How many players on your kids team?

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Your on an ECNL team with 18-24 players. Its a hard fact of life that you should work to earn your time. Don't complain about playing time. What are you doing as a player to earn your spot?

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U16 - 16 players and 2 keepers. Can pull from a 'feeder' team if necessary. Never more than 16 at a game.

Wouldn't sign up for anything more than that, personally.

So, one kid strains a hamstring is out for 3 weeks. Another kid gets involved in a collision and is out 2 weeks with a concussion. A third kid tore an ACL and will miss 9 months.

One kid is sick and misses two training sessions during the week. Another kid has a family wedding to attend and needs to miss the weekend. A third kid is visiting a school that she may want to play at - which I'm sure everyone on the team supports.

The injuries and missed time come fast & furious once the kids reach HS ages. 16 on a roster is not nearly enough, unless you can easily bring up kids from a feeder team (which creates a domino effect that eventually results in a lower level team having only 9 kids...) My kid's team generally had 3 kids injured at any one time, and occasionally way more than that. The team rostered 20, and had NO problem finding playing time for the ones that were healthy at any given time.

[Unregistered]

Common sense dictates if you want to play soccer, you should actually PLAY soccer, not watch it.

I know, I know...I tried to use "Common sense" on T/S. What was I thinking?

My kid's roster ranged from 20-22 from U16-U18. Several of the kids on the team (e.g., CB's, a midfielder, GK, an outside back) played the entire game, while the weakest players on the team got at least 30 min./game. Due to injuries and missed time, all but 1 or 2 players got all the game time they wanted. If my kid was only getting 15 minutes at the end of 1 half and 15 minutes at the start of the second, I suppose we would have moved down or out to a different team.

[Unregistered]

My kid's roster ranged from 20-22 from U16-U18. Several of the kids on the team (e.g., CB's, a midfielder, GK, an outside back) played the entire game, while the weakest players on the team got at least 30 min./game. Due to injuries and missed time, all but 1 or 2 players got all the game time they wanted. If my kid was only getting 15 minutes at the end of 1 half and 15 minutes at the start of the second, I suppose we would have moved down or out to a different team.

or you could take a hint....kid probably isn't that good.

[Unregistered]

Your on an ECNL team with 18-24 players. Its a hard fact of life that you should work to earn your time. Don't complain about playing time. What are you doing as a player to earn your spot?

and if your kid wants to play in college the reality is you have to fight for every minute. Get used to the idea. Same with just your HS team. A decent coach will make sure the end of the bench players get meaningful time, just don't expect equal. If you can't handle your kid not being a start then go elsewhere

[Unregistered]

How much do some of you pay for the privilege to NOT play?

You must be the lemonade stand DOC that used to obsess over GPS.

Respect for turning low demand for your club into a benefit of high PT

[Unregistered]

So, one kid strains a hamstring is out for 3 weeks. Another kid gets involved in a collision and is out 2 weeks with a concussion. A third kid tore an ACL and will miss 9 months.

One kid is sick and misses two training sessions during the week. Another kid has a family wedding to attend and needs to miss the weekend. A third kid is visiting a school that she may want to play at - which I'm sure everyone on the team supports.

The injuries and missed time come fast & furious once the kids reach HS ages. 16 on a roster is not nearly enough, unless you can easily bring up kids from a feeder team (which creates a domino effect that eventually results in a lower level team having only 9 kids...) My kid's team generally had 3 kids injured at any one time, and occasionally way more than that. The team rostered 20, and had NO problem finding playing time for the ones that were healthy at any given time.

Again, there's a feeder team if necessary. No reason to be bringing 18+ players to a game unless you are trying to pay for your Club Director's pool.

Floored this is even a conversation, honestly. Much better to have reserve players playing, not watching. Same in every sport at all levels.

Such an odd conversation.

[Unregistered]

You must be the lemonade stand DOC that used to obsess over GPS.

Respect for turning low demand for your club into a benefit of high PT

Do you at least offer padded seats for the water carriers?

[Unregistered]

My kid's roster ranged from 20-22 from U16-U18. Several of the kids on the team (e.g., CB's, a midfielder, GK, an outside back) played the entire game, while the weakest players on the team got at least 30 min./game. Due to injuries and missed time, all but 1 or 2 players got all the game time they wanted. If my kid was only getting 15 minutes at the end of 1 half and 15 minutes at the start of the second, I suppose we would have moved down or out to a different team.

That's disgusting.

[Unregistered]

Your on an ECNL team with 18-24 players. Its a hard fact of life that you should work to earn your time. Don't complain about playing time. What are you doing as a player to earn your spot?

Apparently, for a roster of TWENTY-FOUR players, there's a whole lot of watching the game and parental bragging on TS....

[Unregistered]

Do you at least offer padded seats for the water carriers?

I totally agree with you. Our family's #1 priority is maximizing playing time. We measure ROI by PPM - price per minute played. For this reason we made sure to place our kids on teams below their level and in a less expensive leagues. This strategy minimized our $ outlay and maximized PT. For one kid we got our PPM to $1.38. Her HS teammates are paying over $2.50 in some cases. Just like gas, amiright?

[Unregistered]

I totally agree with you. Our family's #1 priority is maximizing playing time. We measure ROI by PPM - price per minute played. For this reason we made sure to place our kids on teams below their level and in a less expensive leagues. This strategy minimized our $ outlay and maximized PT. For one kid we got our PPM to $1.38. Her HS teammates are paying over $2.50 in some cases. Just like gas, amiright?

What is the ROI on watching your kid watching a game?

[Unregistered]

..... For this reason we made sure to place our kids on teams below their level and in a less expensive leagues....

Here's a little hint for you: If your kid, any kid, was at the "right level" they'd be actually playing.

[Unregistered]

Are you kidding...... some kids will get 5 min

Time to venture out into other sports

[Unregistered]

Time to venture out into other sports

Not sure about that. From what I'm reading, those 5 minutes are worth more than a full 90 elsewhere....