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**Unregistered** · 01-06-2015, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The advantage town teams have is not having to pay for expensive field rentals, and their tournament and travel costs are significantly lower to practically non-existent. The only way they have a chance to keep "better" talent (note, not top talent because they will always leave no matter what) is to have at least some of the coaches be paid coaches. Our rec program did a combo of paid coaches for training during the week (with a parent coach there helping) and the parent coach running weekend games. Cut the coaching fee by a third.

Sure there are some good volunteers, but there are many lousy ones. And if you have parent coaches you have issues with perceived favoritism, town politics, etc. The only way to keep town going is to offer solid coaching at a reasonable price. If you can keep it to less than half the price of club plus the appeal to some families of less commitment. travel, etc. it's a feasible proposition. Having a board that cares about the bigger picture helps too.

Commonwealth FC U15 and u16 with all braintree kids have won their maple divisions over last couple of years

**Unregistered** · 01-06-2015, 02:54 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Commonwealth FC U15 and u16 with all braintree kids have won their maple divisions over last couple of years

Okay. Why is it working?

**Unregistered** · 01-06-2015, 10:10 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Okay. Why is it working?

Boys that really love playing and are totally dedicated to the team with a few that could play at any level, decent coaches that are devoted to the teams and work really hard with them year round, low costs also help

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 10:56 AM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Commonwealth FC U15 and u16 with all braintree kids have won their maple divisions over last couple of years

Whether it is or is not important, these teams do not play in the first division.
Would some of these kids be better off playing for clubs in a higher division?

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 12:39 PM

This has always been my issue with town club teams. They can compete at the 3rd or even the 2nd division because of a few players that should be playing at a higher level. These higher level players are not pushing themselves to be the best players possible. This might be for many reasons but is a waste of talent IMO. I also have issues with town club coaches teaching kids at the younger ages because they do not understand what is needed to be taught, age specific training. They focus on tactics and conditioning more than basic skills. The skills they are teaching they do not understand how to break down to the finer levels or do not do them enough to create muscle memory. Every player that has come to me from town programs I need to reteach basic skills. They are great athletes and have a lot of potential but have a poor soccer IQ also because their coach screamed direction to them the entire game. Could not think for themselves.

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 02:03 PM

How many lower income kids do yo have on your club team? Even if you "make the numbers work" no one likes feeling like a charity case. Club soccer is for well off kids.

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 02:48 PM

I'd say more than half of the girls on my younger daughter's team are NOT from well-off families (12 on roster) including ourselves. Although we are not scholarshiped, I do think there may be at least 1 or 2 who are. To assume, that just because a player plays club soccer they must be well-off is ridiculous. We live very modestly, not poor and definitely not wealthy, but we just choose to put the majority of our disposable income on our kids sports. I'd venture to guess that is where the majority of kids in club soccer (and sports) fall.

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 04:28 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

This has always been my issue with town club teams. They can compete at the 3rd or even the 2nd division because of a few players that should be playing at a higher level. These higher level players are not pushing themselves to be the best players possible. This might be for many reasons but is a waste of talent IMO. I also have issues with town club coaches teaching kids at the younger ages because they do not understand what is needed to be taught, age specific training. They focus on tactics and conditioning more than basic skills. The skills they are teaching they do not understand how to break down to the finer levels or do not do them enough to create muscle memory. Every player that has come to me from town programs I need to reteach basic skills. They are great athletes and have a lot of potential but have a poor soccer IQ also because their coach screamed direction to them the entire game. Could not think for themselves.

You can't generalize the criticism of town coaches as they are quite varied. There are some that are, in fact, are or have been club coaches and have a grasp on the game and training at younger ages.

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 04:34 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Boys that really love playing and are totally dedicated to the team with a few that could play at any level

Those "few that could play at any level" should give serious consideration to playing at a different level then. If they are as good as you say they need a greater challenge than Maple D2.

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 04:35 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

This has always been my issue with town club teams. They can compete at the 3rd or even the 2nd division because of a few players that should be playing at a higher level. These higher level players are not pushing themselves to be the best players possible. This might be for many reasons but is a waste of talent IMO. I also have issues with town club coaches teaching kids at the younger ages because they do not understand what is needed to be taught, age specific training. They focus on tactics and conditioning more than basic skills. The skills they are teaching they do not understand how to break down to the finer levels or do not do them enough to create muscle memory. Every player that has come to me from town programs I need to reteach basic skills. They are great athletes and have a lot of potential but have a poor soccer IQ also because their coach screamed direction to them the entire game. Could not think for themselves.

not the case here - the coaches are very aware of basic skills - i do not think 99% of club coaches know any more - they kids can play keep away with the best of them - this is what many top club coaches do for majority of their practices over and over again which improves basic touch but drains the love of the game for many many players if that is all they do.

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 05:05 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Those "few that could play at any level" should give serious consideration to playing at a different level then. If they are as good as you say they need a greater challenge than Maple D2.

why - get to enter the various college showcases as become age appropriate, continually improvement shown, lots of practice and playing time, cost 500 for everything, beat big club teams regularly when they play and hoping to make D1 this year.

**Unregistered** · 01-07-2015, 05:17 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

why - get to enter the various college showcases as become age appropriate, continually improvement shown, lots of practice and playing time, cost 500 for everything, beat big club teams regularly when they play and hoping to make D1 this year.

Has Commonwealth ever played in a college showcase?

Anyone can look improved against Maple D2 competition. The speed of the game at the higher levels can't be replicated where you are playing.

Cost is definitely in your favor.

What big club teams have you beaten? Are you beating 2nd and 3rd teams from "large" clubs or are you beating big time club teams?

**ForzaAzzurri** · 01-07-2015, 05:20 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Individuals will always have to choose where to play and that choice is out of the soccer organization's control. Offer the best program you can. There is a market for quality lower cost programs. Plenty of good players cannot afford expensive teams.

Ain't that the truth! (Primarily the part I bolded)

Little anecdote: At the MAPLE AGC meeting in September, when open discussion came up, the very first item raised from the "seats" by one of the club representatives, and the one that, to my dismay, garnered the most dialogue from a couple other club reps as well, was concern for "illegal" player recruiting.

Not things (more) related to the kids' actual on-field soccer experience, like, for example, (better) ensuring appropriate competition or field quality (my biggest beef).

Yup, recruiting.

(When a whole other competing league exists, mind you!).

Not that I condone it---but rather recognize that it happens---or whatever the supposed competitive advantage the other guy has, your first sentence is exactly the point I tried to make. Worry about what you CAN control (which is actually a LOT from the perspective of the individual soccer player) and you needn't worry about players leaving, whether "recruited" by a coach short on ethics, or otherwise, and whether it happens during the soccer year, or when tryouts come around.