Super Y growing?

Discussion in 'Youth & HS Soccer' started by CornfieldSoccer, Mar 14, 2018.

  1. CornfieldSoccer

    Aug 22, 2013
    Anyone know if Super Y seems to be growing and, if so, how strong the teams are it seems to be adding?

    My son played last summer and will again this summer so we get regular emails, about half of which are press releases announcing new teams (oddly, the league doesn't seem to put them on its website, so part of the text of one of that came today is below).

    If it is growing (and not just adding teams as it loses others), any idea what's driving it? Is this just what Super Y generally does?

    The list of clubs (prior to the announcement below, I think) is here: https://www.sylsoccer.com/clubs

    And part of that email:

    SYL Unveils Southwest Division, Founding Clubs
    Five clubs set to begin play in 2018 as league expands to West Coast

    TAMPA, Fla. – After previously announcing the launch of an upcoming Southern California-based division, the Super Y League is proud to announce the all-new Southwest Division, along with five founding member clubs, set to begin play in 2018.

    “The Super Y League couldn’t be more thrilled to grow into the Southern California region with the introduction of our Southwest Division,” said Christian Velasquez, Director of the Super Y League. “After pushing West with the Mid South Division last year, the addition of the Southwest Division grows the Super Y League on the national stage. We are excited to see the five new member clubs compete at the SYL Finals in the future.”

    Competing in the Southwest Division will be five clubs who become founding members of the league’s new West Coast presence: the Oceanside Breakers, Rebels SC, BYSC Corona United, FRAM and the Fullerton Rangers.
     
  2. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I sort of see this as a way small clubs are trying to measure up to the bigger clubs by offering more programming. It's also a way to retain players because they have to commit to Fall/Spring earlier then normal.

    Not sure of the play but parents I have spoke with are making a big deal. But I think that's because they think they are big league - playing in the summer and all.

    "We play year round now"

    LOL
     
  3. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I don't know anything about current state of Super Y so I really can't opine.

    My son played a couple (I think it was only two) years of Super Y when he was in middle school. It was fun, a chance to play full-sided soccer over the summer with a different mix of players, travel a bit without parents. That's really all I know.

    I honestly had thought it had pretty faded away, so the fact that it's still around and maybe even growing is interesting, to me anyway. :)
     
  4. CornfieldSoccer

    Aug 22, 2013

    Interesting to me for the same reasons. I'm curious about what's driving that growth and whether it amounts to some kind of resurgence for Super Y.

    I've written elsewhere here about my son doing it last summer and again this coming summer -- it was a mixed bag for a lot of kids we know, but mine got a lot out of it, played for a good coach on a reasonably competitive team. ...

    Volk's assessment isn't far off of what the group my son is part of has in mind -- the teams are a blend of kids from five mid-size clubs, who see it as a way to offer more soccer and a summer option that's pretty different from the typical club fare (most kids will play for coaches not from their own clubs, and play teams they don't for the most part don't typically see).
     
    bigredfutbol repped this.
  5. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'm a big fan of playing a lot when younger, particular if the level of competition isn't too high, at least all the time. Super Y didn't "matter" when my son played it (in the eyes of his club coach) and the team was probably a step down, and in retrospect I think that's a good thing.
     
  6. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    #6 VolklP19, Dec 18, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2018
    We are doing Super Y this summer. The way I see it is that I already know the coaches and I am very happy with them - as is my daughter.

    Secondly for less then the cost of a 4 day summer camp, my kids getting 3 training sessions per week and regional games - which follows the format of MRL. We like this because we also enjoy visiting museums and other "stuff" on these weekends and to do this in the Summer makes it even better.

    Should also be interesting - we are playing up an age and along side some other players from about 4 other clubs.

    So IMO - I think if you are looking to do a camp - this has way better value.

    Plus my kids really excited which makes it nice as well :D
     
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  7. SpiceBoy

    SpiceBoy Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Aug 2, 2017
    I wish I could say the growth is for the right reason like Volk above (extra touches, low cost, summer fun, etc), but I think it may be growing because clubs see it as an easy "national championship" for clubs to market to parents who do not know any better. Clubs can post about how they have teams playing for a national championship and parents will eat it up.
    It seems like in our area (midwest) 2-3 years ago clubs were selling the extra touches and fun, now they are marketing 'national championship" and "top teams in the country"
     
  8. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    #8 VolklP19, Dec 20, 2018
    Last edited: Dec 20, 2018
    I do not disagree.

    I think for a Summer league a regional title is about as far as it should go. Again - it's all how realistic and educated parents are. I don't think many look at it as just extra time on the ball and some decent games. The National Chapmionship is part of the marketing but it does help in terms of recruiting. Whether it is responsible to push money into a National Championship is subjective. I'm in the opinion that 99% of teams do not need to travel more then an hour to get their asses handed to them.

    Of course I'll stress the travel and other "fun" stuff that can be had over the summer that necessarily does not have to do with soccer.

    For example there is a straight line from Kalamazoo up to Ludington where a family can visit an incredible state park, get some of the best thin crust pizza (Chuck Wagon), watch the SS Badger Drop her anchor and more.

    On the way home you can hit the beach at Warren Dunes, Driers Meat Market in Three Oaks and then dinner at the Stray Dog in New Buffalo before mixng it up in traffic on the way home.

    LOL and if the time is right there is also Krazy Kaplans (I like to blow shit up!)
     
  9. CornfieldSoccer

    Aug 22, 2013
    The group of clubs downstate that my son played with last summer and the one before that, as far as I could tell, pitched this as a place to play and train over the summer, work with different coaches than those you typically see, ... I don't think any of us were under any delusions (well, not many of us ...) that our ad hoc teams were going to win some mythical national championship.

    My son will almost certainly skip Super Y this summer as he enters high school and goes through summer practices there for the first time (our fingers are crossed that they'll try to play passable soccer). I wouldn't mind him doing it again in future years, though.

    Volk: Ludington's great. We didn't hit it on our one Super Y trek to Kalamazoo, but we should have. Those two or three travel weekends a summer were a lot of fun, either way. Rare time for just my son and I, on the road, ...
     
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  10. Neko975

    Neko975 Member

    Red Star
    Serbia
    Jul 4, 2018
    Don't forget that teams are using Super Y to recruit players also. My source from OBSC tells me that this is the main reason for them to play Super Y because they were losing players to the teams that competed in the summer.
     
  11. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Saw MANY 06 and 05 girls last night from other clubs - spoke to some parents who are not happy and it was pretty clear the thought was in the back of their heads that if things look good for Super Y, they may be coming our way. So it's definately a recruiting tool - whether direct or indirect.

    Some parents are happy where they are at and are using this for additional summer training.
     
  12. ppierce34

    ppierce34 Member

    Aug 29, 2016
    Fort Wayne, IN
    For a large part of the Country the Summer is the best time to actually play soccer outdoors. I've always felt that kids should take Winter off and play in the Summer. It makes no sense to me why thats not more the norm. Indoor winter soccer sucks.
     
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  13. bigredfutbol

    bigredfutbol Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 5, 2000
    Woodbridge, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Ideally, maybe--but in a lot of places it's often too hot during much of the day, especially on turf.

    I think for youth soccer, the norm is partly logistical--during the Summer, with vacations, travel, camps, etc., it's hard to keep a team together from one week to the next. During winter, on the other hand, you can field an indoor team with far fewer players (or field multiple teams if lots of kids sign up) and surely some parents are glad to kid their kids out of the house and burning off some energy.
     
    mwulf67 repped this.
  14. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    had a nice turnout for Super Y. Around 100 players from outside our club came out. Strong teams and lots of interest in potential Fall players. Recruiting tool for sure but hey - I'm looking forward to any games with no snow... Which I am still not convinced is ever going away!
     
  15. upper left

    upper left Member

    Crystal Palace
    Uruguay
    Jan 27, 2018
    I can't help but think that some of those crowds showing up to SuperY tryouts are driven more by FOMO parents providing yet another soccer experience for their kids. The ones I know that are signing up are attracted to the short and relatively easy path to a trip to Disney and a national championship. I'm not making this up, I am (rather my kid is) being recruited by parents that use the Disney carrot. I happened to be at a facility where tryouts were occurring a couple months ago. I listened to the director/coach explain the league, and when he mentioned the Disney trip to the parents, they all perked up and looked around at each other on queue. There was very little talk about if/how SuperY training would be any good for the players. I'm sure it's great since the guy sounded foreign.

    I think local weekend 3 v 3 tournaments are actually a much better vehicle to get a lot of touches in a competitive but less structured way. Summer 3 v 3 is a cheaper and more efficient way to develop creativity, technical skills, decision making, and pace of play. Granted, 3 v 3 around here, just like SuperY, creates yet another path to get to a "National Championship" down in Disney, so if that floats your boat it is available.
     
  16. lncolnpk

    lncolnpk Member+

    Mar 5, 2012
    Club:
    Chicago Fire
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    There is a club in my area that bases their whole recruitment around Super Y and the trip to Disney. And, that is why the club charges $3500 a year now.
     
  17. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I spoke with three 2005 and 1 2006 players parents and neither cared. They seemed to know more then the typical parent however. In our final try out we had a mandatory parent meeting and Disney was not mentioned. It could have been in prior meetings - I forget shit so who knows.

    I don't really care at all about a National Championship. I am looking for time on the ball for my player at a proven club with good coaches - better then a camp with college kids coaching IMO.

    I do agree with you on the open play in summer - we have that twice a week for free and it does provide a completely different experience that is hugely beneficial to development - especially confidence.
     
  18. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I remember you saying this last year I think - something along the lines that it's not even a big club...

    We've been told $500-$575 for the summer. I think that's a decent price for 3 sessions and 1-2 games per week. From what I recall our costs for Fall/Winter/Spring are $2300.00. That's $800.00 less then we were spending.

    If good players get good training and in general, time on the ball - that's all that matters. If parents need a trip to Disney to seal that - I'm okay with it as long as it's affordable. At least you can make a vacation out of it.

    Personally Disney is the last place I'd want to vacation - I'm more of a get away fro people and enjoy nature sort of guy.
     
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  19. Regista

    Regista Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Feb 22, 2019
    It's also a good transition from 9v9 to 11v11 prior to the start of the fall season for many of the u12. Although many seem to move to 11v11 in the spring. I know CSA had a very good season last year in Super Y. Rush has added a team also and Evolution has a team as well in chicago. Summer touches and competition at a minimum are a great way not to hear the coach tell your kid "it looks like you haven't touched a ball all summer" in the fall.
     
  20. smontrose

    smontrose Member

    Real Madrid
    Italy
    Aug 30, 2017
    Illinois, NW Suburb
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My U15 will be doing Super Y on a u15/u16 squad which is exactly the type of experience he was looking for. 8 weeks of goodness with a different coaching staff will be refreshing. CSA did not push the natl chmpshp and I did not get the feeling we were being recruited or sold on CSA
    If it wasn't for Volkl P19 I would never had heard about this. WHy is that?
    I would think any serious HS soccer athlete, H.S. or club should be considering this as best way to stay active over summer, get better, and be ready for Fall.
    I think this is going to be the best money Ive spent on soccer and will be right up there with the purchase of my Shark upright vacuum last year :)
     
  21. mwulf67

    mwulf67 Member+

    Sep 24, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    My son did Super-Y before High School, but not that he’s in HS, he trains and practice with his HS team starting in June all though summer, basically starting the day school ends…we would love to do Super-Y (it is good value for your money), but worried about too much conflict/over-training…
     
  22. Regista

    Regista Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Feb 22, 2019
    Many families are on summer vacation which would interfere with games or practices. Plus some kids are doing ODP etc and can't commit. Not sure why it's not a bigger thing as far as a club marketing gimmick. The Disney thing is pointless and for anyone who is playing for skill development they should know better.
     
  23. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I would completely disagree. We'll have the same coach we do in the normal season and will compete with our u16 team for pratice games. League competition may not be as good but touches on the ball and training will be solid.
     
  24. Regista

    Regista Member

    Barcelona
    United States
    Feb 22, 2019
    I meant pushing Disney as a selling point for Super Y is pointless. I think Super Y is good as mentioned previously.
     
  25. JuanMa

    JuanMa Member

    Jul 22, 2003
    MD
    SuperY is good quality once you reach FL. In the Washington DC area, some years are good local competition and some years not so great... I have coached or been a parent of SYL teams for multiple years and I love the summer competition and excitement of making it to FL. Been there a couple times and, spoiler alert, IMG is not near Disney. Many teams in FL stack up with some DA kids, by the way.
     

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