How common are written player evals?

Discussion in 'Youth & HS Soccer' started by CornfieldSoccer, Aug 9, 2018.

  1. CornfieldSoccer

    Aug 22, 2013
    And how valuable, at best? Thought I'd see how many clubs out there do this. I know of a few that do at the end of a season or year -- with mixed results -- while my son's does not. I'd like it to start, but thoughts on how useful they are and how they're best done?
     
  2. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Never had them before.
     
    rustysurf83 repped this.
  3. illinisoccer

    illinisoccer Member

    Aug 15, 2005
    Chicago, IL
    The club I coached for provided a written evaluation for every player between fall and spring seasons. For u12 and up a face to face meeting was also required. The evaluation covered the four developmental areas and the key factors of each.
     
  4. pu.ma

    pu.ma Member

    Feb 8, 2018
    Our club does it, but I dont recall seeing one every year. For the younger ages, it's just a short list and graded (1 to 5). I think it's supposed to be used as part of the evaluation process ... you know the one they say is done during the playing season for each player that's supposed to be a big part of their decision making for tryouts the following year. I doubt anyone looks at it. The other reason I think is for the parents. A couple of times, the coach had a chat with each player's parents to also give feedback relating to the evals which I appreciated. I think it can be valuable if all the coaches buy in and the club actually uses the data for something.
     
  5. P.W.

    P.W. Member

    Sep 29, 2014
    Every year at the end of fall season. Includes an in person meeting between coach, kid and parent(s). Most coaches take it very seriously and put a lot of thought into them. They are rankings 1-5 for various things, but there's room for comments and the in person conversation adds even more color.
     
  6. mwulf67

    mwulf67 Member+

    Sep 24, 2014
    Club:
    Chelsea FC
    Never seen one either...
     
  7. P.W.

    P.W. Member

    Sep 29, 2014
    I'm actually shocked that many of you don't have them. We're just a community club, but I think the parents in this town would literally storm the castle if there weren't any feedback on their child's $800 - $1,000 activity.
     
    bigredfutbol repped this.
  8. TheKraken

    TheKraken Member

    United States
    Jun 21, 2017
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    We get one after fall season and one after spring. Various parts of the game are given numerical scores between 1 and 5. Then they expand on some of the categories with a written critique. The thoroughness of the report depends on the coach. They also tell you roughly where your child stands in the player pool (top, middle, or bottom).
     
  9. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    Sockers FC Chicago (9 years) and not one. In fact at the parent meeting last season with the coach we were all told - and I quote...

    "Don't come up and try to talk with me after a practice and do not try and speak with me after a game."

    We were told to send an email and schedule an appointment.

    I understand the reasoning here - as a coach and parent I have seen MANY bad parents. However this clown assumed that was the case with us when nothing could be further from the truth. Nice to get to know your audience before playing asshole cop.

    Lazyness on so many levels.

    Eval? Shit... You should be grateful we took your money and player!
     
  10. MonagHusker

    MonagHusker Member

    Liverpool FC
    United States
    Feb 25, 2016
    Omaha, Nebraska
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I was going to say that our club hasn't done them over the two years my 11 year old has played for them, then I was thinking I don't recall receiving any for my kids for any sports. That is five football teams, six volleyball teams, 12 or more soccer teams, and three basketball teams.

    Maybe they shouldn't be expected in most cases for the levels they are playing, but I would love to have some sort of feedback like that for the kids.
     
  11. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I am on the fence. I am at every practice and every game because our home field is 45 - 50 min away. I see where my player is and how she is progressing so I know what she needs to work on if she want to. So I don't need them personally.

    However I do know of a few parents whose players went from B to D level in one season at the u11 age and they were pissed. The coach could not come up with anything other then saying they mentioned what the 9 year olds needed to work on - to them.

    That's sort of lazy IMO. I could see where an eval would make things better for the players and easier for the coaches.
     
  12. P.W.

    P.W. Member

    Sep 29, 2014
    Screw that. My kid gets evals from week long camps - basketball, swimming, baseball, and soccer. The least the soccer club can do is give an eval once a year for what is essentially a year round program.
     
  13. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I think if we had better coaches who were willing to talk with parents and players, that could simply solve the issue. I know a coach who posts here :whistling: who is excellent at communicating and always takes time to speak with parents.

    When that coach moved from a satellite location to the main hub - parents were pleasantly shocked at this - it was a much better experience all of a sudden!

    With coaches like that - you should not need evals IMO.
     
  14. P.W.

    P.W. Member

    Sep 29, 2014
    You're right, but sometimes parents/players feel uncomfortable taking up a coach's time or finding time to talk to them, even with a friendly, communicative coach. I know I do. Every article you read about youth sports stresses the idea of only having planned communications. Don't talk to the coach randomly after practice; never talk to them after a game. Always schedule a time to talk. What if you think everything is OK, but you just want some feedback - seems like a waste of the coach's time.

    A scheduled meeting that just part of the club product - not requested by anyone in particular - is a good way to start/continue to build a relationship with a coach. Just like a parent teacher conference. It's once a year - just five minutes to have a one on one conversation and a brief overview of how things are going with YOUR KID. For most, it's just a quick check up. For others it might be the start of a long range plan for improvement.

    And a well thought out evaluation can really open up people's eyes and temper delusions of grandeur (which is good for coaches, too come try out time). If, on the team you referenced, (kids moving down several levels in one year), the mid year evaluation scored the player a 2 out of 5 on half the components, it would absolutely be a conversation starter about the appropriate team for that particular player.
     
  15. VolklP19

    VolklP19 Member+

    Jun 23, 2010
    Illinois
    I agree there is a fine line and sometimes it's hard to find for both parents and clubs. I think the responsibilty is on the club to be open and foster an atmosphere of being approachable.

    Sure there are times when coaches have to run from one game to another and will not have the time to talk - and frankly I think parents should leave a discussion for after training sessions exclusively.

    But there are ways to make this work. Too many clubs just nurture an adverse environment where parents feel that they cannot approach coaches, ask questions and so on - thats no good. Many parents do not understand the game or reasons why coaches make some decisions. Having a more open environment only helps to elevate the understanding of the game and god forbib the play on the field.
     
    CornfieldSoccer repped this.
  16. CornfieldSoccer

    Aug 22, 2013
    Thanks for the replies here. Interesting input.

    I still think our club needs to be doing this, perhaps annually. And I really like the meeting idea for a little face-to-face feedback (the first club coach my son had, at u10, was horrified and all but sprinted away any time parents tried to engage him, even in small talk, and that drove me nuts -- but I get the coach not wanting to discuss player strengths and weaknesses right after a game or off the cuff after practice, provided the coach is willing to have that meeting to talk).

    I tried once a year or two ago to push for evals at our club, without success, but after seeing the eval my son received at the end of a five-day residential camp at a university this summer, there's no reason the club's coaches can't do it annually (the camp eval was detailed and pretty insightful, and the coach who wrote my son's had 15 kids to do this while working with them for five days).

    One more thought: I don't see the need to do this in great detail before 11 or 12. Anyone disagree with that?
     
  17. P.W.

    P.W. Member

    Sep 29, 2014
    I don't see why you wouldn't do it at all the ages. You'd be excluding a majority of our club if you didn't start until U12. And parents need that feedback when their kids are young. By U12, the conversations should be slowly shifting from the parents to the kids - though the evaluations are important for them too.
     
  18. ppierce34

    ppierce34 Member

    Aug 29, 2016
    Fort Wayne, IN
    I laugh at a lot of coaches "holier than thou" attitudes. They tell you not to approach them before or after practices and games as if they're the Pope. Most of us pay north of $2,000 for our clubs and if we have a question we should be able to get it answered. We also spend A LOT of time driving on our free time, leaving work early etc. to get our kids to games and practices. I do not have the time to schedule an appointment on an off day to come in. I understand not approaching them about Playing Time right after the game but if i have a quick question, i should be able to ask it and not feel as if i'm being a burden. The terrible soccer parent has ruined it for all as coaches think that all parents are crazy.
     
  19. Geauxlden

    Geauxlden New Member

    Manchester United
    United States
    Apr 30, 2017
    My 10 year old's club will provide a written evaluation after the season if requested by the parent. I've requested them because I want my son to see in writing what his coaches feel he needs to improve.
     
    bigredfutbol repped this.
  20. jvgnj

    jvgnj Member

    Apr 22, 2015
    We just heard from my son's club that they're going to schedule 10 minute calls near the end of the Fall and Spring seasons to provide feedback. They did ask that we limit questions to player specific feedback and that if we want to discuss other stuff (more team related issues, gripes, etc.) we set up a separate appointment with the coach or head of the club. I think it's a good step.
     
  21. ppierce34

    ppierce34 Member

    Aug 29, 2016
    Fort Wayne, IN
    Evaluations should be standard at all clubs. I dont get why they're not.
     
    bigredfutbol repped this.
  22. Cantona's Eyebrow

    Dirty Leeds
    Togo
    Oct 8, 2018
    If the club focuses on player development, as well as fun, then I believe they should be compiled quarterly.
     
    pu.ma repped this.
  23. Jim n GA

    Jim n GA New Member

    Oct 10, 2018
    At what age should a player handle an evaluation meeting in their own? Club provides a written evaluation in Dec along with meeting the coach in person (was told they would schedule 10 min increments). Have heard that it is about 50/50 on kids meeting individually vs the parents going into the meeting room with them.
     
  24. StrikerMom

    StrikerMom Member

    Sep 25, 2014
    15?
     
    Jim n GA and pu.ma repped this.
  25. pu.ma

    pu.ma Member

    Feb 8, 2018
    This makes too much sense.
     

Share This Page