How exactly does SSS work? Even people who I know with the club say “its confusing” (either that or they’ve sworn a blood oath to secrecy) I know kids who are assigned to one team, but then don’t play with that team all the time and play with another team? Are there kids who are assigned to a team but also serve as floaters/ringers? For example, I know one girl who plays games for 2 teams. Are they all assigned to one pool and then told what “team”/game they’ll play over the weekend? Are there any teams (besides their GA teams) that are consistent? At what age does the “pooling” end?
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I think the fact that people who are with the club don't actually know what is going on says all you need to know. They are the only club on the south shore who has access to GA league. A lot of people believe they only way to 'make it' in youth soccer is to be on a GA or ECNL team. This is of course extremely debatable. There are also fights that ECNL > GA or vice versa but they seem to be comparable locally. Although Nationally, clearly ECNL is taken a lot more seriously than GA. For example, SSS 09 won the "National Championship" for GA last year, but across the country the real championship for that age group is ECNL - SSS does not and cannot play in ECNL so they pump up GA as the best of the best. If you make the GA team it is taken very seriously and resources are allocated to you. If you are not on GA team, than any team you are on is about the same as all other clubs you see around the NECSL - they try to place kids on teams by 'skills' but at the lower levels that really just means by size. Their social media revolves around showcasing wins, so parents are attracted to bring their kids there, so as you pointed out, below GA, many of the bigger, players who developed earlier, play multiple games every weekend to win games so SSS can showcase that. The coaches and teams change throughout the season. All players below GA pay their fees, while GA players, if they are very good by U11 and up, don't pay - SSS wants them there to attract more parents that if their kids play there and "win national championships" they don't really develop players as you will see on your town teams the kids at SSS are not better or significantly better than kids playing at other clubs. Once on GA, soccer becomes your life and you really can't do any other sports, so by the fact they are playing 7 days a week, they do start to develop more soccer skills than kids who are diversifying their experiences. For the most part, not 100% of the time. I think you can see from the posts on TS that unless you are on GA, SSS is really just a money grab or for certain communities the only real viable option for a middle of the road club soccer team. If you have the option for another club near you, you will most likely get more set/structured teams, coaching, and a focus on development rather than just bring in as many kids as possible for the club's finances. The only benefit of SSS is that they have access to GA and other clubs do not - if you care about that and if your kid actually on that team. If not, SSS is quite honestly a detriment to the child's development based on their player pool and huge group trainings with limited coaches. Look at it this way, they are still having tryouts this month for a season that has already started. Why would they do that for a bunch of teams that are already set. Because there is always a possibility that there is another player out there who is better than what they have and can help them win. They aren't interested in developing kids they already have on these teams. You either are or you are not. -
pool play is designed for one reason only - to make LL as much money as possible. simple math more players more moneyComment
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club soccer is exclusive, get in early and work your way up to the top team in the u9 u10 years. leave it too late and you'll end up in the lower teams foreverComment
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This whole thread started by someone who wanted to make the case for their local non-branded club. Appreciate the effort.
I ran a lacrosse team with a player pool. Some were always on A, Some on B, and a bunch were well-served alternating between being challenged and building confidence.
Anyone suggesting that sticking with a static team (of unknown quality) is preferable to practicing with better players, while still getting lots of PT, well, they don't know much about development.
ps. my kid played for StarsComment
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Pooled practices are not with GA though, so even your practicing with the best argument doesn't work here. So to go to a GA or ECNL team to be 'with the best' is non-sense if you are not on those teams. Pooled practices are with the lower leveled teams that as another poster said is similar to the other clubs around in terms of talent - all playing in NECSL brackets together.Originally posted by Guest View PostComment
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SSS has a pool for pre-GA or at least they used to. You found out a month before which games you would play. Some kids got invited to two games in the weekend and some got invited to one. It creates a very nasty jealous competitive environment for kids and parents.Comment
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They take your money, give you a subpar product, pump 70% of your cash into LLs pocket, 25% into the GA teams (note the impact turned rising turned NAL teams are not included here) and 5% is put towards your kid as a goodwill gesture.Comment
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Fc stars has their own training complex. Nefc has 2. Why doesn't SSS have any??? LL is laughing all the way to the bank. Investing very little capital into the clubComment
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so you’ve never seen a Select game, huh? GA team is set. When they don’t have conflicts they bring kids down to the lower levels to win games. It’s top players, not the ones not getting minutes at GA. It has nothing to do with “development”. It’s bringing kids down to win games while the core members get fewer minutes. It’s well known and not at all a true player pool (which we’ve been part of many times and a well run player pool works. Not at all what Select does.) You can look at their scores week to week pick out which games they brought ringers in.Originally posted by Guest View PostComment
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Uhhh, every age group, it’s embarrassing. Congrats on winning the 4th tier bracket at your tournament! Or a team will be 0-2 going into their third game against a local club and all of a sudden they win that game, hmmmmmmOriginally posted by Guest View PostComment
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I've heard about that happening from a few people now, but only been at one game against Select where our parents were saying their team had brought in older ringers. Turned out they weren't, just players from that team that had been guesting up. I'd be curious to know which games it actually happened at. It's hard to see why top GA players would play 4th bracket games since they already have more than enough games and travel.Originally posted by Guest View PostComment
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very good point and one paying customers should consider. With the number of teams at every level, year round weekly “tryouts”, and claim they are top program in the area - why isnt any funds being reinvested into the teams and club? It is all about development and “family” after all isnt it?Originally posted by Guest View Post
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this is not really true if a better players shows up at tryouts, wherever they were developed, especially at u12 and up, SSS will replace girls on GA roster who have been there in a heartbeat. SSS advertises wins not how many girls on GA team have been with SSS since U8 or U9. Not how many girls started SSS elite and made it to GA. It would be a good story to promote if it were true, but it just isnt.Originally posted by Guest View Post
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