70 to 75 % of players leave soccer by age 13 in the USA

[Unregistered]

The drop off rate has been concern for USSF for EVER based on the number of registered players. A study and survey was done to discover the root causes. I don't remember how they termed it but the top reasons were coaches, parents, and it wasn't fun anymore.
Basically the coaches were jerks and put too much pressure on the kids and yelled. The parents put too much pressure on the kids to win and excel and play at a higher level, so.... it wasn't fun anymore.

It is a game...after all. For some, it's life, but not for everyone

[Unregistered]

The drop off rate has been concern for USSF for EVER based on the number of registered players. A study and survey was done to discover the root causes. I don't remember how they termed it but the top reasons were coaches, parents, and it wasn't fun anymore.
Basically the coaches were jerks and put too much pressure on the kids and yelled. The parents put too much pressure on the kids to win and excel and play at a higher level, so.... it wasn't fun anymore.

It is a game...after all. For some, it's life, but not for everyone

This is so true. I'm a coach and I've had other coaches marvel at how my team wants to keep coming back year after year. I tell them that I keep it fun. If the kids aren't excited to attend practice, you're doing something wrong.

[Unregistered]

This is so true. I'm a coach and I've had other coaches marvel at how my team wants to keep coming back year after year. I tell them that I keep it fun. If the kids aren't excited to attend practice, you're doing something wrong.

Well, parents are asked to pay $1000 and then they are given below average training. The clubs will seek to take as many players as they can.

If a club can't put a good licensed coach on the field, they should not field a team. But they do. Blame the clubs 100%.

I have witnessed clubs actually telling players at tryouts they were on a team, when not only did they not have a full team to field, they didn't have a coach. They saw a potential to get another 15 kids worth of fees. This is wrong and ridiculous. As I said, blame the Clubs 100% for allowing Shyte product and shyte coaching.

Want to put together rec teams... then charge rec fees.

[Unregistered]

Well, parents are asked to pay $1000 and then they are given below average training. The clubs will seek to take as many players as they can.

If a club can't put a good licensed coach on the field, they should not field a team. But they do. Blame the clubs 100%.

I have witnessed clubs actually telling players at tryouts they were on a team, when not only did they not have a full team to field, they didn't have a coach. They saw a potential to get another 15 kids worth of fees. This is wrong and ridiculous. As I said, blame the Clubs 100% for allowing Shyte product and shyte coaching.

Want to put together rec teams... then charge rec fees.

Yup, so true. They also will form a team with 8 or 9 players then grabbing kids from what they call club players. This is the worst experience for the players and a waste of money for the parent.

[Unregistered]

Yup, so true. They also will form a team with 8 or 9 players then grabbing kids from what they call club players. This is the worst experience for the players and a waste of money for the parent.

Totally agree with prior posts. This has happened to us twice over the years. It was the beginning of the end for one of our kids who basically became the Assistant coach for the team the skill level was so poor he really had nothing else to do while the head coach tried to instil basic skills in the teams. He "retired" from coaching... ahem, playing that year. For another it was a complete waste of an important year - so many promises from that club!, we spent $$ the following year moving the kid to another club and we found the cost was, over the long haul, a better return on the investment. It is disgusting what some clubs do.

[Unregistered]

Totally agree with prior posts. This has happened to us twice over the years. It was the beginning of the end for one of our kids who basically became the Assistant coach for the team the skill level was so poor he really had nothing else to do while the head coach tried to instil basic skills in the teams. He "retired" from coaching... ahem, playing that year. For another it was a complete waste of an important year - so many promises from that club!, we spent $$ the following year moving the kid to another club and we found the cost was, over the long haul, a better return on the investment. It is disgusting what some clubs do.

Competitive "rec" soccer and piss poor coaches. They have been ripping you off for years. Stop letting them rob you. Play another sport already.

[Unregistered]

Well, parents are asked to pay $1000 and then they are given below average training. The clubs will seek to take as many players as they can.

If a club can't put a good licensed coach on the field, they should not field a team. But they do. Blame the clubs 100%.

I have witnessed clubs actually telling players at tryouts they were on a team, when not only did they not have a full team to field, they didn't have a coach. They saw a potential to get another 15 kids worth of fees. This is wrong and ridiculous. As I said, blame the Clubs 100% for allowing Shyte product and shyte coaching.

Want to put together rec teams... then charge rec fees.

I agree. But the coaches are a big problem as well. They too profit with more players on the team. Then they only focused on the already talented players and ignore the ones that need help. They don't get even play time. without experience on the field they wont develop.

[Unregistered]

Well, parents are asked to pay $1000 and then they are given below average training. The clubs will seek to take as many players as they can.

If a club can't put a good licensed coach on the field, they should not field a team. But they do. Blame the clubs 100%.

I have witnessed clubs actually telling players at tryouts they were on a team, when not only did they not have a full team to field, they didn't have a coach. They saw a potential to get another 15 kids worth of fees. This is wrong and ridiculous. As I said, blame the Clubs 100% for allowing Shyte product and shyte coaching.

Want to put together rec teams... then charge rec fees.

Why do we as parents allow this to happen. We are the ones who support the clubs. With out us they are nothing. There should be a boycott of some form towards these clubs and towards florida youth soccer. They abuse their power and their positions.

[Unregistered]

Why do we as parents allow this to happen. We are the ones who support the clubs. With out us they are nothing. There should be a boycott of some form towards these clubs and towards florida youth soccer. They abuse their power and their positions.

Best coach / trainers I found are young guys in their 20's that played college soccer and are eager to teach with the ball at their feet. If your coach has never played at a high level, they can't teach your kids to do it. Don't be fooled.

[Unregistered]

Why do we as parents allow this to happen. We are the ones who support the clubs. With out us they are nothing. There should be a boycott of some form towards these clubs and towards florida youth soccer. They abuse their power and their positions.

-Parents are to blame for club hopping and agreeing to pay that kind of money. You do it for a reason. Let's be honest, you don't pay all those fees and travel money just so your child can play soccer. You really expect some future payoff. (And don't be mad at the messenger.)
-Clubs are to blame for charging that money on a promise of ________ something, (fill in the blank based on whatever you were promised.) Plus, if they want to be competitive, they have to pay coaches more, which means they have to charge you more... never ending cycle.
-Coaches are responsible because many are just good recruiters but not player developers. You know who gets credit for player development, the last coach players have before they move into college. We credit high school coaches who are gifted talented groups of players NONE of which they developed. Club coaches want to be paid like professionals, but can't coach like professionals.

We will never find sanity in this mess as long as we keep buying into the hype, Believing the promises, paying the crazy fees and paying the coaches. It's everyone's fault.

[Unregistered]

-Parents are to blame for club hopping and agreeing to pay that kind of money. You do it for a reason. Let's be honest, you don't pay all those fees and travel money just so your child can play soccer. You really expect some future payoff. (And don't be mad at the messenger.)
-Clubs are to blame for charging that money on a promise of ________ something, (fill in the blank based on whatever you were promised.) Plus, if they want to be competitive, they have to pay coaches more, which means they have to charge you more... never ending cycle.
-Coaches are responsible because many are just good recruiters but not player developers. You know who gets credit for player development, the last coach players have before they move into college. We credit high school coaches who are gifted talented groups of players NONE of which they developed. Club coaches want to be paid like professionals, but can't coach like professionals.

We will never find sanity in this mess as long as we keep buying into the hype, Believing the promises, paying the crazy fees and paying the coaches. It's everyone's fault.

Never ending circles

[Unregistered]

-Parents are to blame for club hopping and agreeing to pay that kind of money. You do it for a reason. Let's be honest, you don't pay all those fees and travel money just so your child can play soccer. You really expect some future payoff. (And don't be mad at the messenger.)
-Clubs are to blame for charging that money on a promise of ________ something, (fill in the blank based on whatever you were promised.) Plus, if they want to be competitive, they have to pay coaches more, which means they have to charge you more... never ending cycle.
-Coaches are responsible because many are just good recruiters but not player developers. You know who gets credit for player development, the last coach players have before they move into college. We credit high school coaches who are gifted talented groups of players NONE of which they developed. Club coaches want to be paid like professionals, but can't coach like professionals.

We will never find sanity in this mess as long as we keep buying into the hype, Believing the promises, paying the crazy fees and paying the coaches. It's everyone's fault.

As I was reading this I kept thinking about the speech Tom Cruise gives in the movie Jerry Maguire as he was quitting his sports agent firm... "Well, don't worry. Don't worry. I'm not gonna do what you all think I'm gonna do, which is just flip out! But let me just, let me just say, as I ease out of the office I helped build - I'm sorry, but it's a fact! - that there is such a thing as manners, a way of treating people. [pointing to an aquarium in the office] These fish have manners. These fish have manners. In fact, they're coming with me. I'm starting a new company, and the fish will come with me. You can call me sentimental. The fish - they're coming with me. [nets one of the gold fishes and places it inside a baggie] Okay. If anybody else wants to come with me, this moment will be the moment of something real and fun and inspiring in this God-forsaken business, and we will do it together. Who's comin' with me?"

[Unregistered]

As I was reading this I kept thinking about the speech Tom Cruise gives in the movie Jerry Maguire as he was quitting his sports agent firm... "Well, don't worry. Don't worry. I'm not gonna do what you all think I'm gonna do, which is just flip out! But let me just, let me just say, as I ease out of the office I helped build - I'm sorry, but it's a fact! - that there is such a thing as manners, a way of treating people. [pointing to an aquarium in the office] These fish have manners. These fish have manners. In fact, they're coming with me. I'm starting a new company, and the fish will come with me. You can call me sentimental. The fish - they're coming with me. [nets one of the gold fishes and places it inside a baggie] Okay. If anybody else wants to come with me, this moment will be the moment of something real and fun and inspiring in this God-forsaken business, and we will do it together. Who's comin' with me?"

Have you ever heard of the fish aquarium effect?

[Unregistered]

never hoped for a college scholarship. Just want challenging competition. A team with a coach, peers and self drive that would push my son out of his comfort zone to do more.

That is what I got. That is priceless.

[Unregistered]

never hoped for a college scholarship. Just want challenging competition. A team with a coach, peers and self drive that would push my son out of his comfort zone to do more.

That is what I got. That is priceless.

So true; wish we could get just a little of that back now! parents don't realize how important it is until it is no longer around; count your blessings if your child is able to play in college.