Town teams in Maple

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With all the clubs that are out there now, you can honestly think this. Maybe true for the top club teams, but from what I see in our town, anyone who wants to spend the money can find a club that will take their kid - no special talent necessary.

which is exactly why you are seeing a movement out of Maple by the better clubs. In MA, anyone can form a club and join Maple. Which is a big issue.

[Unregistered]

which is exactly why you are seeing a movement out of Maple by the better clubs. In MA, anyone can form a club and join Maple. Which is a big issue.

Do you have to form a club to join Maple? If so, what does that mean exactly and how does it impact the families involved - if at all? Obviously some sort of fees to put a team in Maple.

Are there upgrades that you should expect to see with this new club model, or is it simply that the same team is playing in a different league?

[Unregistered]

With all the clubs that are out there now, you can honestly think this. Maybe true for the top club teams, but from what I see in our town, anyone who wants to spend the money can find a club that will take their kid - no special talent necessary.

The original post specifically said THE BEST CLUB TEAMS, not all club teams, are all star teams from many towns. There are 100s of mediocre Maple teams, but the top ones in each age bracket are absolutely better than the top BAYS teams.

And of course any parent can find a Maple club that will take their kid (& their money). That goes without saying. There is no magic to joining a club. But if you have a good player and a mediocre town program, club is the way to go. Just do your research first to find a good fit for your player. Writing a big check, by the way, guarantees nothing.

[Unregistered]

Ive seen it and lived it a few years ago myself. you have a decent 5v5 team at u9. usually based on some factor excited novice parents over look, like a strong kid fast, early developed kid or an exceptional GK in that small net. All of a sudden the coach is a genius or the kids are exceptional together etc etc.. then comes growth, speed others catch up or then dillution at u11 8v8 or u13 11 v11 the dynamics change..
my advice is : Play town its fun for the kids but if they want to go the next level bring them to a club while they are young enough to absorb the basics and develope with a pro staff. Or stay at town and hire a real certified coach with playing and watching experience who doesnt care about winning BAYS or MAPLE making each kid as good as they can be and maybe for a winning team when they are 16 .. if they win a few along the way, great

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So when a team first starts in Maple, how does that work? Do they start in the lowest division and have to work their way up? The whole top 2 move up and bottom 2 move down thing? I think the last time I looked at the Maple divisions for U10 boys, there were 7 divisions. That's a lot of teams. Working up from the 7th division would take an awfully long time.

For Maple U11, the fall season is a semi free-for-all that aims to sort out the teams by talent. Last fall in BU11, I think their were about 8 groups of 10. These groups appeared to be somewhat even in talent. (ie, the best and worst teams appeared to be distributed somewhat evenly throughout all the groups) In spring season of U11, the teams are sorted into groups based on their record from the fall, with Blue being the top group.

After spring of U11, the teams remain sorted by talent, with the top two teams in each group moving up and bottom two moving down after each season. As of U13, the Div. 1 vs Blue designation kicks in, and then, as I understand it, a team entering Maple has to play in from MASC.

[Unregistered]

For Maple U11, the fall season is a semi free-for-all that aims to sort out the teams by talent. Last fall in BU11, I think their were about 8 groups of 10. These groups appeared to be somewhat even in talent. (ie, the best and worst teams appeared to be distributed somewhat evenly throughout all the groups) In spring season of U11, the teams are sorted into groups based on their record from the fall, with Blue being the top group.

After spring of U11, the teams remain sorted by talent, with the top two teams in each group moving up and bottom two moving down after each season. As of U13, the Div. 1 vs Blue designation kicks in, and then, as I understand it, a team entering Maple has to play in from MASC.

Sort of right. U11 Fall is by geography, teams are even by talent only within the division as the season unfolds. At U13 teams can play in, but MASC is not a requirement though many of the play in teams did play MASC the season before.