Socal named as Operator for National 1 League

[Jamisfoes]

Not to hijack the thread, but since so many posters seem to have experience with private training, I'd love some perspective on the appropriate, ethical way to find private training opportunities. Speaking as the parent of kid who is the top of his team (captain, plays every minute) but unable to break through to the next level at his current club, who is the appropriate person to approach about getting him what he needs? He already trains with the higher level squad (and has been for 18 mos), but was passed over once again for a roster spot. The private trainers I've seen advertising on socials are either too basic or focused on developing MLS Academy level talent (which my kid is not).

I don't want to put his club coach in an awkward spot by asking him, nor do I want to suggest an inappropriate quid-pro-quo by asking the coach of the higher level squad. Is the DoC an appropriate person?

When you think about it, the best way to drive the players ahead of you in the depth chart away is to take private training from the coach. Once they leave you are there to fill the void.

 

[Carlsbad7]

When you think about it, the best way to drive the players ahead of you in the depth chart away is to take private training from the coach. Once they leave you are there to fill the void.

Thats some insightful p2p thinking.

Or clubs and coaches can be ethical focusing on bringing on and up talent not just dollar bills.

 

[Erasmus]

It likely has nothing to do with his skill level if he’s already captain, top of roster and playing every minute. Hard to know without the age but it’s likely something else: size for his age or proximity to age line, they are worried if they promote him the b team will fall apart in return for not much gain to the a team, politics (coaches who’ve staked out players), money (it’s better to recruit new money for the a team), preconceptions (once a b teamer always a b teamer). Unless your kid becomes such a superstar that the a team has to have him as a game changer, a merging at 11v11 or the a team falls apart, he’s unlikely to ever get promoted in that club and you’ll likely need to lateral to another club to move him up.

While you may very well be right that he'll need to move clubs to change the letters on his sleeve, my concern is less about that and more about him continuing to develop, as it seems he's likely to fall further behind his aspirational peers with his current team assignment. He's U15, so high school tryouts in the fall are looming large, and his would-be school teammates are on higher-level squads. My hope was regular private sessions could fill in the gaps.

 

[RandomSoccerFan]

Maybe - but there are two forms of measurable improvement, that both may have an impact on high school tryouts. First - did the kid gain enough actual skills to be able to showcase them in a very short time while being compared against other kids, who are often on "higher-level" squads already. Second - did the kid getting promoted to a "better" team in club get noticed by whomever is making those tryouts decisions in high school. In many geographies at this point, a kid needs to already be on a decent club team if they have any chance of making the varsity soccer team, or certainly starting on it. In others, there may not be as strong a connection between the two worlds. Private training can arguably assist the first - but may have no impact at all on the second, unless it's used as a catalyst to get to a better team.

 

[East County Soccer Dad]

While you may very well be right that he'll need to move clubs to change the letters on his sleeve, my concern is less about that and more about him continuing to develop, as it seems he's likely to fall further behind his aspirational peers with his current team assignment. He's U15, so high school tryouts in the fall are looming large, and his would-be school teammates are on higher-level squads. My hope was regular private sessions could fill in the gaps.

Obed up in north couty
Mo/top ballers central San diego
Ian Adamos central/east county
Futwork training very solid

 

[Grace T.]

While you may very well be right that he'll need to move clubs to change the letters on his sleeve, my concern is less about that and more about him continuing to develop, as it seems he's likely to fall further behind his aspirational peers with his current team assignment. He's U15, so high school tryouts in the fall are looming large, and his would-be school teammates are on higher-level squads. My hope was regular private sessions could fill in the gaps.

If you are looking to close that gap in 2 months (since most schools hold August sessions to gauge interest), unless you are going to put him in for 3x a week it’s unlikely to make a difference at this age/point. what you’d really need is a 2 month intensive like a Beast residency camp that recreates an academy experience. Long term you need to get him up if the goal is to play varsity which means changing clubs. Not current on the SoCal scene…one used to do a residency b iirc it was only two weeks which isn’t enough to make real progress. Privates and cone drills will only do so much since you need to go up against better players as well.

 

[Scrub It Kook]

If you are looking to close that gap in 2 months (since most schools hold August sessions to gauge interest), unless you are going to put him in for 3x a week it’s unlikely to make a difference at this age/point. what you’d really need is a 2 month intensive like a Beast residency camp that recreates an academy experience. Long term you need to get him up if the goal is to play varsity which means changing clubs. Not current on the SoCal scene…one used to do a residency b iirc it was only two weeks which isn’t enough to make real progress. Privates and cone drills will only do so much since you need to go up against better players as well.

@Grace T. and @RandomSoccerFan have good points. Private's and individual sessions really pay off over the long term where those skills can be taken and applied at team training consistently. Short term, improvement will be incremental. U15 is also an age where players need to identify the gaps in their game and be intentional about improvements. If fundamentals technical skills are lacking at this age, chances of catching up are slim. However if technicals are strong and it's purely a late developer scenario, biology will hopefully even things out by U17.

What level does your player currently play? High School soccer is so sporadic in terms of ability level. Unless they are attending one of the CIF Div 1 or high level Div 2 schools, a mid-level flight 1 team should generally be enough for the Freshman or even JV teams in SD. I know a handful of rec players that made the JV teams at a few schools, but they will be hard pressed to make Varsity as juniors.

 

[Scrub It Kook]

@Grace T. and @RandomSoccerFan have good points. Private's and individual sessions really pay off over the long term where those skills can be taken and applied at team training consistently. Short term, improvement will be incremental. U15 is also an age where players need to identify the gaps in their game and be intentional about improvements. If fundamentals technical skills are lacking at this age, chances of catching up are slim. However if technicals are strong and it's purely a late developer scenario, biology will hopefully even things out by U17.

What level does your player currently play? High School soccer is so sporadic in terms of ability level. Unless they are attending one of the CIF Div 1 or high level Div 2 schools, a mid-level flight 1 team should generally be enough for the Freshman or even JV teams in SD. I know a handful of rec players that made the JV teams at a few schools, but they will be hard pressed to make Varsity as juniors.

PS - Coach Up is a good resource. The social media trainers tend to focus on higher levels to promote their brands.

 

[Grace T.]

@Grace T. and @RandomSoccerFan have good points. Private's and individual sessions really pay off over the long term where those skills can be taken and applied at team training consistently. Short term, improvement will be incremental. U15 is also an age where players need to identify the gaps in their game and be intentional about improvements. If fundamentals technical skills are lacking at this age, chances of catching up are slim. However if technicals are strong and it's purely a late developer scenario, biology will hopefully even things out by U17.

What level does your player currently play? High School soccer is so sporadic in terms of ability level. Unless they are attending one of the CIF Div 1 or high level Div 2 schools, a mid-level flight 1 team should generally be enough for the Freshman or even JV teams in SD. I know a handful of rec players that made the JV teams at a few schools, but they will be hard pressed to make Varsity as juniors.

In La the problem exists even in division 3 and 4 schools especially large public ones. Kiddos friend plays for a high performing flight 1 team in the burbs, div 3 high school. Made varsity only senior year and playtime limited. Did not make the teams at all frosh year. Heck even kiddos div 5 private school the only rec players on varsity are seniors.

 

[Larzby]

People spend way too much energy on leagues, letters, clubs, etc. That energy should be directed to the player's development. The real pathway has always been and will always be a player's own desire to work and to develop. A player working every day to get better is the best guarantee to them finding success. Playing in the top league or for a top club may help in getting more looks but does not guarantee anything.

Sounds right. There's a very small percentage of kids who take every chance you give them to go out and practice, practice, practice. Those kids will always rise to the top, regardless of club politics, elite leagues, biased coaches, and the assorted unfairness of youth sports in America. Then, there's a bunch of kids who just have the natural ability to make it into the elite tier without the extra work. They are the lucky ones, and the opportunities fall at their feet ... at least for the first few years.

The rest of the kids - the majority - don't have the freakish natural ability nor the drive and they sooner or later get cheated by one or all of the components listed above (leagues, club, coach, or a lack of $$$). It feels horrible when it happens to you, but when you decide how to react, just be sure you aren't putting an outsized importance on it as compared to the extra effort your kid is putting into it.

If your kid isn't one of the players missing his friend's birthday party to go out and train, then it might not be worth spending your personal capital trashing a coach, a club or a system. Keep everything in perspective. We all want our kids to be happy, but that can come in many different ways, and there's really no pot of gold at the end of the elite super duper league rainbow, which you find out when you get there.

 

[Larzby]

Not to hijack the thread, but since so many posters seem to have experience with private training, I'd love some perspective on the appropriate, ethical way to find private training opportunities. Speaking as the parent of kid who is the top of his team (captain, plays every minute) but unable to break through to the next level at his current club, who is the appropriate person to approach about getting him what he needs? He already trains with the higher level squad (and has been for 18 mos), but was passed over once again for a roster spot. The private trainers I've seen advertising on socials are either too basic or focused on developing MLS Academy level talent (which my kid is not).

I don't want to put his club coach in an awkward spot by asking him, nor do I want to suggest an inappropriate quid-pro-quo by asking the coach of the higher level squad. Is the DoC an appropriate person?

I'm curious why you haven't tried another club? I'm not saying that is the answer, but genuinely wanting to know if there are any other high level teams in your area? Maybe go to a competitor and beat them?

 

[sandiegofutbolguy]

I'm curious why you haven't tried another club? I'm not saying that is the answer, but genuinely wanting to know if there are any other high level teams in your area? Maybe go to a competitor and beat them?

This is a good suggestion. If you are making payments and didn't pay upfront, may explore before the summer gets going.
I assume you're at Albion EA based on another thread, so take a look at Chula Vista or Sporting. Possibly REbels ECRL (They have a lot of 2031s)

 

[Scrub It Kook]

Sounds right. There's a very small percentage of kids who take every chance you give them to go out and practice, practice, practice. Those kids will always rise to the top, regardless of club politics, elite leagues, biased coaches, and the assorted unfairness of youth sports in America. Then, there's a bunch of kids who just have the natural ability to make it into the elite tier without the extra work. They are the lucky ones, and the opportunities fall at their feet ... at least for the first few years.

The rest of the kids - the majority - don't have the freakish natural ability nor the drive and they sooner or later get cheated by one or all of the components listed above (leagues, club, coach, or a lack of $$$). It feels horrible when it happens to you, but when you decide how to react, just be sure you aren't putting an outsized importance on it as compared to the extra effort your kid is putting into it.

If your kid isn't one of the players missing his friend's birthday party to go out and train, then it might not be worth spending your personal capital trashing a coach, a club or a system. Keep everything in perspective. We all want our kids to be happy, but that can come in many different ways, and there's really no pot of gold at the end of the elite super duper league rainbow, which you find out when you get there.

this 1,000%.

I'll add that if their soccer time away from team training is not at least equal to the team time, then it's going to be a tough road. Maybe an unpopular opinion, but too many players and parents expect the team to do the developing. Players develop themselves, teams simply provide a platform for games and exposure at higher levels.

 

[Scrub It Kook]

I'm curious why you haven't tried another club? I'm not saying that is the answer, but genuinely wanting to know if there are any other high level teams in your area? Maybe go to a competitor and beat them?

If anything, training with another team gives an objective view of your player.

 

[Scrub It Kook]

This is a good suggestion. If you are making payments and didn't pay upfront, may explore before the summer gets going.
I assume you're at Albion EA based on another thread, so take a look at Chula Vista or Sporting. Possibly REbels ECRL (They have a lot of 2031s)

A legit EA player should have no issue making a majority of freshman or JV high school teams in SD based purely on ability. The tough ones will be where the entire HS team are ECNL players.

PS - A lot of changes happening at U15/U16 in SD. A number of top MLSN & ECNL players have been trialing with MLS pro academies with some receiving offers.

 

[watfly]

this 1,000%.

I'll add that if their soccer time away from team training is not at least equal to the team time, then it's going to be a tough road. Maybe an unpopular opinion, but too many players and parents expect the team to do the developing. Players develop themselves, teams simply provide a platform for games and exposure at higher levels.

Team, club and league have virtually zero impact child's soccer development (at least on the boys side). Actually, they're far more likely to hinder your kids development than help it. The only meaningful drivers of development is your kid's own natural ability, motivation and passion for the sport.