Switch to weaker team for more playing time

[Guest]

Find a slightly weaker team. As teams go down in skill there are large drop offs in the middle of the roster where top teams are strong 1-20. Don’t go to the basement for playing time as you still want a challenge, but no shame in realizing you just want to play and don’t have aspirations for the next level.

Since it seems the op's kid isn't college track material this^is the smart answer. They should be playing for their own enjoyment, which means actually playing. No shame in moving down for a better fit whatsoever

[Guest]

Since it seems the op's kid isn't college track material this^is the smart answer. They should be playing for their own enjoyment, which means actually playing. No shame in moving down for a better fit whatsoever

Depends... boy vs girl might be different. Kids explode at different ages (more noticeable with boys vs girls). Just keep playing the game. different sport, but i was a 140lb 5'8" freshman - didnt even play football and played JV baseball. Sophmore year, was 5'10, 180. Played both JV football and baseball. By Senior year, was 6" and 210. Had offers to play both D1 football and ended up getting money to play SEC baseball. My best memories were playing HS football, club baseball and HS baseball. I HATED college baseball. Just keep playing the game and enjoy it for as long as you can.

My brother was similar - had a good hs soccer career - didnt have much college interest and played D3 for a year. had a good year, transferred to a D1 school and ended up winning conference player of the year as a senior and played pro soccer for 5 years.


Kids progress at different paces. My oldest daughter was terrible at soccer for a long time, but loved it so we encouraged her to continue. Not standing out in low level EDP 2 or 3 years ago. Freshman now - playing varsity as a freshman and moved from EDP to ECRL. Younger daughter has always lit it up and been the "it" girl on every team at every level. Shes still really good on a "pre" ECNL team, but I suspect if you look back at their HS and U15+ club careers in 10 years - they wont look too different. The older is maybe a D3 player and i think the younger one can play D1. The reality is that there really isnt a huge difference. You might actually get more money playing D3 than D1 because of the way they entire athletes using grant money. Ivys and Patriot league (both D1) dont even give out "scholarships" but are generous with endowments that they can give grants to students, since their athletes generally have to be up to par with normally admitted students.

Point is - you dont know what "college material" is until they get much closer to college. But the OP and their kid may not care about that, which is awesome also. Sometimes people just want to compete at the highest level they can.

[Guest]

Depends... boy vs girl might be different. Kids explode at different ages (more noticeable with boys vs girls). Just keep playing the game. different sport, but i was a 140lb 5'8" freshman - didnt even play football and played JV baseball. Sophmore year, was 5'10, 180. Played both JV football and baseball. By Senior year, was 6" and 210. Had offers to play both D1 football and ended up getting money to play SEC baseball. My best memories were playing HS football, club baseball and HS baseball. I HATED college baseball. Just keep playing the game and enjoy it for as long as you can.

My brother was similar - had a good hs soccer career - didnt have much college interest and played D3 for a year. had a good year, transferred to a D1 school and ended up winning conference player of the year as a senior and played pro soccer for 5 years.


Kids progress at different paces. My oldest daughter was terrible at soccer for a long time, but loved it so we encouraged her to continue. Not standing out in low level EDP 2 or 3 years ago. Freshman now - playing varsity as a freshman and moved from EDP to ECRL. Younger daughter has always lit it up and been the "it" girl on every team at every level. Shes still really good on a "pre" ECNL team, but I suspect if you look back at their HS and U15+ club careers in 10 years - they wont look too different. The older is maybe a D3 player and i think the younger one can play D1. The reality is that there really isnt a huge difference. You might actually get more money playing D3 than D1 because of the way they entire athletes using grant money. Ivys and Patriot league (both D1) dont even give out "scholarships" but are generous with endowments that they can give grants to students, since their athletes generally have to be up to par with normally admitted students.

Point is - you dont know what "college material" is until they get much closer to college. But the OP and their kid may not care about that, which is awesome also. Sometimes people just want to compete at the highest level they can.

Appreciate falling upon this post. My daughter is looking to change teams. No college aspirations (besides club) at this point. Her current club team has the starting 11 locked and the coach definitely designs practices where the non starters end up being a sparing partners vs their development. Don’t think he has in his mind to give the non starters much of an opportunity. She doesn’t feel valued and it’s taking the enjoyment out of the game. Too much money and travel to sit on the bench 80% of a game. Her confidence is shot but she’s nervous to give up her place and not have a team. She also will miss her friends
but I think staying is a waste for her remaining few years of high school.

[Guest]

Appreciate falling upon this post. My daughter is looking to change teams. No college aspirations (besides club) at this point. Her current club team has the starting 11 locked and the coach definitely designs practices where the non starters end up being a sparing partners vs their development. Don’t think he has in his mind to give the non starters much of an opportunity. She doesn’t feel valued and it’s taking the enjoyment out of the game. Too much money and travel to sit on the bench 80% of a game. Her confidence is shot but she’s nervous to give up her place and not have a team. She also will miss her friends
but I think staying is a waste for her remaining few years of high school.

Talk with her more about what she wants amd her options - staying and being unhappy, trying out elsewhere or stop playing altogether. Lots of kids stop club jn HS and just play on their HS teams. They start focusing on other things amd ots part of normal development. If she wants to try another team where she will play more then start looking into that now rather than slug it out Nov-May. Girls in general have a tougher time leaving teammates than boys.