Hello all. I've never posted here before, although I have just completed reading every thread in this forum to get a sense of what it is all about. You all seem to have a lot of experience with the CT premier soccer cubs, so perhaps you can give me some insight.
However, this may be the wrong place to ask this question, because I am horrified a little by the lack of civility at times by some posters.
Anyway here's my question. My daughter is going to be playing for one of the premier teams - either South Central or FSA. The age group range she is in is that 14-15-16 year old level (It doesn't really matter that I tell you the exact age group because my question is not about a specific coach or team).
I'm trying to decide which team organization / playing environment of the two teams is like. Basically my dilemma is this - my duaghter's a good player, but we, her parents, and to some extent her, just don't care all that much about soccer (or sports in general). It's just a part of who and what she is, and it's something she enjoys. And neither of her parents needs a sports ego boost either, so a winning club isn't even all that important.
However, she does want to get better, and she does want to play with other players who are also better. So anyway, it's basically coming down to FSA or SCP.
We as parents have some "turn-offs" and some "turn-ons" when it comes to our soccer experiences and could use some feedback on whether there is any difference between FSA or SCP in terms of those turn-ons and turn-offs.
Turn-Offs:
1) Blow-hard, self-promoting, salesmanship by coaches, or club staff: (Personally, we could care less about your club's trophy case, it's college promotion program, it's storied history, etc). Just keep it simple and keep it about the kids and that's about all we'll need because the rewards of the the sports experience really has little to do with any of that stuff and everything to do with whether or not it is a personally enriching experience.
2) Coaches acting like making a mistake on the field is a big deal: Hearing things like "Sophie, you do that one more time and you'll be on the bench" shouted from the sidelines makes my stomach turn. Instead we prefer coaches that set a high standard and goals in practice, ask kids to take responsibility and autonomy for achieving them, and provide an environment that helps them achieve it where the kids overcome their own obstacles to those goals. And so we think coaches don't need to worry about the little things (like one play in one game).
3) Soccerheads: Soccerheads think soccer is everything, and only see your daughter as a soccer playing tool. They are a pretty big turn off.
4) Soccerhead parents: Soccerhead parents are those so engrossed in their daughters sports activity that they think discussions about "playing at the highest level" and "playing in college" are interesting topics of discussion. They worry about their own kids' playing time and whether she's getting properly "showcased". They are parents that can tell you the names and stats of players on some other club in the state. (While I can't even remember the score of my own daughter's game three days after its over).
5) Neurotic Parents: Yes, we are all neurotic to some extent. But some of us are better than others at sharing it with the rest of the team and creating a strange parental sideline dynamic. For instance - please, I'm not interested in a sideline where I have to stand next to parents who can't enjoy the game in and of itself, and have to fill the air talking about what they don't like about other players on the team, the field condition, or whether the ref made the proper offsides call.
6) Clubs that don't utilize practice time well: 30% "downtime" with coaches that like to dialogue on topics the kids are gonna just forget anyway, or working on "artificial" technicalities or schema like set plays for long periods rather than on fundamentals.
Turn-Ons:
1) Coaches that will give you the time of day.
2) Coaches who smile
3) Coaches who will work you hard, communicate clear and straightforward expectations and stand by them consistently and then give the kids the challenge to meet them.
4) Parents, club staff and coaches who can grasp the concept that when practice or games end, then the kids go back to the "real" life. And that soccer is actually just a break from real life.
5) Parents who would think it would be a nice idea to sneak off to the parking lot during the game and cook some burgers and hang out. (even if we never do it, just that they'd think it a nice idea).
6) Parents who don't stress the night before or the day of the "game".
7) Parents who stress about their child's playing time.
8) Parents who think ECNL is a good idea.
9) Parents who think having their kid playing in college is a "prize" rather than a "job" and therefore look forward to that idea with relish rather than trepidation.
Anyway does it matter which club? Is there any difference in atmosphere between SCP and FSA? Or are both clubs equally mired in the swamp of "turn-offs"?
Any help is much appreciated. (PS. I'm an adult. I know the game well enough. I need no advice on what good soccer looks like, who coaches well, whether players are technically capable or just athletic, or any of that stuff. I can do my own evaluation in about 10 minutes as to the quality of the soccer aspects. I do very much need assistance on the atmosphere side of things.)
However, this may be the wrong place to ask this question, because I am horrified a little by the lack of civility at times by some posters.
Anyway here's my question. My daughter is going to be playing for one of the premier teams - either South Central or FSA. The age group range she is in is that 14-15-16 year old level (It doesn't really matter that I tell you the exact age group because my question is not about a specific coach or team).
I'm trying to decide which team organization / playing environment of the two teams is like. Basically my dilemma is this - my duaghter's a good player, but we, her parents, and to some extent her, just don't care all that much about soccer (or sports in general). It's just a part of who and what she is, and it's something she enjoys. And neither of her parents needs a sports ego boost either, so a winning club isn't even all that important.
However, she does want to get better, and she does want to play with other players who are also better. So anyway, it's basically coming down to FSA or SCP.
We as parents have some "turn-offs" and some "turn-ons" when it comes to our soccer experiences and could use some feedback on whether there is any difference between FSA or SCP in terms of those turn-ons and turn-offs.
Turn-Offs:
1) Blow-hard, self-promoting, salesmanship by coaches, or club staff: (Personally, we could care less about your club's trophy case, it's college promotion program, it's storied history, etc). Just keep it simple and keep it about the kids and that's about all we'll need because the rewards of the the sports experience really has little to do with any of that stuff and everything to do with whether or not it is a personally enriching experience.
2) Coaches acting like making a mistake on the field is a big deal: Hearing things like "Sophie, you do that one more time and you'll be on the bench" shouted from the sidelines makes my stomach turn. Instead we prefer coaches that set a high standard and goals in practice, ask kids to take responsibility and autonomy for achieving them, and provide an environment that helps them achieve it where the kids overcome their own obstacles to those goals. And so we think coaches don't need to worry about the little things (like one play in one game).
3) Soccerheads: Soccerheads think soccer is everything, and only see your daughter as a soccer playing tool. They are a pretty big turn off.
4) Soccerhead parents: Soccerhead parents are those so engrossed in their daughters sports activity that they think discussions about "playing at the highest level" and "playing in college" are interesting topics of discussion. They worry about their own kids' playing time and whether she's getting properly "showcased". They are parents that can tell you the names and stats of players on some other club in the state. (While I can't even remember the score of my own daughter's game three days after its over).
5) Neurotic Parents: Yes, we are all neurotic to some extent. But some of us are better than others at sharing it with the rest of the team and creating a strange parental sideline dynamic. For instance - please, I'm not interested in a sideline where I have to stand next to parents who can't enjoy the game in and of itself, and have to fill the air talking about what they don't like about other players on the team, the field condition, or whether the ref made the proper offsides call.
6) Clubs that don't utilize practice time well: 30% "downtime" with coaches that like to dialogue on topics the kids are gonna just forget anyway, or working on "artificial" technicalities or schema like set plays for long periods rather than on fundamentals.
Turn-Ons:
1) Coaches that will give you the time of day.
2) Coaches who smile
3) Coaches who will work you hard, communicate clear and straightforward expectations and stand by them consistently and then give the kids the challenge to meet them.
4) Parents, club staff and coaches who can grasp the concept that when practice or games end, then the kids go back to the "real" life. And that soccer is actually just a break from real life.
5) Parents who would think it would be a nice idea to sneak off to the parking lot during the game and cook some burgers and hang out. (even if we never do it, just that they'd think it a nice idea).
6) Parents who don't stress the night before or the day of the "game".
7) Parents who stress about their child's playing time.
8) Parents who think ECNL is a good idea.
9) Parents who think having their kid playing in college is a "prize" rather than a "job" and therefore look forward to that idea with relish rather than trepidation.
Anyway does it matter which club? Is there any difference in atmosphere between SCP and FSA? Or are both clubs equally mired in the swamp of "turn-offs"?
Any help is much appreciated. (PS. I'm an adult. I know the game well enough. I need no advice on what good soccer looks like, who coaches well, whether players are technically capable or just athletic, or any of that stuff. I can do my own evaluation in about 10 minutes as to the quality of the soccer aspects. I do very much need assistance on the atmosphere side of things.)
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