her team folded. We were happy with her experience there, so I'm wondering what are the reasons that town premier is looked down upon. This is for a 2005.

    #2
    If she knows kids there, thinks it would be fun and is not interested in big club, ecnl/da rah rah then i say go for it. If they play a good league and have decent coaching, why not have fun.

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      #3
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      If she knows kids there, thinks it would be fun and is not interested in big club, ecnl/da rah rah then i say go for it. If they play a good league and have decent coaching, why not have fun.
      I agree with you. There’s a place for every type of player depending on what they’re looking to get out of the game. The only people that “look down” on town premier are jackasses anyway. Don’t spend a minute worrying about what anyone else thinks.

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        #4
        If it's a good fit for her *** not? Do what's good for her, not what others think

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          #5
          Premier

          I actually think town premier is the best way to go for most good players. If you are da or encl or npl level then sure it makes sense to play at as high a level as you can. But a town premier team will be cheaper than the big club branch or state level big club premier teams and they play in the exact same leagues as those state teams. Plus they get to play with friends all the way through high school so it is actually fun and not work.

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            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            I actually think town premier is the best way to go for most good players. If you are da or encl or npl level then sure it makes sense to play at as high a level as you can. But a town premier team will be cheaper than the big club branch or state level big club premier teams and they play in the exact same leagues as those state teams. Plus they get to play with friends all the way through high school so it is actually fun and not work.
            I agree. My daughter plays on a Town premier team that has been together for years. She plays with 4 other kids from her High School and the rest of the kids all play for various teams that are mostly in the same HS league. It has allowed her to play other sports in HS , play more competitive soccer than in travel, and make lots of great friends from the surrounding towns. It is great to see them give each other a hug after they play against each other in the Fall and take a quick picture. It is definitely not for the top level player, but it has worked for us and saved us a tremendous amount of $. This year we paid $230.00 for the Spring season.

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              #7
              Question Man Responds

              It's really down to this.......

              If your kid can play strongly in the ECNL or DA levels and has college in her sights, a town program makes the most sense. Even perhaps a club that plays consistently in the NPL.

              But for the most part, all these clubs....Sporting, Everton, CT Rush, CFC Branches, Ginga, Pythons and even these town premier programs all fall into that huge middle bucket of programs that roll around in the CJSA Premier, CCSL and EDP type leagues. Frankly, they are all just about different colors of the same thing. Sure there are programs that cluster towards the top and others towards the bottom, but it's a big middle.

              After that, it's down to town travel. Recreation plus soccer at best.

              If your kid falls into that middle, best to find that club where she has fun, gets solid coaching and can set herself towards a fine high school career. If she proves good enough to get to college soccer, she'll find it even from the vast pool of middle clubs...and yes, even from her town premier program.

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                #8
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                I agree. My daughter plays on a Town premier team that has been together for years. She plays with 4 other kids from her High School and the rest of the kids all play for various teams that are mostly in the same HS league. It has allowed her to play other sports in HS , play more competitive soccer than in travel, and make lots of great friends from the surrounding towns. It is great to see them give each other a hug after they play against each other in the Fall and take a quick picture. It is definitely not for the top level player, but it has worked for us and saved us a tremendous amount of $. This year we paid $230.00 for the Spring season.
                Agree totally with this. I had a kid that was obsessed with soccer. Playing/practicing all the time. She went ECNL and it's the right place for her. I have another one that isn't as good a soccer player, but loves playing 2 other sports. She's town premier and it's the right place for her. It's about the kid.

                My only one comment on town premier, given I have one doing ECNL to compare, is that the parents for the most part are just as delusional as any ECNL parent. They think this team is a lot better than it is and have no idea what's out there in terms of talent. These town teams need to avoid trying to become something they're not.

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                  #9
                  Agree with all - town premier can be a great option for strong but not top level club players as well as multi sport kids. It's many times as good as or better option than some low level area premier clubs at half the price. My only caveat is, as with all club soccer, is chose carefully. Not all town premier programs are good either, barely above travel. But there definitely are some towns that are doing it right. Seek those out.

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                    #10
                    One thing about town soccer premier as opposed to these "regional" premier clubs, and that is the for profit motive. Town soccer has none. Boards leading these clubs are filled by volunteers in the vast majority of clubs. Clubs have no profit directive that drives the decisions. Costs are generally less for registration and across the board altogether. There is generally a healthy and more holistic focus on a positive soccer experience for the kids as well.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      One thing about town soccer premier as opposed to these "regional" premier clubs, and that is the for profit motive. Town soccer has none. Boards leading these clubs are filled by volunteers in the vast majority of clubs. Clubs have no profit directive that drives the decisions. Costs are generally less for registration and across the board altogether. There is generally a healthy and more holistic focus on a positive soccer experience for the kids as well.
                      Said no one EVER! LOL! Town soccer Boards are filled with large egos and personal agendas. Agree it is not about money. It’s usually about control and personal self interest. Not always, and when you have a good Board it is so refreshing. However, it’s usually politics as usual.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Said no one EVER! LOL! Town soccer Boards are filled with large egos and personal agendas. Agree it is not about money. It’s usually about control and personal self interest. Not always, and when you have a good Board it is so refreshing. However, it’s usually politics as usual.
                        Not the poster...sure that happens. But often its about finding solutions for players who want something more than town can offer but shouldn't or don't need to pay twice as much for club. Even if town programs can afford to hire great coaches etc they can't fix that the competition is weak. They're trying to keep kids playing together and give families an option between lousy travel and high priced club.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          One thing about town soccer premier as opposed to these "regional" premier clubs, and that is the for profit motive. Town soccer has none. Boards leading these clubs are filled by volunteers in the vast majority of clubs. Clubs have no profit directive that drives the decisions. Costs are generally less for registration and across the board altogether. There is generally a healthy and more holistic focus on a positive soccer experience for the kids as well.
                          Town soccer where we are is all politics and who you know and drink with at the town watering hole. From the choosing of the coaches to coach the teams to the decisions that were made back when they went from grade based to birth year (the majority of the board had kids who started school late so of course the org's decision was one which most benefited the boards kids ie keep the grade based teams together and have them all play up a year because of 2-3 kids per team ... and most teams got and are still getting trounced). Costs are less with town because you get what you pay for. And its kickball through and through from whistle to whistle. And kickball in high school as well as they age. This may be the answer for some but this situation provided fertile ground for pop up premiers to thrive.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            Town soccer where we are is all politics and who you know and drink with at the town watering hole. From the choosing of the coaches to coach the teams to the decisions that were made back when they went from grade based to birth year (the majority of the board had kids who started school late so of course the org's decision was one which most benefited the boards kids ie keep the grade based teams together and have them all play up a year because of 2-3 kids per team ... and most teams got and are still getting trounced). Costs are less with town because you get what you pay for. And its kickball through and through from whistle to whistle. And kickball in high school as well as they age. This may be the answer for some but this situation provided fertile ground for pop up premiers to thrive.
                            In our town, there were a handful of guys that ran the town club. They definitely served as the gatekeepers of the teams at the young ages. All of their kids bolted for better teams in middle school which ticked off all of the families that they preached development to over the years.

                            Ironically, same kids ultimately lead the high school teams and are posing in pictures to play in college. Kids that stuck with town were basically relegated to garbage time in blow out games or senior day.

                            Bottom line. Be selfish and do what’s best for your kid.

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