A Team vs B Team

A lot has been said about the advantages of a large club with multiple teams at each age group. With tryout season about to arrive, I'd like to hear people's thoughts about this. It seems that in the ideal world it makes a lot of sense but how does it work in the real world of Mass soccer?

A couple of observations:

First of all, the quality gap between the A and B teams is usually quite large. It's not unusual to see the A team playing R1 Premier and the B team playing MAPLE D. As a corollary, it appears that player movement from the B team to the A team is exceedingly rare. Conversely, players cut from the A team usually try to latch on to another D1 or high level team. It also looks like the most experienced coaches coach the A team.

So, the question is if your child is not able to play at the level of the club's A team are they better off on the B team or should they search out a club where they are on the top team (and thereby reap the benefits of better coaching, fields, etc.)? I'm sure this varies with club but it would be helpful to hear the experiences of others about the pros and cons of the A team B team experience.

You'll see few responses from coaches, because they don't want to dissuade families from seeking out their club for the "developmental benefits" they claim all players will receive from their deep staffs of coaches, even on the B team. But the bottom line is that the A team is going to better develop the player because it will have the better coach (even if it means switching clubs) and, the most underrated benefit I think, better players on the team to play with, learn from and develop together. No sense having a pitch-smart player making great passes and with great vision if there is no one there to receive the ball or anticipate the great play.

[FSM]

The only way the A and B team can work is if both teams are coached and trained together. See this information on the Chicago Sockers which describes how it can work successfully: http://board2.maplesoccer.com/viewtopic ... go+sockers

I am unaware of anyone in Mass. who is currently using this system. You can be sure if anyone tries, there will still be issues, both from parents who feel, as one coach put it, "Parents want the 10 best players on the field, plus their own kid" and from coaches who do not recognize their job is to help all of the children under their care to improve as players.

[MASC]

The differences are the same as in HS: AP, Advanced, College Prep, and Standard.

The best students are segregated very early into the the "elite" sections. They receive the best of everything, e.g. teachers, text books, guidance, marketing to colleges, inflated grades via grade scaling, special tutoring for standardized tests, etc.

Some HS's do a better job encouraging students to move between levels, but for most the only allowable motion is downwards.

Why should clubs be any dfferent? The only leverage the players and parents have once a player is "trapped" at a specific level is to move somewhere else. Most clubs are revenue driven and the loss of players/teams is the only way that things can change.

[MASC]

I am unaware of anyone in Mass. who is currently using this system. You can be sure if anyone tries, there will still be issues, both from parents who feel, as one coach put it, "Parents want the 10 best players on the field, plus their own kid" and from coaches who do not recognize their job is to help all of the children under their care to improve as players.

Most coaches and certainly all DOC's that I have ever dealt with want all of the players under their care to improve. They all take great pride in the measurable development of their charges.

Soccer is a zero sum sport. It is structured so that there must be winners and losers. The problem occurs when the measurement of achievement is solely based on championships won, minutes played, goals scored, etc..

All parents want their children to excel. Part of the pleasure of parenting is to be able to watch your child perform. It is no joy to go to game after game and not see your child play.

Some clubs handle the first teams and second teams pretty well...look at Stars/Scorpions...Bolts second teams fare alright, though they don't have as many.

If club dedicates sufficient resources to making players better, so be it. Most clubs don't give the a teams special treatment as far as I know.

It seems that the sheer number of clubs may be to blame (for a number of flaws in the system). If a parent deems their child worthy of first team Div 1 play, with the number of clubs out there, should they be offered a spot on a second team, they will likely turn down the offer and find a spot on a first team elsewhere. There's always a spot available somewhere. That player, along with hundreds more, ends up in our top division, thus diluting the level of play for those who truly belong there. The player is playing out of his/her level, feels insecure, afraid to take chances and be creative and subsequently fails to develop properly. Limiting the number of clubs would raise the level of play in all divisions and develop a more even level of play amongst the B team players.

It seems that the sheer number of clubs may be to blame (for a number of flaws in the system). If a parent deems their child worthy of first team Div 1 play, with the number of clubs out there, should they be offered a spot on a second team, they will likely turn down the offer and find a spot on a first team elsewhere. There's always a spot available somewhere. That player, along with hundreds more, ends up in our top division, thus diluting the level of play for those who truly belong there. The player is playing out of his/her level, feels insecure, afraid to take chances and be creative and subsequently fails to develop properly. Limiting the number of clubs would raise the level of play in all divisions and develop a more even level of play amongst the B team players.

Nothing like a little elitism. Who decides whether a player is "worthy" of playing D1?

[skinny maradona]

Limiting the number of clubs would raise the level of play in all divisions .

I didn't realize there was unlimited number of teams in div 1. :D

[MASC]

Using the same argument, we should close all of the "small" schools and only have very large schools.

There already is a culling system in place for teams. There are only 8 D1 spots. At most 164 players in D1, 164 players in D2, and 164 in D for U14 and older. Maybe D1 should be smaller, if the quality isn't there.