Just based on observation, it looks like lots of premier clubs are struggling to find players and field teams at each age group. Anyone noticing the same thing?
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It's because there is an abundance of clubs and only so many coaches and players to go around. -
Yes, and I think there has been a realization on the part of parents that soccer is not the golden ticket to free college tuition they thought it would be. The rise in field hockey players and kids rowing crew is on the rise.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
We arent living in the golden age of Mia Hamm any longer...Comment
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Too many clubs, not all of whom are good, and fewer school aged kids too. Its partly a demographic shift and partly families moving out of state. Almost all districts will face declines in school aged kids in the next several years.Comment
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Compete for players. Offer them something they want. Compete on quality, compete on price, compete on organization and communication, etc. Some will get players and some will not.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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For girls there is still plenty of college scholarship dollars to go around.Comment
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holding well-advertised mid-year tryouts with openings up and down the age groups? Yeah, something is wrong (not thinking of any one club, several are doing this)Comment
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Without that some clubs will eventually fold, or at a minimum shrink. Maybe no more A B C teams, or some age groups just don't have a team. That's how free markets work. You have to have to have a reason for being. Some clubs can have nice little niches which can be better in the long run than trying to be everything to everybody.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Even at clubs or competitive teams I've never seen advertise before. Definitely.Originally posted by Unregistered View PostComment
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Could this all be the aftermath of the calendar year changes
Also in our town there was a big bubble of 1999 kids. The 2000 and 2001 kids have less numbersComment
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Last year's HS graduation class (mostly 99s) was the last of a cresting wave of school aged children. It's all downhill from there. Demographics and as we know the economy here isn't great. I can count ten families I know that have moved in the last two years for better opportunities, lower cost of living and warmer weather.Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
But also I think that the oldest teams will continue to struggle with numbers, partly because of the grade split but also because many kids drop out their last year if they're not playing in college. For younger kids the jury is still out but I have to believe it has had an impact on fringe players - kids that dropped out if they couldn't play with friends any longer. They may have eventually dropped out anyway but clubs still need the numbers to fill rosters.Comment
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Lots of parents I talk 2 r just disgusted with the club experience. Poor coaching, poor communication, poor referees, uncomfortable sidelines with other crazy parents, too much travel and time, all for a lot of money.Comment
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Not all seem to be struggling. All we heard about on TS all summer was CFC's bloated ECNL rosters are a money grab. 26 rostered ECNL players? I think the consumer is just getting wise to the pop up premiers and realizing that they are better off staying in travel if their kids are not DA or ECNL level players. Clubs like calling themselves premier and taking advantage of naive parents that believe their kids are super talents. Reality sets in when they go to a tournament and see real clubsComment
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