I was listening to Charlie Puth’s “ One call way” and this question came to my mind. I have heard some of you say that in the olders, kids don’t tryout anymore and they get on a team just by calling the coach. I am wondering how does this really work? How does a coach even know your kid? What did you have to do networking wise to prepare for that unexpected phone call. In other words, how do you make these coaches Charlie Puths for you?
“One call away”
- Thread starter Jamisfoes
- Start date
I wouldn't say that's entirely true. Might be for boys but, in our experience, as the players get older they tend to gravitate to the best team/club they can find. That's traditionally been ECNL. On the flip side, you see girls drop or leave because they don't play when better girls come over to position themselves for college visibility. So those ECNL teams get stronger and stronger to the point here, in a lot of cases, the returnees are almost guaranteed a spot before tryouts. Then it comes down to what parent reached out to the coach, either before the end of the prior season or during the "pre tryout" period, or what unicorn shows up unannounced. By the time tryouts happen, coaches pretty well know what they're going to do and, in most cases, know the best players or have seen enough to know whether or not they fill a need. In my experience, once you hit U15 or U16, there's maybe 3-4 spots "open" the 1st day of tryouts. And as much as I hate to admit it, you have to campaign for your kid by reaching out BEFORE tryouts because if you don't, you may well be the only one not doing it. Then why tryouts come, they don't know anything about your kid.
What to do? 1. go watch the team you want to join and be honest about his/her chances of making it. 2. Most parents I know reached out to the desired team's coach BEFORE the end of the prior season, which is frowned upon, and asked about possibly training with them to see if it's a good fit. The right answer is "no" until the season is over but at least you're on the radar. At some point, there will be offseason workouts or "pre tryout" workouts... maybe 2-3. That's where you do your thing. You'll have a very good idea of where you stand before tryouts. And some clubs will hold you hostage by not releasing your player card if they discover you did all of this, but someone else here can check me on it. I think clubs have to return your card at the end of the year if you request it. But at that point, you need to feel pretty good about the new club because these coaches and DOCs can be real assholes when it comes to YOUR loyalty & their lack thereof.
Just remember these coaches often know each other, too. Many coaches have worked at multiple clubs and their paths crossed. Some will or won't break the rules but keep that in mind when it comes to how much you talk about what you're doing.
If your kid is playing in the highest level local league for U11 and U12, then the other coach already knows your kid. Two games a year, he sees your kid play a full game.
So, if little Susie routinely makes key stops or scores a couple of goals or against Surf in U12, I can guarantee the coach will already know her by name and number.
Would you still reach out and network if you are happy with your current situation? I feel in youth soccer, things can change rapidly. A coach could leave, players could leave, a club could lose membership to a league. But like you said, networking could also back fire if the word gets around, if not from coaches talking to each other, it could be from parents talking to each other.
I remember taking my kid to a Surf summer camp several years ago. Immediately after showing up the "good" coaches gathered up their players so they wouldn't get infected by anyone else's play and went to different corners of the field (away from everyone else). Anyone that was left was grouped together and the 2nd team coaches worked with them.
It was very clear that simply showing up at a Surf camp meant nothing. If you wanted to get looked at by a certain coach parents would need to be setting that up for several weeks.
Pretty big turn off + we never attended another Surf camp. Not much value when I could just email a coach and ask if my kid could work with them for a session + get the same result + not be out $300.
Honestly, by U14 you’ve pretty much either played with or against most of the top kids in SoCal if your kid started club soccer at a young age. It’s a small soccer world that only gets smaller as the kids age out through high school.
If you’re in ECNL, then you pretty much have the patch that gets you priority looks. Making a call at that level will always be welcomed by other coaches because they believe that your kid can play even if they’re on the bench and never sniff the field just because you made the team.
If you’re looking to get promoted within your club, it’s very unlikely that you’ll go from a flight 1 team or ECRL team to an ECNL team from within the same club, your best bet is to switch clubs to get your ecnl patch. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s a harder route more often time.
If you’re not in ECNL or ECRL (ie GA, DPL, E64, NPL) and you make the call to an ECNL coach and they invite your kid to a training, the right answer in that context is yes. Go to that training. If they ask you to a scrimmage, that answer is also yes.
If you’re on ECRL and the ECNL coach from your current club ask your kid to come to their training, your answer should be yes. Even if you’re worried about what playtime is going to look like, you should still go.
There’s lots of injuries that happen during high school and there’s always a chance of a call up when teams become short staffed meaning playtime for your kid will be more favorable.
If you’re in ECNL, then you pretty much have the patch that gets you priority looks. Making a call at that level will always be welcomed by other coaches because they believe that your kid can play even if they’re on the bench and never sniff the field just because you made the team.
If you’re looking to get promoted within your club, it’s very unlikely that you’ll go from a flight 1 team or ECRL team to an ECNL team from within the same club, your best bet is to switch clubs to get your ecnl patch. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but it’s a harder route more often time.
If you’re not in ECNL or ECRL (ie GA, DPL, E64, NPL) and you make the call to an ECNL coach and they invite your kid to a training, the right answer in that context is yes. Go to that training. If they ask you to a scrimmage, that answer is also yes.
If you’re on ECRL and the ECNL coach from your current club ask your kid to come to their training, your answer should be yes. Even if you’re worried about what playtime is going to look like, you should still go.
There’s lots of injuries that happen during high school and there’s always a chance of a call up when teams become short staffed meaning playtime for your kid will be more favorable.
I think there's a misunderstanding here. It's true that at the older / higher levels, kids typically don't go to open tryouts. Instead parents (and later the kids themselves) contact the coach directly and give their CV and ask if they can train with the team. This training with the team _is_ a tryout - no one gives you a spot over the phone unless they've played against you and know you well - but it's a one-at-a-time tryout. If the coach really wants the kid, they'll offer a spot after 1 or 2 trainings. It can take a week or two if the level isn't so obvious. If the team is approaching its roster freeze, it could take even longer while the coach holds out to see if they can find a gem near the end. And if the level isn't there, they usually tell you after a week or two and you contact the next team on your list (or go back to where you were...).
Yes, but can you do more even before you have to make that phone call? For example, after an ECNL game, walk over to the coach, say good game and ask about if the club has a summer camp? Getting to know the coach on the first name basis so to speak.
I wouldn’t want to telegraph anything as everyone is always watching. Getting chummy with an opposing coach after the game is only asking for people to pay attention to what you’re doing more when you should be more discreet. Next thing you know some parent says something to your coach in order to try and sabotage your kids standing with the team in an attempt to leverage their kid to get more playtime and causes potential retaliation and decrease playtime for your kid.
Seen it firsthand and lived it. Do NOT telegraph is 100% true bro. EVERYONE is watching, and you best better not piss off the wrong Doc(s) or you will be retaliated and play time will be used as a weapon.
Point taken .. maybe not after the game.
Always be nice to all the coaches scouting your kid every year. Coaches are always one call away. My buddies dd just got out of a very bad environment from another liar. She had a few choices to play college ball and went to Big U and it became a Big Nightmare. Her second choice always showed her the love and told her, "I'm only one call away." She made that call and now she is safe and happy. It's basically what most of the Papa Bears on here want for their precious daughters. Safe and Protected!
So true broPoint taken .. maybe not after the game.
I guess you could, but I'm not sure what it'll get you. If you're moving laterally (MLS Next to MLS Next or ECNL to ECNL, etc.) every coach will be happy to "take a look". Whether the kid makes the team will depend on their abilities and the coaches needs. Even if you're trying to move up a level, most coaches will take a look. They have nothing to lose and a small chance of something to gain. My son went from ECNL RL to MLS Next this way. A lot depends on timing: what does the team need and what does your kid bring. At the higher levels, there seems to always be one or two kids trying out.
I guess I am after getting on a coach’s radar. A coach from the mls next track may not have seen kids from the ecnl track unless the teams meet in a tournament. Like you said, if your kid is good then things will take care of themselves. But with margin so small and talent evaluation subjective, I do think there is a slight advantage to know a coach before you are making that phone call.