Club consolidation

[Unregistered]

The board in our town strangles the life out of the program. First it was a guy who knew nothing about soccer and snuffed the people that knew the game and volunteered. Now it's a washed up old player, she thinks it can return to glory days. Thankfully, we left with my son several years back. YES, the board is the major issue

Many on our board were former players and they still ruined it. Regardless of whether they ages or not, all board members had one set of rules for their kids and teams and a different set of rules for everyone else. They tried furiously to keep their teams competitive and all of the other teams they tried to use fair was and transparency. Regardless of which side of the line your kids team was on the tryouts were useless and a sham. Not sure why they insisted on having tryouts for u-littles. Just pool those players and schedule a reasonable amount of games each weekend based on numbers. You can schedule games of all abilities and change rosters whenever and they all have fun, know nothing about player rankings, and they learn to love it. IMHO, there sh9ild not be tryouts until 7th grade. They all get the same foundation and by 7th grade it sh9ildnt come as a shock to anyone where players rate among their peers.

[Unregistered]

The board in our town strangles the life out of the program. First it was a guy who knew nothing about soccer and snuffed the people that knew the game and volunteered. Now it's a washed up old player, she thinks it can return to glory days. Thankfully, we left with my son several years back. YES, the board is the major issue

we must live in the same town

[Unregistered]

The board in our town strangles the life out of the program. First it was a guy who knew nothing about soccer and snuffed the people that knew the game and volunteered. Now it's a washed up old player, she thinks it can return to glory days. Thankfully, we left with my son several years back. YES, the board is the major issue

Same here.

[Unregistered]

Many on our board were former players and they still ruined it. Regardless of whether they ages or not, all board members had one set of rules for their kids and teams and a different set of rules for everyone else. They tried furiously to keep their teams competitive and all of the other teams they tried to use fair was and transparency. Regardless of which side of the line your kids team was on the tryouts were useless and a sham. Not sure why they insisted on having tryouts for u-littles. Just pool those players and schedule a reasonable amount of games each weekend based on numbers. You can schedule games of all abilities and change rosters whenever and they all have fun, know nothing about player rankings, and they learn to love it. IMHO, there sh9ild not be tryouts until 7th grade. They all get the same foundation and by 7th grade it sh9ildnt come as a shock to anyone where players rate among their peers.

great advice - yet the towns running premier teams are now starting them younger and younger I've noticed.

[Unregistered]

For soccer recruiting it's all about pricey club soccer

Which is even dumber when you think about it. College soccer, save maybe the top 10 teams, kind of sucks. the idea that they can only recruit pricey club/pricy private school kids is limiting and... why? Then again, we have public HS coaches only slotting varsity with "their" club kids too.

It's all a grift.

[Unregistered]

IMHO, there sh9ild not be tryouts until 7th grade. They all get the same foundation and by 7th grade it sh9ildnt come as a shock to anyone where players rate among their peers.

I get the gist of your points and dont' disagree, but no tryouts until 12 or 13 is a bit much. Kids are vastly diferentiated by 9 or 10 and a highly skilled and motivated 10 or 11 year old being asked to train and play with kids who are well behind doesn't help either of them. IMHO.

[Unregistered]

I get the gist of your points and dont' disagree, but no tryouts until 12 or 13 is a bit much. Kids are vastly diferentiated by 9 or 10 and a highly skilled and motivated 10 or 11 year old being asked to train and play with kids who are well behind doesn't help either of them. IMHO.

I dont think they are vastly differentiated for good by 9 or 10 .... so many can't misses at that age on the small field fade to oblivion by 14 or 15 (and vice versa). You can see clear differences between players at any age, the question is, which players change course over the next few years and that can not be seen.

[Unregistered]

I get the gist of your points and dont' disagree, but no tryouts until 12 or 13 is a bit much. Kids are vastly diferentiated by 9 or 10 and a highly skilled and motivated 10 or 11 year old being asked to train and play with kids who are well behind doesn't help either of them. IMHO.

There's town rec or AYSO if someone wants no tryouts. Tryouts for travel is justified. Like you said rosters should be balanced based on ability. Also if they have enough for 1.5 teams or 2.5 teams, some have to be cut. I've seen programs try to juggle players around to keep everyone and it rarely goes well.

[Unregistered]

There's town rec or AYSO if someone wants no tryouts. Tryouts for travel is justified. Like you said rosters should be balanced based on ability. Also if they have enough for 1.5 teams or 2.5 teams, some have to be cut. I've seen programs try to juggle players around to keep everyone and it rarely goes well.

At older ages tryouts are justified but to place a 9 year old on a B team sentences that player to leave or suck. And, how many clubs face issues of fielding enough players when they get to full sided games? Be more creative and foster a love of the game. For larger player pools, you can tailor games each week to what you have available. Split teams equally if you are playing to even teams. If you are playing one strong team and one weak team, build your rosters that way for the week. Local and private clubs have chased so many away or failed to train them sufficiently that it sucks for all players and they find something more appealing. At younger ages, kids get to play with all of their friends at various times and mostly do not see opponents as stronger or weaker (most kids have no clue that there are league games or friendlies). Funny thing is, most parents still dont get this stuff either. Mary's team beat xyz 7-0, they are so good!! When in reality team xyz is just so bad and Mary's team is not better than the week before when they tied some other mediocre team.

[Unregistered]

For larger player pools, you can tailor games each week to what you have available. Split teams equally if you are playing to even teams. If you are playing one strong team and one weak team, build your rosters that way for the week. .

that's great and what happens in Europe. Someone should tell CJSA about this revolutionay idea so they allow for players to pool across A/B/C teams since their player pass system currently disallows this.

[Unregistered]

that's great and what happens in Europe. Someone should tell CJSA about this revolutionay idea so they allow for players to pool across A/B/C teams since their player pass system currently disallows this.

For cup yes, but for friendlies and leagues, no. One large pool and the coach has all players passes .... divvy them up each week as you need to.

[Unregistered]

For cup yes, but for friendlies and leagues, no. One large pool and the coach has all players passes .... divvy them up each week as you need to.

Then I was lied to a few years ago when I suggested to our town's board that they allow for this. Oh well.

[Unregistered]

At older ages tryouts are justified but to place a 9 year old on a B team sentences that player to leave or suck. And, how many clubs face issues of fielding enough players when they get to full sided games? Be more creative and foster a love of the game. For larger player pools, you can tailor games each week to what you have available. Split teams equally if you are playing to even teams. If you are playing one strong team and one weak team, build your rosters that way for the week. Local and private clubs have chased so many away or failed to train them sufficiently that it sucks for all players and they find something more appealing. At younger ages, kids get to play with all of their friends at various times and mostly do not see opponents as stronger or weaker (most kids have no clue that there are league games or friendlies). Funny thing is, most parents still dont get this stuff either. Mary's team beat xyz 7-0, they are so good!! When in reality team xyz is just so bad and Mary's team is not better than the week before when they tied some other mediocre team.

Or your 9 year old can train more often ahead of tryouts to ensure the make the team they want. That’s a thing too. It’s character building in fact. Sorry guys. I’m in a town with a decent club, there’s quite a bit difference in talent between town and premier. Can a town team win on any given Sunday, sure but that’s not going to happen frequently. Players in premier probably get twice as many touches based on practices/games plus the commitment to develop beyond what is scheduled.

[Unregistered]

Or your 9 year old can train more often ahead of tryouts to ensure the make the team they want. That’s a thing too. It’s character building in fact. Sorry guys. I’m in a town with a decent club, there’s quite a bit difference in talent between town and premier. Can a town team win on any given Sunday, sure but that’s not going to happen frequently. Players in premier probably get twice as many touches based on practices/games plus the commitment to develop beyond what is scheduled.

To my point, our premier club plays large town clubs every winter. We match teams at least one year younger with those teams. Even the B team. The B teams still play slightly better.

[Unregistered]

To my point, our premier club plays large town clubs every winter. We match teams at least one year younger with those teams. Even the B team. The B teams still play slightly better.

Well, good. If only to justify the thousands “premier” parents are paying vs the 10’s the travel parents are.

Of course “premier” is a joke now with 100s of them in CT… many of which don’t actually bear town teams in winter indoor.