Do people routinely have there kids tryout for more than one club? Like a “plan b”, just in case things don’t work out as planned?? My daughter has played for current club for a year. Overall likes the club, really likes the coach, starts and gets a lot of play time. She wants to stay and has no desire to tryout elsewhere. BUT the coach just sent out notice that all existing team members will be offered a spot. After tryouts he will coach the group ( including new players) for 2 weeks and divide into 2 teams. So ….. I think she should be ok but she could end up on a 2nd team theoretically, which would mean a lower league and maybe a different coach? That could be ok but not exactly what we had in mind. I’ve never experienced anything like this. Last year it was just a straight offer for one team. I don’t know if she should tryout for a 2nd option. Appreciate any feedback
If she starts, gets a lot of playing time, and it's the same coach, she probably will be on the A team. Only caveat is if there were a ton of players at tryouts or in practices with the team and if they were better than the average player on your team. That said, if you don't want to move, but feel you need to if she doesn't make the A team, you can always ask the coach where your daughter stands. If that seems awkward, then can you delay acceptance of the offer until after the two week period is over? Seems reasonable, especially if they are different leagues and potentially different expectations/tournaments etc. The other variable is your kids' age. If she's young, likes the coach, and doesn't really care what team she's on, then let it be.
Thanks for feedback! She is not young - this will be U16. Most of her current teammates are in HS so she has been practicing with 2009- so no ability to assess the practices. Most of the other teams with comparable league/ exposure have already had tryouts I now realize. Just was not expecting this
I think its reasonable to try out at another club. I think it's also important for her to go where she gets along with the others. I have heard stories where girls treat others meanly and that's no good. Our first year we only tried out at one club. 2nd year 3 clubs, for good measure, but stayed at same club. Let my kid choose. He likes his teammates. 3rd year just tried out at same club because my kid likes it there. And after analyzing other clubs, I think we're at a decent club. No club is perfect; it will feel like its always greener on the other side. Every club has their pros and cons. Our club has fairly good coaches, as I have been studying the opposing coaches at every match. Between all the games I must have seen 50 or more coaches by now. I can say that most of them I would not want my kid under. They yell too much in an non-constructive way. Some downright insult their players and these are kids. Our coaches seem to be more professional than most. But I know that's not always the case at our club. Some coaches joystick too much. Some were way too yearning to win the league. We won it, but our coach didn't care about that much; he cared mostly about the kids applying the things he was teaching, regardless of the result.
Ask the coach where she stands. Better yet, at U16 maybe have her ask. Try out elsewhere if you are interested in going elsewhere.
Ok thanks. I know that she could ask where she stands. Asking the coach what team you will make before the tryout ( and now extended try out period) is complete? Not sure about that one. Also we don't want to leave the existing team. This process is a little different because theoretically no one will know the team they are on until well after(all clubs) tryouts are over. The question I was asking is if people typically do more than one tryout yearly as a plan b?
DS tried out at more than one club only his last year (U19). He wanted better than his team had become. DD has only tried out for the hometown club, and she only has one more left. Don't ask the coach "will I be on the top team?". Ask "What do I need to work on to be on the top team?" Or "What do I need to show to be on the top team?" Hopefully the answer is "you don't have to worry, but work on x, y, and z."
I think it's good practice to go to some tryouts just to be on the radar... just in case... At the very least, other teams will have seen your daughter so if something does happen during mid season even, it's easier to reach back out and say "we tried out this past tryout season and you mentioned she'd be a good fit on your team. while we decided to stay with the current team then, so and so happened and reaching out to see blah blah blah"
Yeah....I made that suggestion about just talking to the coach in general, feeling him out. Her response "No I'll be fine". Talked about having a plan B. Response "No I like this coach and team". All evidence suggests she will be fine on her current team ( I KNOW!! Let her make her own decisions). 2 other pieces of info informing my thought process: a. recently announced club merger. My only experience with that was several years ago. This meant that all existing teams looked different come new season. Both clubs "guaranteed" what appeared to be spots on top team- split 50/50. It was fine...kind of a disaster....I didn't care because my kids were young and it didn't matter. I don't know the politics of mergers at older ages/ more competitive leagues. Maybe I would have better served to do a post on peoples experience with club mergers b. The "b" team. So what? If she makes the b team, she can work hard on the b team. Cool. Except the b team is an unknown coach, completely unknown players. Doesn't currently exist. More importantly the b team will play in a different league that is available to play in at several different closer clubs within 5-20 minutes of our house for way less $$$. Currently we drive 50 min one way and it's more expensive. Don't really see the need to do that. I don't know. I'm thrown off by this tryout process- where you don't know what team you will be on until way after tryouts have come and gone.
I agree it is different, but at the same time, it kind of makes sense. I really feel there is no way to pick the best team after watching a single (or two) 90 minute (or two hour tryouts). You might find the most skilled, or the fastest, but that doesn't mean you'd have the best team. The best teams "gel". They work together. They listen. They don't criticize each other. They help each other. Someone may tryout as a CAM, but actually "fits" better as CDM, or CB. By letting them practice together for a couple weeks, the coaches can put kids in different positions, with different teammates and see what the best combination of players actually is. I still wish there was a better way to handle tryouts.
If college is the goal then it would make sense to incur more cost (for ex driving further for good training), and to try harder to play at the highest level available (the A team at a club). Otherwise, if no ambition for college then it doesn't matter all that much. Just play with your friends (A/B/C team doesn't matter) and have fun.
Yes, her ambition is to play in college. That is the reason we that we currently drive farther to compete in a higher level league. HOWEVER if she were to play on a second team it would not make sense to drive that distance because the 2nd teams play in regional league that are available at closer distance clubs
Yea, you need to find teams that will help get you in front of college coaches (showcase tournaments). BUT, it's more than what games you play. There's a couple of us who have recently finished up the college recruiting journey, and some who have done it in the past. If you haven't found those threads, I'd suggest reading through them. Here's one... https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/college-id-camps.2124888/ Granted, this is on the boys' side, but I would think much of it is compatible with the girls. If you do have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I believe you said she's going to be U16, so I think that will be a HS sophomore in the fall. A PERFECT time to start the journey. Good luck!
I'm no expert on the girls' side of things but I listen to a couple of friends who have girls who just finished their freshman years talk and get the impression that, for girls (at least those hoping to play DI soccer), sophomore year is the big one -- enough so that there's some discussion in those families about going club-only and not playing HS soccer for the at least that year. I feel DI soccer is probably a much more realistic and achievable goal for girls to chase, too, given the much higher number of colleges that have it on the women's side (and, at least for now, lower emphasis on international recruiting).
A former GK on our club team (and GK for our HS rival) verbally committed to a D1 last month. She just finished her Junior year. I don't think she did a lot of recruiting activities until the last year (although she did camps and training).
Yes.... my daughter is 2008 trapped player. So she is still 14 and will be a freshman next year. She will do showcase this month. She also will probably do one college id camp this summer just to cut her teeth because I know its early
Heres a fun try out story.... I had some fun conversations today with parents who are acquaintances and have kids the same age as my daughter. I spoke to them separately at a HS game that was going on. All (three) of their kids tried out for my kid's team. One was offered a ECNL spot and turned it down, saying she wasn't ready to leave her teammates and preferred if those teammates (5 other girls) all were offered as well so they could come together. Our coach said that's not how this works, he was a bit annoyed, but moved on rather quickly and did his job filling our team. Girl two was offered RL. Parents were insulted and turned it down. Girl three was also offered RL, parents not as insulted, but instructed the kid to turn it down. Now....... All three (they don't know each other) went to try out for the GA team in the area. Girl 1 got the assurance that her and her teammates would all get the top (GA) team. So, 10 girls in total left their previous club to go with the group. Some of those girls are pretty not good. The team they are leaving, barely missed relagation by a point or something. Girl two tried out and was told a GA spot was hers. Girl three took a teammate and both were told GA spots were locked in. That's 13 girls promised GA spots, while their team has 20 rostered girls already, and they took over a whole other club as well. My math ain't the best, but I can sense a bit of ********ery brewing. Will they legit cut 13 girls to keep all their promises? I'm not sure most of them know, but that team will have another set of tryouts within the team. What a shitshow it will be, when actual team assignments come in August after all these families commit and have started paying.
Interesting. How was the GA team last year? I heard in WI that SC Wave GA was more desirable than FC Wisconsin, especially as the girls get older. Maybe this isn't the case after all if they are desperate for girls.
Maybe they'll create a 2nd GA team? Is there any rule preventing that? GA needs more teams so maybe they will welcome it.
There age group that is the same as my daughters was smack dab in the middle. It goes in cycles. A couple years ago FCs older girls (17s and 18/19s) we're ranked nationally and made playoffs while Waves corresponding age groups were down. Fast forward to current time, Waves 17s and 16s are really good couple of teams. While FCs age groups struggle. I would bet good money all these teams are pretty damn close. SC Wave always has better records. SC Wave have a crazy amount of kids, partnered with the biggest club numbers wise in Milwaukee, and continuing to take over clubs left right and center. FC always falls back on playing better teams more consistently. I do know that when Wave play ECNL teams for friendlies, or tournaments recently, it hasn't ended well for Wave albeit a lone win here or there. Alot of the desire for Wave tho in all honesty was the non desire to be near Christian when he was running FC. Now that he's gone, not surprisingly there was a jump in numbers for our tryouts.
Don't quite know that works. Other teams in the GA have second teams, but I was under the impression that you have to apply for them. You can't just run up numbers and add it. Wave have been telling families that "B" team kids will be in the E64. But the E64 published their accepted teams for the upcoming fall, and Wave is not one. So again, not sure what's going on there. And none of the Wave families know anything of realignment. Just seems so sloppy.