Originally posted by Unregistered
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I don't know what your new kid's club is but you've got to keep in mind that while a kid may initially be happy at a club, that can change. Plenty of kids are happy at CU/CUP, others hate it. The same is true for Kings Hammer, Ohio Elite, Warren County, or any other club. Monitor your kid closely. Ask questions. If your kids are like mine are, you'll pretty easily be able to determine if they're having a good time or not. However, two of my kids read like a book while the other one reads like a novel with a few twists. I think I have her figured out but there is a hidden story. That is where the talking comes in.
You did mention the "CUP cult." Just be aware that there is also an Ohio Elite cult, Kings Hammer cult, etc. Most kids will immediately love the new club. After the "honeymoon period" is over, new problems might emerge. OE is a good example. Many love the club. There is a certain DOC there that has the initials of "Doug Bracken." Doug will kiss up to kids that he is trying to court from other clubs while not always taking care of what he has. He'll make promises of playing time, ID2 camps, ECNL events, etc, just to get a kid to move to OE. He is also known for propping players up that don't deserve it. This is seen as his players not always being the most successful in college. He's had some success stories but often his players don't transition well beyond HS. He isn't a great trainer, doesn't know the game nearly as well as he thinks he does, and college coaches don't necessarily care for him. They find him to be arrogant, abrasive, and, in general, a *****. If you are at OE, be aware of that and good luck. If he likes a kid and the parents, he'll bend over backward to help them whether they deserve it or not. If he doesn't like a kid or the parents, he'll crap on them whether they deserve it or not. There are others at other clubs, though, that are similar to Doug. Doug, though, just isn't a standard-bearer for the game. He isn't a great ambassador for the sport.
Note: we had a good experience but I've seen many that were treated poorly.
QUOTE=Unregistered;2120278]Well, now it's not just about CUP. Both, girls and boys sides got DA now, so on top of CUP, now there're DA teams, which attracts even more players. It is pretty much a monopoly for CU/CUP here, as every child who can play ends up with them sooner or later. Good or bad, I don't know.[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't say that CU/CUP has a monopoly. There is also Kings Hammer and Ohio Elite. Both clubs are big enough to make an impact. CU/CUP and KHA are now somewhat "married", though, with the Academy partnership.
Any kid and the family, going to any club, needs to do due diligence. KNow what you're getting into.
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