Cuts? Pulled aside/emailed/called or nothing?

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Some clubs will designate players to the B team, and then deny it's the B team....

oh yea - it is all so sleezy. Sad that sports has come to all this, where you can't trust anyone.

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Placing a girl on a lower team, if that's where she belongs, doesn't mean the club doesn't care about her. More likely, it's the opposite.

My kid was a B-teamer for a while and coach was clear in their reasoning. Putting her at a level she wasn't prepared for likely would've just driven her from the game.

If there is no communication preceding an offer to move a player to a lower team it means the club or coach either does not care about the player or does not engage in best professional practices regarding player development.

The player being moved down might, in fact, be the right judgment and best thing for that player and certainly not a reason in and of itself to leave a club (although many parents often see it as such), but lack of communication is a red flag and potentially revealing of more.

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A, B, or C team really doesn't mean anything before U14 if you have a kid who is dedicated and a hard worker. One of my kids started out on the B team her first year in club. She saw no advancement for a couple of years (the DoC was adamant she was a B team player) and ended up moving to another region within the same club and making the A regional team there. Along the way, she kept trying to make the club's top team and getting denied. Eventually she left that club all together, made another club's 2nd top team (higher than a regional team) did well, but didn't make the club's top team the next year and decided to drop down to a regional A team closer to home and do ODP as well. That was probably the best move as she worked hard, played a ton of minutes and now plays ECNL and ODP and is in the middle of being recruited for a mid-level D1 school that happens to be her top choice.

Bottom line, be realistic about your kid and their ability and commitment, but don't be afraid to find opportunities for them by branching out if you find no opportunities where you are. The first club my kid played for said she was too slow and not athletic, and that she would be a B team player her entire career because of it. Then she grew, hit the track, the weight room and worked her skills mercilessly and now she's playing on a top team and looking to play D1. She also has a tremendous work ethic and doesn't get discouraged. I have another kid who is nothing like that and hasn't had nearly the success in club soccer even though he is more athletic and has more innate potential.

[Unregistered]

A, B, or C team really doesn't mean anything before U14 if you have a kid who is dedicated and a hard worker. One of my kids started out on the B team her first year in club. She saw no advancement for a couple of years (the DoC was adamant she was a B team player) and ended up moving to another region within the same club and making the A regional team there. Along the way, she kept trying to make the club's top team and getting denied. Eventually she left that club all together, made another club's 2nd top team (higher than a regional team) did well, but didn't make the club's top team the next year and decided to drop down to a regional A team closer to home and do ODP as well. That was probably the best move as she worked hard, played a ton of minutes and now plays ECNL and ODP and is in the middle of being recruited for a mid-level D1 school that happens to be her top choice.

Bottom line, be realistic about your kid and their ability and commitment, but don't be afraid to find opportunities for them by branching out if you find no opportunities where you are. The first club my kid played for said she was too slow and not athletic, and that she would be a B team player her entire career because of it. Then she grew, hit the track, the weight room and worked her skills mercilessly and now she's playing on a top team and looking to play D1. She also has a tremendous work ethic and doesn't get discouraged. I have another kid who is nothing like that and hasn't had nearly the success in club soccer even though he is more athletic and has more innate potential.

Good post. It's common for kids to take a bruised ego short term and turn it into a chip-on-the-shoulder to work harder long term. Think of it as a setback and then move forward. It's a good character building, life skill to overcome some adversity even at a young age. For most girls soccer players, the ones who will be decent HS and college players, work ethic is the most important trait, not God-given talent. Find a coach who wants her and can help develop her. There are plenty out there that appreciate a hard worker and can turn that into an upper level player by her teen years.

PS To the earlier poster, never worry about losing friends with teammates or parents. The turnover from youth to HS is constant and she will make plenty of new friends at every stop.

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I feel like she should get some sort of reach out. The girls
Are younger and have really bonded last few years. Also some of the girls on the lower team are B town travel level. A few are also on her A town team and she’s done with that this year as it’s frustrating with lower players. It would be a big drop. Don’t know if we should leave the club (one with easier commute) or tolerate it for a year hoping that the next they go to 11v11 and she gets added back. Think a big issue is many are starting to hit puberty and hasn’t. Growth spurt still coming! 😝

Leave.

Sounds like a big club, and once your daughter is sent down, it is 90% likely she will never be brought up again. Go to their primary competitor.

[Unregistered]

Good post. It's common for kids to take a bruised ego short term and turn it into a chip-on-the-shoulder to work harder long term. Think of it as a setback and then move forward. It's a good character building, life skill to overcome some adversity even at a young age. For most girls soccer players, the ones who will be decent HS and college players, work ethic is the most important trait, not God-given talent. Find a coach who wants her and can help develop her. There are plenty out there that appreciate a hard worker and can turn that into an upper level player by her teen years.

PS To the earlier poster, never worry about losing friends with teammates or parents. The turnover from youth to HS is constant and she will make plenty of new friends at every stop.

Agree 100% with this. My kid has moved teams as needed for her to continue to develop and progress. She has made friends on every team she has played on and keeps in touch with them. Club soccer is a fairly small community and she is constantly playing against former teammates and friends in both HS and club. Too many parents and players get hung up on the "bonding" and "friendship" of the current team. Trust me, you will stay in contact with those you really like and make new friends on your new team.

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Placing a girl on a lower team, if that's where she belongs, doesn't mean the club doesn't care about her. More likely, it's the opposite.

My kid was a B-teamer for a while and coach was clear in their reasoning. Putting her at a level she wasn't prepared for likely would've just driven her from the game.

No, if they cared they would have had a discussion about her placement for next year. Not saying anything and pushing her to another team means they only care about the check. Getting demoted happens and often times for the right reasons, but how you handle it matters. When done poorly it can really crush a kid's confidence.

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No, if they cared they would have had a discussion about her placement for next year. Not saying anything and pushing her to another team means they only care about the check. Getting demoted happens and often times for the right reasons, but how you handle it matters. When done poorly it can really crush a kid's confidence.

Yes. Is a kid supposed to keep going to games, practices etc and not know if they have a team or not?

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Agree 100% with this. My kid has moved teams as needed for her to continue to develop and progress. She has made friends on every team she has played on and keeps in touch with them. Club soccer is a fairly small community and she is constantly playing against former teammates and friends in both HS and club. Too many parents and players get hung up on the "bonding" and "friendship" of the current team. Trust me, you will stay in contact with those you really like and make new friends on your new team.

Worrying about making new friends should be at the bottom of the priority list. Most kids, unless painfully shy or a team is full of mean girls, will be fine socially. The bigger issue is where is the best fit for a player and is there a different club for the op's kid who doesn't treat them poorly.

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Yes. Is a kid supposed to keep going to games, practices etc and not know if they have a team or not?

Asking the coach is the only way to know if there is a spot or not. Dont keep waiting.

Emotionally it can be tough to slog through to the end, but you/your kid did commit to the team for the full year. Unless a situation is really awful my preference is to teach a lesson about commitment

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Asking the coach is the only way to know if there is a spot or not. Dont keep waiting.

Emotionally it can be tough to slog through to the end, but you/your kid did commit to the team for the full year. Unless a situation is really awful my preference is to teach a lesson about commitment

OP here. Absolutely agree. If she is cut I will try to convince her to play her best and then walk away. Luckily she makes friends very easily.

Will ask if hear nothing before next practice.

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If you decide to leave, leave on good terms. If your player returns and has shown improvement, your former club will be glad to have you. This happens frequently, esp if you go to a rival club.

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Leave.

Sounds like a big club, and once your daughter is sent down, it is 90% likely she will never be brought up again. Go to their primary competitor.

this is good advice, and you should follow it.
This is also why we have so many leagues and the mess we complain about on other threads. Parents who can't accept that their kid is anything other than top team drive the demand for DA, ECNL, NPL, EDP. Lets stop blaming the clubs for being greedy - we are needy

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this is good advice, and you should follow it.
This is also why we have so many leagues and the mess we complain about on other threads. Parents who can't accept that their kid is anything other than top team drive the demand for DA, ECNL, NPL, EDP. Lets stop blaming the clubs for being greedy - we are needy

Not a feeling of needing to be on the best. Next team at current club and competor really drops off. Some decent players but Some B travel kids.

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No, if they cared they would have had a discussion about her placement for next year. Not saying anything and pushing her to another team means they only care about the check. Getting demoted happens and often times for the right reasons, but how you handle it matters. When done poorly it can really crush a kid's confidence.

Again, as mentioned:

"...and coach was clear in their reasoning"