Clubs struggling with numbers?

[Unregistered]

The bubble has burst. Cost / travel / population drop / inconsistent coaching and the general confusion with so many clubs and paths all play a part. Pay-to-play clubs must combine or fold or will continue to starve for players. Clubs with facilities will continue to strive since they have that "home base" and revenue stream. Town travel may see a bump now since people will not be reaching for the stars at U11 only to quit at U16. It's all part of the evolution in soccer.

[Unregistered]

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.

And with all that, they should thank the parents who preceded them who drove the bus to the present reality.

[Unregistered]

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 clubs

The pie is shrinking for many reasons (cost, quality, smaller player pool). Clubs have to keep on top of what consumers want in order to survive. That could mean changing leagues (up or down), lowering the price, better coaching, more customer satisfaction.

[Unregistered]

And with all that, they should thank the parents who preceded them who drove the bus to the present reality.

Yup. Popup premier doomed youth soccer in CT, and U.S. Club piled on. And, all that happened because of the decisions made by the previous generation of azzhat parents who knew it all while actually knowing nothing.

[Unregistered]

Thanks, Obama.

[Unregistered]

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 clubs

I'd estimate that there are roughly 30 to maybe 40 players a year from CT that are going on to play college soccer. This would include the high level D1 kids, D2 and D3. I think that number is probably relatively static and doesn't change much from year to year. With that said, the number is skewed because CFCU alone puts 15 kids in year in college soccer. We can debate the numbers but it isn't much more than that.

On the other side of the equation, clubs have multiplied around here in the past 5 years. Just think about the numbers in Sporting, Rush, Ginga, FSA, CFC branches and so on. The kids that were part of the initial club boom are now coming to the end of their HS run and realizing that in many respects they were sold a bill of goods. Very few teams have access to the high end showcase events which makes getting recruited much more challenging. Our best players basically have no choice but to gravitate towards the ECNL and Academy, everyone else is on the outside looking in.

If you are parent at Sporting, SCP, Academica etc you only have to look at the list of schools that kids are moving onto to realize that prospects are extremely limited. Despite the seminars they held, its simply not playing out in reality.

Everyone small and second tier club in CT is struggling for numbers. The product is very watered down and it seems like we are definitely headed towards consolidation in local clubs.

[Unregistered]

I'd estimate that there are roughly 30 to maybe 40 players a year from CT that are going on to play college soccer. This would include the high level D1 kids, D2 and D3. I think that number is probably relatively static and doesn't change much from year to year. With that said, the number is skewed because CFCU alone puts 15 kids in year in college soccer. We can debate the numbers but it isn't much more than that.

On the other side of the equation, clubs have multiplied around here in the past 5 years. Just think about the numbers in Sporting, Rush, Ginga, FSA, CFC branches and so on. The kids that were part of the initial club boom are now coming to the end of their HS run and realizing that in many respects they were sold a bill of goods. Very few teams have access to the high end showcase events which makes getting recruited much more challenging. Our best players basically have no choice but to gravitate towards the ECNL and Academy, everyone else is on the outside looking in.

If you are parent at Sporting, SCP, Academica etc you only have to look at the list of schools that kids are moving onto to realize that prospects are extremely limited. Despite the seminars they held, its simply not playing out in reality.

Everyone small and second tier club in CT is struggling for numbers. The product is very watered down and it seems like we are definitely headed towards consolidation in local clubs.

I think you hit most of the major issues. I'd also add the demise of ODP as a contributing factor.

It was only a few years ago that kids could stay local with the premier team and then get exposure from ODP. Now with the Academy, ODP is toast. If the program has another year left I'd be shocked. The majority of the kids on ODP couldn't crack the roster on the top teams at OW and CFC and sadly the college coaches know it.

[Unregistered]

I think you hit most of the major issues. I'd also add the demise of ODP as a contributing factor.

It was only a few years ago that kids could stay local with the premier team and then get exposure from ODP. Now with the Academy, ODP is toast. If the program has another year left I'd be shocked. The majority of the kids on ODP couldn't crack the roster on the top teams at OW and CFC and sadly the college coaches know it.

ODP helped kill itself. Coaches that don't show all the time indicates a lack of committment. Coaches who put ECNL obligations above regional finals, for example. So, fill-in coaches who don't know the kids. And, uneven treatment of players. Play very well, score perhaps, still start on the bench. Known commodity underperforming always gets the start. Team makes the regional playoffs, bringing up kids from a younger team based on "known commodity" and benching the players who got you there. All of that political bullsh plus they are just disorganized as h3ll on every level.

[Unregistered]

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.

Thanks CJSA

[Unregistered]

I think you hit most of the major issues. I'd also add the demise of ODP as a contributing factor.

It was only a few years ago that kids could stay local with the premier team and then get exposure from ODP. Now with the Academy, ODP is toast. If the program has another year left I'd be shocked. The majority of the kids on ODP couldn't crack the roster on the top teams at OW and CFC and sadly the college coaches know it.

I think the major issue and the 800 lb Gorilla sitting on the ottoman drinking an espresso is the mismanagement of once proud town travel programs. You have ahole non soccer people thinking they know what's best and they surround themselves with a small group of yes people and they chase away good families. That's what happened with our town about 5 years ago. Ignorant people handing every kid a trophy and then hiring 'pro' coaches who could barely get to the field on time. Every year 20 families leave and losing the player is one thing, but when you lose the entire family. The smiling mom or dad who would happily manage the team of chase balls over the goal... next thing you know it's crumbled. That is why we are where we are

[Unregistered]

ODP helped kill itself. Coaches that don't show all the time indicates a lack of committment. Coaches who put ECNL obligations above regional finals, for example. So, fill-in coaches who don't know the kids. And, uneven treatment of players. Play very well, score perhaps, still start on the bench. Known commodity underperforming always gets the start. Team makes the regional playoffs, bringing up kids from a younger team based on "known commodity" and benching the players who got you there. All of that political bullsh plus they are just disorganized as h3ll on every level.

Its been dead for a few years now and yet there are people that are willing to write the check.

Have a look around a college rosters in the Northeast and see how many ODP references that you see. Tells you everything you need to know. Very few top players are involved and college coaches no longer hold it in high regard

I agree with the previous poster that this played a role in shrinking numbers for many clubs.

[Unregistered]

I think the major issue and the 800 lb Gorilla sitting on the ottoman drinking an espresso is the mismanagement of once proud town travel programs. You have ahole non soccer people thinking they know what's best and they surround themselves with a small group of yes people and they chase away good families. That's what happened with our town about 5 years ago. Ignorant people handing every kid a trophy and then hiring 'pro' coaches who could barely get to the field on time. Every year 20 families leave and losing the player is one thing, but when you lose the entire family. The smiling mom or dad who would happily manage the team of chase balls over the goal... next thing you know it's crumbled. That is why we are where we are

The club on every corner is what killed travel. Kids saw the better kits and backpacks and assumed that the product was better. Parents chased the "premier" label with blatant regard for what the level of coaching or talent pool looked like. I know lots of "premier" players in our town that will never see meaningful time on the varsity soccer field. Does that still make you premier?

[Unregistered]

Here's another thing, people running many, if not most, of these clubs are the wrong people to be working with kids. Dead-enders who couldn't cut it any other field of work, end up coaching soccer and running clubs.

[Unregistered]

The club on every corner is what killed travel. Kids saw the better kits and backpacks and assumed that the product was better. Parents chased the "premier" label with blatant regard for what the level of coaching or talent pool looked like. I know lots of "premier" players in our town that will never see meaningful time on the varsity soccer field. Does that still make you premier?

Stop

What town do you live in where "lots" of premier kids are sitting behind travel players
Even crap premier is better than travel- they certainly may be sitting behind better premier players but stop with the "travel" bs- travel used to be special now its AYSO +

[Unregistered]

Here's another thing, people running many, if not most, of these clubs are the wrong people to be working with kids. Dead-enders who couldn't cut it any other field of work, end up coaching soccer and running clubs.

Not entirely true, some of the coaches out there genuinely love working with kids and have a passion for the game. Look at the coaches who work a teaching job or other professions where they work with youth.

The problem is the businessmen who got into this to make money off this type of market. A lot of these club owners are scummy businessmen who jumped on it as an opportunity for dollars not for the good of children or the sport. We have a few of these right here in Fairfield county.