Newbie Looking for Club Soccer Advice

[Unregistered]

Yes coaches do come and go which is why it is important that a club have a stable of good coaches, not just a few. A club may or may not tell you who will be coaching next year. It's helpful if they will at least tell you it will either be x, y or z. On their side it's tough at tryout time - they have to see how many teams there are, what coaches are returning, etc. Shuffling around is tough to avoid. Turnover is an issue everywhere (they are paid very little and usually are stringing together multiple coaching and other jobs) but a well run club won't churn through them year in and year out.

Try to talk with the director of coaching at a few clubs you think might fit. Do it now before they get really crazed before tryouts. Ask if your son can attend a few practices or if you can at least go watch a few. Tryouts are often a chaotic mess so it's best to scope them out ahead of time. Clubs like this as well because they can better assess a player individually instead of a mass tryout.

Given he is still young and you're not sure how long the love will last, a developmental program along with his current program may be a good fit for him. His skills will improve but you won't have to make the big time and financial commitment of playing on a full team. It also is a lower risk way to assess the club. They all have varying degrees of politics and it's tough to assess that from the outside. We had one that had a great developmental program but was a train wreck with unreal politics after U11 so we knew long term we wouldn't stay.

Thanks for this response. We're going to check out a practice this week.

I'm thinking along the same lines. Current program and developmental program.

[Unregistered]

Maple League has a page to find clubs by zipcode. Find some nearby clubs and go watch a game there are 3 or 4 left in the season
http://games.maplesoccer.com/index.cfm/clubsByZip/

Here are the NEP team schedules
http://events.gotsport.com/events/De...?EventID=36609

Check out the coach and players. Lots of people focus on just the clubs but finding the right coach and team is more important I think.

Thank you for the links. I was not aware of those sites, so it's very helpful.

[Unregistered]

Still OP.

Curious, of those whose kids stuck with club long term; did you stick with the same club or did you end up switching?

In short, did you make the right choice the first time around?

[Unregistered]

He's playing rec now? Why don't you see if he makes a travel team before you jump to club. Just my 2 cents but the general order of progression is rec to travel and if he makes travel then to club at U12. Seems like you are committing to a $2000 plus price tag before you even have a realistic assessment of if he's any good. If he's mediocre, Travel will improve him and he will be with kids who are committed to being there.

Here is a dilemma. At U9 and U10 is it necessary, or even important, to make a travel team before proving yourself worthy of playing on a club team? I am not doubting the veracity in your comment with regard to throwing money at an entity that will not be worthwhile in the end. This is why I stated earlier that do not have the expectation that you will ever get your moneys worth based on obtaining athletic scholarships or national/professional team invites.

Training and education are always best when started when the system is most impressionable. What if your kid is a decent athlete but has simply not played enough soccer to make the town travel team at U10?? Do you wait a year or two before considering club soccer or do you invest early and try to develop what you can as soon as you can.......for at least 2000 dollars per year.....even if it means being on the B or C team of NEFC or MPS?

I submit that it might be worth it early on and then reassess than to do it later and wish you had started earlier.

[Unregistered]

Still OP.

Curious, of those whose kids stuck with club long term; did you stick with the same club or did you end up switching?

In short, did you make the right choice the first time around?

Son has been with only one club since U-10. Currently in his 8th year. Never even went to other tryouts after the first year.

[Unregistered]

My advice is to watch this, laugh, and realize it is all true.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XX8TP0H3JPM

[Unregistered]

Still OP.

Curious, of those whose kids stuck with club long term; did you stick with the same club or did you end up switching?

In short, did you make the right choice the first time around?

We've switched for two very different reasons. First experience was with a new club (which is very risky and I don't recommend most times) but it worked out great. We got lucky. However, after a few years my player wanted a bigger challenge so we moved up the ladder to a higher level. Better training, tougher competitors, but leaving was tough because the first had become like our family. Another one we left after a year because it was so poorly run. The club had a good reputation and the training was good but it was very disorganized, the parents were nightmares, several coaches left and the club seemed to be on the brink of a rapid death. Never regretted leaving at the time. They've turned things around since then, but we're happy where we are now.

Never say never. Things can change suddenly. That's why another poster was spot on saying look for a good coaching team, not just one or two. But also avoid club hopping. Just like job hopping it makes others suspicious if either you or your son have issues.

[Unregistered]

Son has been with only one club since U-10. Currently in his 8th year. Never even went to other tryouts after the first year.

Thankyou for the response. Glad to hear you've been happy with your club.

[Unregistered]

My advice is to watch this, laugh, and realize it is all true.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XX8TP0H3JPM

Thankyou for the laugh!

[Unregistered]

We've switched for two very different reasons. First experience was with a new club (which is very risky and I don't recommend most times) but it worked out great. We got lucky. However, after a few years my player wanted a bigger challenge so we moved up the ladder to a higher level. Better training, tougher competitors, but leaving was tough because the first had become like our family. Another one we left after a year because it was so poorly run. The club had a good reputation and the training was good but it was very disorganized, the parents were nightmares, several coaches left and the club seemed to be on the brink of a rapid death. Never regretted leaving at the time. They've turned things around since then, but we're happy where we are now.

Never say never. Things can change suddenly. That's why another poster was spot on saying look for a good coaching team, not just one or two. But also avoid club hopping. Just like job hopping it makes others suspicious if either you or your son have issues.

Thankyou for sharing. I have a friend who is struggling with whether to leave their club so I was wondering how often it happens. It seems difficult to find the right fit out of the gate.

[Unregistered]

Switching clubs is a lot like switching jobs. Sometimes it is a good thing, sometimes it is not, all depends why you want to leave. You need to do all of the same sort of due diligence and soul searching when contemplating a club change as you would do when contemplating a job change. What ever you do, don't assume that there is a perfect team/club out there and switching will solve all of your concerns with your current team/club. They all have their own set of issues. Trust the rest of us, they are all as screwed up as yours, and the best you can hope for is a better fit (if that is even at all possible)

[Unregistered]

Switching clubs is a lot like switching jobs. Sometimes it is a good thing, sometimes it is not, all depends why you want to leave. You need to do all of the same sort of due diligence and soul searching when contemplating a club change as you would do when contemplating a job change. What ever you do, don't assume that there is a perfect team/club out there and switching will solve all of your concerns with your current team/club. They all have their own set of issues. Trust the rest of us, they are all as screwed up as yours, and the best you can hope for is a better fit (if that is even at all possible)

Thankyou for the response. I sense some cynicism from you and others who have responded as well. At the end of the day, are most people happy they went the club route?

My goal is to get my son better coaching then he is receiving and the opportunity to play with stronger players. I'm not sure how else I do that without going the club route. We can do clinics etc. But then you have a scrimmage and not really a game.

I even tried to put an indoor team together over the winter and the local stronger players didn't want to do it. So I ended up with a weak team.

[Unregistered]

Still OP.

Curious, of those whose kids stuck with club long term; did you stick with the same club or did you end up switching?

In short, did you make the right choice the first time around?

No, circumstances changed, but there were really no mega clubs in my day. Today you may be able to remain with the same club because there are more option within the same club to meet your current circumstances.

[Unregistered]

Just pick a club that is close to home and be done with it. It's not that difficult.

[Unregistered]

No, circumstances changed, but there were really no mega clubs in my day. Today you may be able to remain with the same club because there are more option within the same club to meet your current circumstances.

Thankyou!