Player Development vs Super Team Chasing?

Night Owl

SILVER ELITE
I have a 2001 son that has been on same team since it started back at U8/U9. We been through hard times, team politics, age group break ups, super star players that expect everything, some seasons my son played and some was a bencher, But always following coaches directions, work for your position and we the parents stayed away since we are not experts.

As a SoCal average soccer family with 3 children playing, we feel our son has “Followed the developement process” and watch so many players chase the “Dream Team”. We have seen that playing in a team that is high on the ranking will not develope your child and having the coaching parent on the sidelines destroys the focus.

We now see the club jumpers at a level that is equal or lower and some just gave just playing high school soccer. Was it worth it?

Our son is committed toD1 college, have tough him to work hard for everything and most important “Do not run away from anything in life unless it’s unhealthy”!

Parents, what are you teaching your children? Run away when you don’t get your way? Do not blame your children when they are grown up, jumping from job to job, getting divorced all the time and still living at home in their 30’s.
 
Congrats to your son. He has been lucky to have a team worth staying on all these years. There are people that jump teams too often, but there are also those who do not have much choice (sometimes due to other players jumping teams).
 
Congrats to your son. He has been lucky to have a team worth staying on all these years. There are people that jump teams too often, but there are also those who do not have much choice (sometimes due to other players jumping teams).
Or the club you are at enforcing a disastrous coaching change.

Staying together (if you have a good coach) is always preferable for development purposes, in my eyes. But given that the good ones are rare and that not all parents agree on what makes a good coach, it makes sticking together rare. @Night Owl Congrats and good luck to your son.
 
I have a 2001 son that has been on same team since it started back at U8/U9.........

Our son is committed toD1 college, have tough him to work hard for everything and most important “Do not run away from anything in life unless it’s unhealthy”!

Parents, what are you teaching your children? Run away when you don’t get your way? Do not blame your children when they are grown up, jumping from job to job, getting divorced all the time and still living at home in their 30’s.

Congrats! Mission accomplished - way to go!!

I have a son playing in college and is on the Provost Honors since the first term in college, and a 2002 playing club now. I know hard and what it takes to get a kid matched with desired school and get that school to recruit the player. We turned down several offers that simply didn't support my kids educational desires.

The thing is though, there are legitimate reasons to change clubs and teams. Not necessarily because of what you call the Super Team, but what a high profile teams offers in terms of exposure to the coaches. I'm sure you'll agree with me that vast majority of the teams don't get accepted to Dallas Cup, Disney Showcase, or even local Surf Cup. One has to get onto a team the "system" accepts. Nothing to do with development. The other option is to get onto a DA team, where the exposure is maximum.

As for how the behavior carries over to adulthood and real life, well, there are bad marriages, as well as jobs, and there's no point to continue with a dead-ended situation. So lets not over generalize and extend the behavior beyond your success story. Its fantastic that your kid has found a college he likes and gets to play. I know it means a lot to my kid.

Just don't want to paint the picture that staying on the same team is the answer or that changing is bad in general. In fact there are more data to prove changing coaches every couple of years enables development better than staying with the same coach for years by exposing the players to new approaches and thinking.

Our older son changed clubs 4 times since U10 to U18 and never burned a bridge. Every coach is a positive reference for him. His longest was 4 years with one team and the shortest was a year (last year prior to going to college). His high school years was bit transient due to playing DA and wanting to play high school, so we did a back and forth but again its to work within the system.
 
We are in a situation where by all accounts the outside world would view us as club jumpers, moving clubs almost every year the last 3 years. We have to consider 2 coaches, the team coach and the GK coach.

2015/16 - Club 1 - Left team after season because DOC required GK's to train with club and not private coaches (for fear of having players poached). Liked coach, disliked DOC policy.

2016 - Club 2 - Invited to play for team in need of GK for National Cup run 60 miles away (the boy wasn't cup tied). We had to join to play for the National Cup stint, everybody knew our intention was to stay local for the following season.

2016/17 - Club 3 - New club great, but crowded at GK and team was low level. After season. Left team b/c another team asked him to play up a year on a higher level team.

17/2018 - Club 4 - Fully intending to stay with our team this year, my boy has now been asked to attend a tryout for a middle of the road flight 1 team (Club 5) that would have him playing 2 years up. He will likely get the invitation to join given the fact that he has practiced with this coach multiple times, the tryout is basically a formality and there is a HS connection to this coach. The additional benefit is that the higher level team will attend numerous college showcases, whereas his current team will not attend any.

So our decision is stay were he is at (likely splitting time with another keeper for political reason ... "you play a half and he plays a half regardless of score/need to win") and develop at a slower pace with an average (at best) GK coach or move and develop at a much quicker pace with a better GK coach, but risk more serious injury and have a tougher time socializing (15 year old hanging out with 17 year olds). Decisions, decisions, decisions.

It does not escape me that his new teammates will be driving and he won't. I like the fact that carpool opportunities may exist with these older boys. If he does move, then he will likely be on another team or new club next year because most of these boys will be in college next year and will age out of club soccer, which will make us jumpers once again.
 
We are in a situation where by all accounts the outside world would view us as club jumpers, moving clubs almost every year the last 3 years. We have to consider 2 coaches, the team coach and the GK coach.

2015/16 - Club 1 - Left team after season because DOC required GK's to train with club and not private coaches (for fear of having players poached). Liked coach, disliked DOC policy.

2016 - Club 2 - Invited to play for team in need of GK for National Cup run 60 miles away (the boy wasn't cup tied). We had to join to play for the National Cup stint, everybody knew our intention was to stay local for the following season.

2016/17 - Club 3 - New club great, but crowded at GK and team was low level. After season. Left team b/c another team asked him to play up a year on a higher level team.

17/2018 - Club 4 - Fully intending to stay with our team this year, my boy has now been asked to attend a tryout for a middle of the road flight 1 team (Club 5) that would have him playing 2 years up. He will likely get the invitation to join given the fact that he has practiced with this coach multiple times, the tryout is basically a formality and there is a HS connection to this coach. The additional benefit is that the higher level team will attend numerous college showcases, whereas his current team will not attend any.

So our decision is stay were he is at (likely splitting time with another keeper for political reason ... "you play a half and he plays a half regardless of score/need to win") and develop at a slower pace with an average (at best) GK coach or move and develop at a much quicker pace with a better GK coach, but risk more serious injury and have a tougher time socializing (15 year old hanging out with 17 year olds). Decisions, decisions, decisions.

It does not escape me that his new teammates will be driving and he won't. I like the fact that carpool opportunities may exist with these older boys. If he does move, then he will likely be on another team or new club next year because most of these boys will be in college next year and will age out of club soccer, which will make us jumpers once again.
How much of the decision is left to your son, and how much was decided by you?
 
How much of the decision is left to your son, and how much was decided by you?
A few years ago it was 80% mine. Now that he is older its 80% his, I hold veto rights from a monetary and logistics point of view and if I don't think the situation is right for him I will exercise the veto, but ultimately he is now at the critical stage where he has to enjoy it otherwise he will walk away from soccer. His college is paid for, so we don't need to chase a scholarship ... but it would be nice. I just want him to enjoy playing what is the toughest position (mentally) on the pitch. He has to want it.
 
2015/16 - Club 1 - Left team after season because DOC required GK's to train with club and not private coaches (for fear of having players poached). Liked coach, disliked DOC policy.

The no GK trainer thing would be a deal killer for me at any club (no matter how desperate we are for it or to break into that next level). My son has a trainer now who is the best of the best and who catches little things neither I nor his old club trainer would have every caught. The once a week has done more to progress his playing than anything. I rather go to a club without free GK training than give him up. (Besides, old club has had 4 GK coaches in 1 year...currently his old field trainer is the GK trainer....great field trainer, has the GK basics, is up on the latest thinking but never played the position and misses some of the nuances an experienced GK might see).

If DS stick with goalkeeping I'm resigned to be a club hopper. If there are 2 GKs on a club it seems really unstable unless the 2 GKs are roughly equal caliber and the coach is willing to have them play a few minutes on the field. If one GK outperforms the other, the coach is either going to be under pressure to give the stronger one more minutes, or the stronger one will resent having to share minutes with the weaker one "for political reasons".
 
I second the motion.
I've asked in the past for one as well. We only need one forum. Don't need DD/DS.
Share insight, info., etc. Good deals on gear sub-forum. Because let's face it..most players need two uniform kits and boots as needed. Gks need gloves replaced as needed and their padded gear (pants,under-jersey,etc) based on wear and tear. Constant training on turf only makes it worse.
Glove reviews would be another useful sub-forum in the GK forum.
 
We do need a GK forum. No sex or age differation.

The GK journey is different. Mine is 12 and has been in 6 different situations, some better than others.

One thing for sure, must have a high level full time goal keeper trainer. Must have a trainer that respects the keepers strengths and improves the weaknesses.

We choose his teams by GK coach more than anything else. Both my kids choose their clubs unless the situation is untenable.
 
I have a 2001 son that has been on same team since it started back at U8/U9. We been through hard times, team politics, age group break ups, super star players that expect everything, some seasons my son played and some was a bencher, But always following coaches directions, work for your position and we the parents stayed away since we are not experts.

As a SoCal average soccer family with 3 children playing, we feel our son has “Followed the developement process” and watch so many players chase the “Dream Team”. We have seen that playing in a team that is high on the ranking will not develope your child and having the coaching parent on the sidelines destroys the focus.

We now see the club jumpers at a level that is equal or lower and some just gave just playing high school soccer. Was it worth it?

Our son is committed toD1 college, have tough him to work hard for everything and most important “Do not run away from anything in life unless it’s unhealthy”!

Parents, what are you teaching your children? Run away when you don’t get your way? Do not blame your children when they are grown up, jumping from job to job, getting divorced all the time and still living at home in their 30’s.

I would say there are many factors as listed above by others. Sometimes you just mess up on choosing a team. Sometimes clubs and/or coaches will lie and say whatever to get you on the team and then is completely opposite. One time the age group change forced a change.

If your kid is in the top, I would jump to a team that had a good record, because I know something is being done somewhat to get that record. Winning record doesn't always mean you have a good coach that teaches development.
How that is done and what you like as a fit has to be seen in person not by record only.
But the first step to narrow down teams for me peraonally would be to check out record or competitiveness.
Ultimately for me, keep jumping until your kid finds a team they like and coach is actually developing but with actions not words like they ALL say. No loyalty needed to a club or coach but once you do start, finish the season unless there is a special circumstance.
Nothing wrong with club hopping if you are not happy. Those that ONLY chase trophies will eventually be obvious.
 
Hindsight is generally 20/20 but the focus should always be on players development. If your player followed a process or got to were they wanted to at the end I would be happy for them :) the journey can be fun also not just the destination.

Somethings just happen and piloting a course at the young ages can lead to high expectations and stress of things don't plan out. One thing I tried to do is have my kid(s) set their expectations, tell me where they wanted to play, what coaches, teammates, clubs they are interested in.

Can be fun to stay with the same group of players for x amount of time, be on a "allstar", "stacked", full sponsored team, win a lot, play in all the tournaments etc. and everybody kind of chases that, but I will tell you that gets old sooner or later and most kids need change: new coaches, environments, teammates at some point to keep growing. Some times being on a lesser team is beneficial to certain players as they develop, they work harder and don't rely on a teammates to always step up like you sometimes see with "stacked" teams.

The coaching & training is the most important thing followed by the competition you play in, everything else is up to the player(s) they all seem to find there level eventually. Letting player(s) find their own way and helping out when needed with transportation or whatever has worked for my kids. My daughter has her pick of colleges due to her academics, social work, and citizenship. She didn't go after a soccer scholarship because he wants to focus on her education, I'm very happy for her because I know she will be successful and youth soccer has been a great experience for her all these years.
 
I will give it a shot.
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Some times being on a lesser team is beneficial to certain players as they develop, they work harder and don't rely on a teammates to always step up like you sometimes see with "stacked" teams.

I'm starting to believe this more and more. We're fairly new in all this, but I've always tried to get my son on the best team he can - playing up whenever possible - and it's true that the level of play in practices is high and makes him improve, but I'm seeing now that he's starting to pass responsibility on to his teammates. Because they're so good, he doesn't have to try as hard himself. He's now practicing with a team in his own age group and I'm seeing him take on more responsibility which I think is going to help him in the long run.
 
I'm starting to believe this more and more. We're fairly new in all this, but I've always tried to get my son on the best team he can - playing up whenever possible - and it's true that the level of play in practices is high and makes him improve, but I'm seeing now that he's starting to pass responsibility on to his teammates. Because they're so good, he doesn't have to try as hard himself. He's now practicing with a team in his own age group and I'm seeing him take on more responsibility which I think is going to help him in the long run.
I am a bit ambivalent about High School, but it can serve this purpose for players from high level teams.
 
have a buddy in the IE. His daughter tried out somewhere, all kids get assigned based on skill, flight 1/2/3/whatever. Some parents get all mad "My daughter isn't a flight 2 player!" and leave to find a new club.

Dude. your kid is 10. at that age, play time and touches are more important than a label.

I'll go with the coach who can make my kid better. I don't care about wins. Left a team because a coach played favorites and was abusive. They won all the time, but kid was miserable.
 
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