Recruiting Tips for Parents Just Starting the Process

I can’t tell if you are agreeing or arguing....like I said, as long as there aren’t other issues that don’t include winning games.

The OP was about a coach who would call to recruit players from other teams. If everything is fine with Coach, roster, environment, etc, you should honor your commitment and not just bail for the perceived greener pastures.
Just for the record, none of the players called by Gandalf took his offer.
 
The irony is that any club that tries to force a kid to do something that is not in their best interest is exactly the type of club they should bail on. If a kid is better served somewhere else, a club should happily let them go. It’s incredibly petty to expect that a 13 year old girl will pass up better opportunities for herself because it benefits you. In fact, claiming that a kid is leaving because she is chasing wins is incredibly disingenuous because, really, you’re the one chasing wins by trying to keep her somewhere she doesn’t want to be.

The rub is that clubs that recruit mid cycle are not always looking for anything that is in the targeted players best interest. If they were, why didn't they just recruit when the window opened? Why is it that mid-cycle is the time? I said nothing about chasing wins so that may not be directed at me and I also acknowledge that there are times when a club should release a player but if one is teaching a child that there is no collective responsibility when you commit to a team and there is no willingness to abide by certain rules and norms, well then that person is parenting differently than I do.

One thing w/which I strongly agree with you is how clubs often try to convince players to stay when they are better off leaving. I think that happens all the time at big clubs and small clubs and can really interfere with what is "best" - whether "best" is defined by college opportunities or simply a fun, healthy activity while they are kids. And if you are at a small club and that club has not discussed with specificity how that club serves your high-achieving player's interest or how another club might be better, then that club is NOT looking at your kid's interest. When my daughter left her first club for another, I was on the BOD (I had other kids in that club) and I had a key coach refuse to talk to me for a year. It was clear that her needs were not going to be served by that club even as it was a great club for her development and a really good club for certain players.

Fast forward a couple of years and my younger two would occasionally play with a younger play as she'd play up a year as her "normal" team and up two (w/my kids) on occasion. She was not a star when she played up 2 years but she contributed and you could see her ability (and she could not play w/her age group at our club; it would be a joke). When I spoke to the mom about her daughter, I was very clear to her that she needed a larger platform if one of the goals was to reach her full potential as a soccer player. I drew on the experience of my older kid. If she wanted to stick around for non-soccer reasons, she'd still progress as a player and stay with her community, her friends, etc. but her ability to be a focus at an elite level would be compromised.
 
Agree that coaches shouldn't be recruiting other teams' players mid-season. Desperate, very myopic (gotta win now), and disrespectful to the current team. Makes the existing parents' crazy, territorial. paranoid and clicky. But that's on the coach, not the player. And it's widely known which clubs do this more than others (Blues, Surf), so parents going there should already know what they're getting into. If that's the environment you want from your kids' soccer experience, then bon appetit. And watch your back.

To blame the player/family is one of the themes clubs put out there to make players feel guilty and retain power/control. Just like calling players "club hoppers" even though leagues, clubs, rules, keep changing every year for the past 5 years. Nonsense. We are paying customers. And we're forced to pay 100% upfront 3-6 months prior to a new season beginning. And throughout the year we pay not just with $$ but also time, a lot of time. So yes, just like I will switch to Verizon from ATT before my contract expires if their service sucks, I have no problem with a player moving midseason if the club is jacking them around or their personal situation changes.

Now, if the club is treating the player as promised and the player (more likely parents) are moving midseason primarily in the search of more W's, then that's definitely a sh**ty move by Mom and Dad. So, context is key.

Competing companies agreeing they won’t touch each other’s customers, or to an “orderly” transition process that significantly impedes customers from changing clubs, violates antitrust laws. It is so weird that people think there’s something so special about children playing a child’s game that justifies breaking antitrust laws. I can’t imagine anyone would disagree that Pepsi and Coke refusing to let restaurants change vendors except two weeks a year is bad. Or patients unable to change doctors except once a year. Or companies not hiring each others’ employees except in February because their co-workers really rely on them and it’s a big disruption if the transition isn’t “orderly”. Or change preschools except during summer recess? I mean, those other preschoolers are really relying on your kids’ reading ability and epic social skills to prop up theirs, and also your tuition. Seriously, what is it about youth soccer that causes people to lose their freakin’ minds? Is the world going to end if little Sally moves from Podunk FC to Blues because it increases her chances of getting into UCLA? Why can’t anyone be happy for Sally?

This all smacks of a fake argument anyway. I haven’t heard of a kid leaving mid-season who did not have a really good reason. Although I’m sure it happens occasionally, would an (illegal) agreement among competing clubs not to “poach” each others’ customers be more beneficial than letting a far greater number of kids switch clubs who do have a good reason, but that does not rise to the level of “abuse”, whatever that might mean to someone?
 
This all smacks of a fake argument anyway. I haven’t heard of a kid leaving mid-season who did not have a really good reason. Although I’m sure it happens occasionally, would an (illegal) agreement among competing clubs not to “poach” each others’ customers be more beneficial than letting a far greater number of kids switch clubs who do have a good reason, but that does not rise to the level of “abuse”, whatever that might mean to someone?

Our experiences differ and not based on what I have heard but based on what I have directly observed. But I also think that the volume of clubs and players in SoCal does create more opportunities so perhaps it could be more fluid w/o the issues I have seen up here.

That said, I do wish that there was a greater openness about training with different clubs/teams. I don't think kids should be limited to some defined open window b/c it becomes really difficult to check out different clubs. That used to happen in NorCal but then the rules changed and to comply, some clubs will require written permission from the other club's DOC (they are all supposed to require it). A player's club should always be willing to say "yes" to a guest training opportunity and even a guest playing opportunity. If they limit it, that's a good sign that, as @EOTL is suggesting, they are not considering the interests of your kid. My older daughter guest played in tourneys with about half a dozen clubs (they needed a GK) and while she did move to one (though not to the team she guested with), it was just a great overall experience to play with different coaches and different players.
 
ID CAMPS- You think schools who aren't playing in fall season ( Given some athletes are on campus) are actively trying to setup ID Camps right after the September 30th dead period or you think will wait for ID Camps in the Spring? the 2021/2022's would want more traction given there's now showcases coming soon. Are coaches actually just behind their desk waiting on emails and videos?
 
Competing companies agreeing they won’t touch each other’s customers, or to an “orderly” transition process that significantly impedes customers from changing clubs, violates antitrust laws. It is so weird that people think there’s something so special about children playing a child’s game that justifies breaking antitrust laws. I can’t imagine anyone would disagree that Pepsi and Coke refusing to let restaurants change vendors except two weeks a year is bad. Or patients unable to change doctors except once a year. Or companies not hiring each others’ employees except in February because their co-workers really rely on them and it’s a big disruption if the transition isn’t “orderly”. Or change preschools except during summer recess? I mean, those other preschoolers are really relying on your kids’ reading ability and epic social skills to prop up theirs, and also your tuition. Seriously, what is it about youth soccer that causes people to lose their freakin’ minds? Is the world going to end if little Sally moves from Podunk FC to Blues because it increases her chances of getting into UCLA? Why can’t anyone be happy for Sally?

This all smacks of a fake argument anyway. I haven’t heard of a kid leaving mid-season who did not have a really good reason. Although I’m sure it happens occasionally, would an (illegal) agreement among competing clubs not to “poach” each others’ customers be more beneficial than letting a far greater number of kids switch clubs who do have a good reason, but that does not rise to the level of “abuse”, whatever that might mean to someone?
EOTL is on fire today. I agree again. I felt like I was the worse person in the world for leaving for greener pastures ((Just Win Baby and Leave them all hanging)). I felt like I was in The Firm and I couldn't leave. I felt so trapped. Plus, the Doc said if we dare leave it's all over........Let my people go!!!! Tad was so nice to me about looking at other dealerships. He just asked that you let him know and if we ask the right way, he will loan my goat out to the other dealerships. Were both cool with each other today and the last I spoke to him I asked him, "did you know these dealerships were offering a free car, free oil change and maintenance and free lifetime gas as long as you stay at the dealership? I dont like free. You need a coach who will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
 
ID CAMPS- You think schools who aren't playing in fall season ( Given some athletes are on campus) are actively trying to setup ID Camps right after the September 30th dead period or you think will wait for ID Camps in the Spring? the 2021/2022's would want more traction given there's now showcases coming soon. Are coaches actually just behind their desk waiting on emails and videos?
If classes aren’t in session and they aren’t having a fall season then they probably won’t be able to hold a camp on their campus. I would guess schools in that situation will wait until spring.
It’s very likely that the dead period will get extended again to the end of Oct.
In general, schools will want to hold camps as soon as they are able to because the primary purpose is to make money.
 
ID CAMPS- You think schools who aren't playing in fall season ( Given some athletes are on campus) are actively trying to setup ID Camps right after the September 30th dead period or you think will wait for ID Camps in the Spring? the 2021/2022's would want more traction given there's now showcases coming soon. Are coaches actually just behind their desk waiting on emails and videos?

All college players have been given an extra year of eligibility. That gives coaches an extra year of players. Not a lot of need of college Id camps right now. Coaches will need less players for the next three years.
 
All college players have been given an extra year of eligibility. That gives coaches an extra year of players. Not a lot of need of college Id camps right now. Coaches will need less players for the next three years.
Sounds about right! My daughter have been in talks with some coaches and there telling us there will no youth soccer played in California this year and expected the dead period to extend past October.
 
TDS rankings are a bit of a joke along with their college recruiting class rankings that are based on the player rankings. First if your player is not called to the National Team, they need a coach or club that cares about TDS and is willing to advocate to them. You can get ranked if you play in a TDS event and you happen to have a scout evaluation done. One star and two star ratings mean they have not seen you or your club is not actively advocating. After the first 15 or 20 kids it is impossible to get it right. We all know players that have had a high rating and they are not even one of the better players on their club team.

Personally, I would advise any kid trying to get recruited to never mention their ranking to a coach. Coaches don't care about this crap. They care about the quality of the team you are on, putting their eyes on your to see how good you are, and what their specific needs are at the time. Better yet, find a team with a coach who has college connections and is willing to talk to college coaches about your kid.
TDS ranking tried to do a good job this year ranking players given the mess that was made with DA folding and DA teams going to ECNL/ECRL. Now with the DA folding, US Soccer is implementing a new structure and will start from scratch with 2004/2005/2006 age groups. All zoom calls will soon end with current YNT player and all new scouts will be hired to select the next pool of players. Coaches will have no input anymore. Scouts will go to games, identify players and the leave. Best of luck!
 
To MAPS and all the others who have contributed to this discussion: Thank You.

We’ve been trying to put these suggestions to work and are starting to see some interest from some great college programs.

For a totally unheralded player with no championship play and more L’s than W’s in her record, we’re feeling pretty good.

But time will tell. Long way to go...
 
To MAPS and all the others who have contributed to this discussion: Thank You.

We’ve been trying to put these suggestions to work and are starting to see some interest from some great college programs.

For a totally unheralded player with no championship play and more L’s than W’s in her record, we’re feeling pretty good.

But time will tell. Long way to go...
I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but Coaches recruit players not teams so the W’s and L’s don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things.

Good Luck to your DD!
 
I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but Coaches recruit players not teams so the W’s and L’s don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things.

Good Luck to your DD!
That is so true. If all you really care about is the club soccer biz growing and getting a college deal, I agree. However, many kids like to WIN too and that means more to them then development in the grand scheme of things. Scheme is a good choice of words Kicker. Lot's of scheme's going on in the GDA league for three years. Just win baby!!!!
 
EJ=310=new wave=soccer helper ... That’s an awesome array of hats you got on! :)
I'm putting EJ down for good. New Wave Dave and Soccer Helper had their purpose. I have no idea who 310 is. I will come back today with a new Avatar to start fresh. We all need a fresh start or second chance or a mulligan. I learned what life is all about now.
 
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Throwback Thursday/EJ Retires

Dear forum friends,
it's time for Ellejustus to retire from social media. So many reasons why it's time and just feels it's best to end. I got all my answers I was looking for and some. It all started with a dream. Me and the wife dreamed and planned for 6 kids. Then after my first born son, we dreamed to have 4 kids. Then we had my DD and we said, "two is enough." The EJ's had big dreams and in 2017 it was coming together for our family. Work, School, Church and Soccer. The dream was coming alive. Everything Elle and Justus worked for they accomplished. However, life is not fare and it did a number on all of us. As EJ parts ways with all of you, we wish you all the best. I know so many want something from soccer and I hope you find it for your kids. My DD wanted to win!!! She won Surf Cup, State Cup, FWR Cup and a National Championship and so many others. SW ECNL is a goal and so is CIF. She had some personal goals and dreams but didnt cut the mustard and fell short. In life, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. My wife and dd worked hard to save money so we could pay to play in Seattle and Texas in 2017. I wont share, but our family got hit with a big bomb on my biz when we were in Texas for natty. I couldn;t tell my dd but I did tell my son and wife and it was so hard to put on a happy face. It was a kick to my "balls in life" and I was down for the count. I got my ass back up and three years later, were all doing better :) This last pic I will ever post on here is my favorite when it comes to soccer. The sacrifice my little soccer player and her teammates put in to win, was insane. Every single girl worked hard to win and that is winning. My wife gave up a lot of things woman like to do so we could afford these two back to back trips. I will be back as another Avatar. EJ is out!!!!!

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