7yr old (2012) playing Girls 10U Bronze Vs. AYSO 8u , 9u or 10U. Honest Opinion please.

R

RuffRef

BRONZE
Please no Ragging.. ha ha ha.

I got a pretty decent, fast 7 year old with 3 years /seasons of AYSO experience, and now she's currently playing on a Bronze 10U team with full time minutes.
Talking with some seasoned parents with kids in the game, i was advised-> 60/40 NOT to play her up with a club team.
So i signed her up as a Trainee player with the club team (practice & friendlies, no games), and also signed her up to play 8U AYSO for games.
The coaches for the club team were short players and ask to sign her up /on for the club team well before AYSO began to pair coaches and make teams. So we dropped AYSO (This 7 yo isnt "ohmygod" exceptional or way beyond her peers, but hasn't missed a practice or games in 2 years, works at it, and attended a few clinics and mini camps. (plays a little better than decent)
In AYSO she showed skills and was dominant, but was pulled, or placed as a defender based on the 4 goal mercy rule. In Club (7 games) She's did ok (i was suprised) on a team that isnt so successful, but she is enjoying the experience, despite not having similar previous success. Our Games/practices are close to home and the intangibles are numerous.
1. Im Currently afraid this team she's currently on can not/ may not field a girls team for 2019 (as they barely could this year)
2. Our options for girls club teams in my area are very limited for this age group. And AYSO,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, awe man,, only a limited amount of decent coaches.

so at this point She's got some CSL games left,,and then winter and spring. "what to do"?

I could use some good advice to keep her going,, she's more hard worker than exceptional talent. She does part-take in Dance and gymnastics, so i dont want to soccer overdose her.

*please excuse the grammar etc.." honest opinions / advice needed. thanks.
 
She is very very young. So she'll be 8 next year? Does your AYSO region or the neighboring region have an Extras or Select team (or if not for her age group one that she can play up on)? If you don't want to overdose her on club, Extras is a great transition from one level to another and the commitment isn't as bad as club ball. You still get daddy coaches and the parents do sometimes get obsessed with the wins more, but it's more fast paced then core, the coaches tend to be better than the regular core coaches, and there's still time to do other things since the commitment is generally not yet "all in", and it's competitive ball. Tryouts tend to run from late February-early April and the commitment is through the winter season. Things tend to get reshuffled every year too, so it's more a stepping stone to another level (either in AYSO or outside) than a long commitment.
 
Key words “she is enjoying the experience.” If she is happy and you are happy with the coach and other families/players/club and she is learning and growing as a player let her be. Soon enough puberity will hit and then size and strength might become an issue for a few years until things level out again but in the mean time enjoy the low key, close to home practices.

I was traveling a lot when my oldest started AYSO and it turns out they put the wrong birth year down for him despite having his birth cert. he was playing with boys 3 years older than him for that year but due to his height he was able to hold his own. We moved him to club the next year to play with some of his friends and still regret that decision. The AYSO team was better and not a lot of pressure for an 8 year old.

Good luck and enjoy the close club as long as you can. If your dd continues in soccer, travel to find a balanced team at the older ages will become a drag.
 
Thank you for the feedback. I should've mentioned she's got an older brother who plays club, so she is in the atmosphere more than average.
Well i was the Commissioner at AYSO, a ref, and a coach. for the region close to me. I would have my kid play up, and probably want to assist in coaching.
From what i understand she wont qualify for extras if she hasnt played in the season. there are tryouts, but at this stage extras dont begin until late next year.
I like club, but at 7 she needs to be influenced or mini mentored bye a GOOD 10 year old. I see this kids enthusiasm growing for the game, she watched the LAFCvsGalaxy game with me with excitement. I just want to keep this ball rolling. possibly jump on a upper level team for state Cup, I(bench ride ) just so she can get the experience.

your thoughts?
 
She is so very young - I would say if she enjoys her AYSO team then keep her there but also look for ways to challenge her - maybe have her play on a boys rec team? Or can she play on a boys AYSO team? Or just go all in at the club level provided you find a good coach!! Good luck and enjoy the ride - you got a lot of soccer ahead of you!! :):)
 
Calisoccer11 said:
She is so very young - I would say if she enjoys her AYSO team then keep her there but also look for ways to challenge her - maybe have her play on a boys rec team? Or can she play on a boys AYSO team? Or just go all in at the club level provided you find a good coach!! Good luck and enjoy the ride - you got a lot of soccer ahead of you!! :):)
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I agree with Cali. She's VERY young.

My son was looking to rejoin his Extras team after a disastrous first year in club...there was no you must play the regular season requirement, at least not in our region, but if she's on the cusp and it's between her and another girl, they might give it to the other girl. If she's good enough they aren't going to turn their nose on her, particularly if you've been an AYSO family and have served (getting on an Extras team is 1/3 politics...many coaches have an idea of the core players they want to bring in before tryouts start). Our region also did allow playing up a year in Extras and the Extras team he got on was from a neighboring region (not his home region where he played Core). Or just have her play on the boys team and assistant coach it (playing with the boys will be very illuminating for her and build her toughness). Most regions run try outs for Extras in March BTW. If your home region isn't cutting it, go to a neighboring one.

I don't know why you would ever put her playing up on the upper level club team. You say in the beginning post she isn't an upper level unicorn. That's the only time really kids this age should be playing up (if they are showing unicorn potential and remember only 1 in 10 unicorns grows up to have that potential as a teen) on a top tier team. Because, otherwise you get situations like our dear friend's Luis', where he's coming down on a girl for being a drag on the team and wondering why the coach would ever put her on an upper level team.

It sounds to me like your enamored by the upper level team thing and you are just looking for us to tell you it's o.k. Unless she's going to get significant playtime (because that's how kids learn) with that team (and she really is a unicorn therefore), then no....don't do it. What you want to be doing at this point is fostering her love of the game (and that means playing) as well as making sure she's really committed to it and building her coordination in her other activities as well. There's plenty of time still for team chasing and doing only soccer (and it's just round the corner). Give it a year because you are never going to get that year back. 3 years into the crazy club thing I miss our doing other things deeply and look fondly back on the days when soccer wasn't everything
 
She played in a clinic rec team,, with boys,,, but hates it. (boys). She likes to be with other girls theres 1 club on this side of town that has a 2011, that competes CSL,, im looking to engage the coach and see if she can practice after December 1st. . AYSO is the last option due to some of the bad habits going on with them in our region.
She's a unicorn in AYSO,,but not in club 2 age groups up. She "lucked" into this "sweet spot" at this club that wont be around in 2020. So im looking to keep her excited,, competitive, as well as interested.
She told me today she wants to play futsal tooo. Her drive increases with every practice, and game. Keep the comments coming im really appreciating the feedback.
Im into all around kids,,, so i signed her up for other activities. (gymnastics, acting, art/ clay throwing/ painting. 3d printing.
 
I honestly cannot tell if we are being punked. This post and some of the other posters lately seem to throw out a question that appears to be designed to create a stir on the forum. As soon as everything calms down, a new poster with a new topic that gets the forum going again. I hope this isn't that. Asumming we are not being punked:

1 - She is 7, don't overthink it
2 - Find opportunities for her to play as much as SHE wants. Soccer, futsal, arena, pickup games, privates - whatever you can
3 - Wins, loses, flights, trophies, level doesn't matter, touches on the ball and having fun does
4 - Find a good coach who will develop her
5 - Make sure she has fun and wants to continue playing
6 - It is a LONG ride, let her have fun and enjoy the game
 
Similar situation with my 2010. we tried playing up 2 years, first AYSO, then club.

in about a year or two, those older girls are going to hit their growth spurts. the game will start looking a lot less safe, especially when your daughter is playing center mid against a team that likes to boot it up the middle. ( lots of those around. )

if you can find a team that is her age and skill level, that is better.
 
I wouldn't move anyone to club til 9 or 10 unless they're Messi or Mia Hamm. I loved AYSO Extra for my girls and both transitioned nicely to club at U11 when they were just killing all the other Extra teams at that age and clubs were sniffing around our games. I felt I would have lost them to the vultures if I didn't give them more competition. It is all about the training. I did one year of club at U11 and then realized they needed someone better since I was the "fun" dad. Extra definitely isn't the power house it once was 5 years ago with the influx of clubs but I still like the Extra til U11. I would advise taking them to all the "free" training offered by your region. It's all about the touches and training.
 
I coached at several younger levels of AYSO (have 3 kids). After each season I told the entire team (And really pushed the better players) to check out the off season of club as club has a negative feeling with AYSO due to the fees... but off season shouldnt be to much. Many of those kids ended up staying club..... My oldest son started playing soccer around 4... and did a clinic with a club team and was asked to play at around 7... he played a few years up (has an Oct birthday and at the time was a good thing...before birth year)... He also played Sunday league (mexican league on 3 teams run by one family)... and did private lessons... (all around 7 years old)... We were told by some people he is in too much...he will burn out... my thought was as long as he doesnt complain about going he will be fine... and if he burns out then it wasnt meant to be... if he doesnt ... then he is going to be so much better.... anyway... at younger years we just had him playing club... he got lucky and the team he was on played at the highest level for that age group... eventually his coach said he needs to move on ... so he went to a club that had DA... he started DA first year he could... and is still there... He is a senior in High School... but unable to play in HS due to DA... but he has committed to a Div 1 school... and will be playing soccer there (or at least on the team) next year.

OK... so after that background... my thought has always been... play at the highest level possible as long as you can. You say your daughter is on a bronze team 2 years up.... bronze is not good... it is like playing AYSO but paying extra money... give her a chance and find a team closer to her age group (I am fine with her playing up) at a higher level... also find a club that has DA or its equivalent ... She only gets one chance to get the exposure/training she needs at this age...and moving forward.... dont waste it at lower levels if she/you feels that she can continue playing at the "next" level... meaning High School/College/pro etc..... the best way to get there is to continue playing at the higher level.... find a team that plays at that level... doesnt play lower level tourneys ... and really tries to make the girls better.... and it isnt all about winning... it is about getting better... Example... my son's first year on the DA team (right before they went DA)... lost 10-0 to a team.... worst loss in the history of the club... at the end of the year in state cup... they had to play them in a later round... and lost 4-2.... in my book that is a win... you can see the progress the team made during the year....
and that is what counts... development and not wins....

Short answer: Play at the highest level possible for as long as you can! (as long as you get on the field) Yes she is young... but she will be much older very soon!!! Dont waste this time!
 
"u say your daughter is on a bronze team 2 years up.... bronze is not good... it is like playing AYSO but paying extra money... give her a chance and find a team closer to her age group (I am fine with her playing up) at a higher level... also find a club that has DA or its equivalent ... She only gets one chance to get the exposure/training she needs at this age... "

This, right here, for me. I know many girls that started playing at age 5 or 6 and still have passion for the game nearly 10-years later. And bronze is not the way to go. Why play with bigger kids with lower skill? That's going to just get her injured and frustrated. If she's blessed and works hard, let her play for a real club, at a high level, at her own age or 1-year up. Otherwise she loses the technical training, which I believe separates comp from "wreck" ball at an early age, and work on the basics as early as possible.
 
I also have a 2012 born daughter who also plays CSL with a 2011 team. I coached her in AYSO the last few years and I moved her onto a competitive team who aren’t affiliated with a big club. When she played AYSO, she would tell me almost every game “I need more competition. This is too easy.” I wouldn’t have put her with a big club because I’m not trying to fork out a couple of thousand dollars just to register my then 6 year old to play soccer. I found a competitive team in a local league and now she's been with them for about a year. She’s having fun. If she doesn’t want to play, she doesn’t have to. She picked competitive soccer over gymnastics and basketball. I continue to ask her if she wants to try something different. She just enjoys playing and loves being with her friends a few times a week. That’s good enough for me.

What is the club or the coach’s reputation? Have you addressed your concerns with the coach or club head about not being able to field a 2019 team? What I was looking for was for a team that was reasonably priced with a good coach who will help develop my daughter.

If you’re putting her in AYSO, don’t expect a good coach. Maybe you should coach? That’s what I did. I figured better me than someone else who doesn’t know about the game or care at all about my daughter.
 
lbgrob said:
You say your daughter is on a bronze team 2 years up.... bronze is not good... it is like playing AYSO but paying extra money... give her a chance and find a team closer to her age group (I am fine with her playing up) at a higher level...
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At the 2011 age group, bronze is the only option available in CSL.
 
@RuffRef Good morning is your unicorn a 2012, if she is I would love to to bring her out to guest in a tournament. My cell phone is 714-727-0000 I would love to hear all about her.
 
lbgrob said:
You say your daughter is on a bronze team 2 years up.... bronze is not good... it is like playing AYSO but paying extra money...
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Keep in mind that at U10, the highest level is Silver (not even Silver Elite), so Bronze holds a wide range of teams.
 
focomoso said:
Keep in mind that at U10, the highest level is Silver (not even Silver Elite), so Bronze holds a wide range of teams.
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Yeah I am sure the lower levels have changed over the past several years. But it should read, play at the highest level possible. If stuck in bronze on a team that doesnt get better over the course of the year it may be time to move on. Playing 2 years up and getting time is OK as long as you are playing top competition, if you want to continue playing as long as possible. If it is just for fun... save money play AYSO. Only my 2 cents.
 
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