Clubs to Avoid and Reasons why

[Guest]

Don’t forget clubs want results so their elite teams can represent in the highest brackets.

Yes tournaments need tools to determine placements. But that is where it should end. Some parents obsess over where their kid's teams rank. More importantly it's used as a proxy for coaching quality - a winning team must have great coaching right? Forget the fact that some teams game the system by attending an inordinate number of tournaments, or stack teams with top players. It doesn't mean the players are learning/well coached.

[Guest]

My kid plays for one of the mega clubs in massachusetts. All these clubs are the SAME. Very few kids will
ever play soccer beyond college, so there is really no return on investment here. If you think otherwise, you are delusional. Come back to this forum in 10 years, and see if it really mattered what soccer club your child played for, in the grand scheme of things.

[Guest]

A club that gives preferential treatment to the kids who sign up for all of the extra-- privates, indoor league, futsal, etc....that's you SSS.

[Guest]

My kid plays for one of the mega clubs in massachusetts. All these clubs are the SAME. Very few kids will
ever play soccer beyond college, so there is really no return on investment here. If you think otherwise, you are delusional. Come back to this forum in 10 years, and see if it really mattered what soccer club your child played for, in the grand scheme of things.

Many families figure this out by or during HS. They think their kid is a stud but they're in a C league. They don't make varsity until junior year. No college coaches come to see them play. It's a very tight funnel into the HS years then incredibly narrow into college. If more MS parents knew how hard it is I think half these supposed top leagues/college pathway clubs would disappear. Then players would play for fun and play more locally, as it should be

[Guest]

Yes tournaments need tools to determine placements. But that is where it should end. Some parents obsess over where their kid's teams rank. More importantly it's used as a proxy for coaching quality - a winning team must have great coaching right? Forget the fact that some teams game the system by attending an inordinate number of tournaments, or stack teams with top players. It doesn't mean the players are learning/well coached.

Based on the last few posts, it appears that unless your child will be capable of playing college ball (in which case, everything you were taught by your youth coach will be discarded) it really doesn’t matter what type or quality of coaching they receive at these age levels.
Is this relevant?

[Guest]

My experience with JD was every player on the sideline* played at least half the game. Exception: National Tournament games.

Not many coaches more demanding than him nor leagues more competitive than ECNL. Of course he had a very deep bench but there is always a lower performing player relative to others. If he can figure it out, there is no excuse to not give 50% PT

* there were times when girls may not dress due to commitment (missed practice for lax) or performance issues, but they knew in advance

[Guest]

Based on the last few posts, it appears that unless your child will be capable of playing college ball (in which case, everything you were taught by your youth coach will be discarded) it really doesn’t matter what type or quality of coaching they receive at these age levels.
Is this relevant?

Coaching always matters. The league matter less, especially if you're not skilled enough or desire the "top" ones

[Guest]

Many families figure this out by or during HS. They think their kid is a stud but they're in a C league. They don't make varsity until junior year. No college coaches come to see them play. It's a very tight funnel into the HS years then incredibly narrow into college. If more MS parents knew how hard it is I think half these supposed top leagues/college pathway clubs would disappear. Then players would play for fun and play more locally, as it should be

Even the few that actually do play in college, soon realize that soccer is just a game. You graduate and then what? Hopefully, you put as much focus on your schoolwork and career path, because soccer becomes irrelevant at that point.

[Guest]

Even the few that actually do play in college, soon realize that soccer is just a game. You graduate and then what? Hopefully, you put as much focus on your schoolwork and career path, because soccer becomes irrelevant at that point.

Soccer is never irrelevant! Soccer is life.
Sure, not the means of earning a living for 99.9% of kids who get involved in the game, but once a soccer player, a real soccer player who truly loves the game... forever a soccer player.
The lessons you learn from the most beautiful game ever created, go far beyond any measured success (trophies, medals, scholarships, recruitment, etc.)... they are memories and lessons for a lifetime.
I feel bad for anyone who fails not only to see this, but to have this mindset as their guiding priority in all their decisions.

[Guest]

Soccer is never irrelevant! Soccer is life.
Sure, not the means of earning a living for 99.9% of kids who get involved in the game, but once a soccer player, a real soccer player who truly loves the game... forever a soccer player.
The lessons you learn from the most beautiful game ever created, go far beyond any measured success (trophies, medals, scholarships, recruitment, etc.)... they are memories and lessons for a lifetime.
I feel bad for anyone who fails not only to see this, but to have this mindset as their guiding priority in all their decisions.

It is a great sport, and a fun game indeed. There are many ways to make memories in your younger years and beyond. However it may be, people making major life decisions revolving around it, or parents arguing and obsessing over which silly league is better for their little mias and leos, is asinine.

[Guest]

It is a great sport, and a fun game indeed. There are many ways to make memories in your younger years and beyond. However it may be, people making major life decisions revolving around it, or parents arguing and obsessing over which silly league is better for their little mias and leos, is asinine.

Especially since the odds little Leo and Mia are even playing in HS are poor, let alone college.

[Guest]

Especially since the odds little Leo and Mia are even playing in HS are poor, let alone college.

College, I get your point.
HS, are you joking? Even NPL kids are pretty much guaranteed to play HS as upperclassmen.

[Guest]

My experience with JD was every player on the sideline* played at least half the game. Exception: National Tournament games.

Not many coaches more demanding than him nor leagues more competitive than ECNL. Of course he had a very deep bench but there is always a lower performing player relative to others. If he can figure it out, there is no excuse to not give 50% PT

* there were times when girls may not dress due to commitment (missed practice for lax) or performance issues, but they knew in advance

You've proven the point in your exception. Those are the games that really matter, no?

And I struggle to believe that JD would offer equal playing time if making Champions League was on the line.

[Guest]

College, I get your point.
HS, are you joking? Even NPL kids are pretty much guaranteed to play HS as upperclassmen.

I'm pretty sure that most club players do play in HS. As for college...

6%

That's the percentage of HS soccer players who go on to play in college.
That's an average of 1 player per HS team goes on to play in college.
Stunning figure given the millions of dollars spent by families on club soccer.

[Guest]

I'm pretty sure that most club players do play in HS. As for college...

6%

That's the percentage of HS soccer players who go on to play in college.
That's an average of 1 player per HS team goes on to play in college.
Stunning figure given the millions of dollars spent by families on club soccer.

It's actually 2%for all HS players. How many club players play in college varies wildly from zero to 100% depending on on league,club and team.