Town Soccer

[Unregistered]

Right around U13 the town parents start scrambling to find a club. History repeats itself every year. Many times it's too late.

No it's not! Stay in town rec and town travel. If they are begging for more, sign them up for a good technical/ball skills program, and stick to pug goals in the back yard and let them and their friends figure it out on their own. They will become better players, and build more confidence from it. Promise if they are talented, and they still beg for more, there will be a good club/team that will come looking for them at U13.

[Unregistered]

No it's not! Stay in town rec and town travel. If they are begging for more, sign them up for a good technical/ball skills program, and stick to pug goals in the back yard and let them and their friends figure it out on their own. They will become better players, and build more confidence from it. Promise if they are talented, and they still beg for more, there will be a good club/team that will come looking for them at U13.

This is the recipe for a high school bench warmer. Talent left to occupy itself in the backyard is talent wasted.

[Unregistered]

This is the recipe for a high school bench warmer. Talent left to occupy itself in the backyard is talent wasted.

No it's not! Do you really think that if an athletically gifted 12 old who has played town rec and travel, with extra technical/skills training once a week, with a good coach, but doesnt jump onto a club team till U13s(12 yrs old) has wasted their talent, and will be a bench warmer in HS? Cause if you do, I've got some magic cleats that I'm selling, guaranteed at least a goal a game!

[Unregistered]

No it's not! Do you really think that if an athletically gifted 12 old who has played town rec and travel, with extra technical/skills training once a week, with a good coach, but doesnt jump onto a club team till U13s(12 yrs old) has wasted their talent, and will be a bench warmer in HS? Cause if you do, I've got some magic cleats that I'm selling, guaranteed at least a goal a game!

I really think that 4 out of 100 kids could pull that off. Anyone can pay for, and play for a crappy club team. I can assure you that no town travel player will be making my son's U13 club team any time soon. I coach my town's U14 travel A team. Not one of the kids on my team have the skill to keep up with my son's club team, even though most are older. My son only plays to hang out with his friends. He's the center back for his club team but he's the striker(and leading scorer by far) on the travel team.

[Unregistered]

I really think that 4 out of 100 kids could pull that off. Anyone can pay for, and play for a crappy club team. I can assure you that no town travel player will be making my son's U13 club team any time soon. I coach my town's U14 travel A team. Not one of the kids on my team have the skill to keep up with my son's club team, even though most are older. My son only plays to hang out with his friends. He's the center back for his club team but he's the striker(and leading scorer by far) on the travel team.

Surprised Barcelona and Man U are not involved by now.

[Unregistered]

Surprised Barcelona and Man U are not involved by now.

About as likely as a rec kid making a quality club team at U13.

[Unregistered]

PORTSMOUTH RI...lays waste to them all!

[Unregistered]

I really think that 4 out of 100 kids could pull that off. Anyone can pay for, and play for a crappy club team. I can assure you that no town travel player will be making my son's U13 club team any time soon. I coach my town's U14 travel A team. Not one of the kids on my team have the skill to keep up with my son's club team, even though most are older. My son only plays to hang out with his friends. He's the center back for his club team but he's the striker(and leading scorer by far) on the travel team.

My sons u13 travel team (playing u14) can beat most u13 teams and the minority play on club teams.

[Unregistered]

Reading form different state. How do these players play on different teams? Do the teams compete in different leagues?

[Unregistered]

I think this whole argument usually comes down to the players themselves and what they like to do. On the town team I coach, two thirds of them play club and two others could play on a lot of good club teams, but not the top tier elite teams. But they enjoy playing with each other because many are friends and they have a pretty good team and we play and beat some club teams, but are competitive and lose to others. I am sure if they didn't enjoy playing soccer together or weren't very good they might feel differently. I do also absolutely play some town teams that have not a single club player and are very, very good because they train like some of the better club programs. I am guessing as they reach a certain age, this all changes but not yet for my son and his team.

[Unregistered]

Reading form different state. How do these players play on different teams? Do the teams compete in different leagues?

Here in RI you can play both Club and Travel as they do play in different leagues.

[Unregistered]

I coach my town's U14 travel A team. Not one of the kids on my team have the skill to keep up with my son's club team, even though most are older. My son only plays to hang out with his friends. He's the center back for his club team but he's the striker(and leading scorer by far) on the travel team.

I'm sure the club coach has heard from this guy - "my kid's not a defender" and "he's the top scorer on his town team" and "you should play little Jozy at striker"... about a million times.

[Unregistered]

Wellesley

A few years back I watched a Wellesley Girl's u14 team beat a "top" club team at a tourney. The parents were unbelievably p-d off. When the score went to 5-1 they started complaining that the town team was overaged, they were missing their top players, the refs weren't fair blah blah blah. I had no dog in the hunt but watching their angst and distress was worth a million bucks. I have watched Andover town teams do the same thing to top clubs at tourneys as well.

[header]

I'm sure the club coach has heard from this guy - "my kid's not a defender" and "he's the top scorer on his town team" and "you should play little Jozy at striker"... about a million times.

I'm sure he has, but in truth Center Back is the second most important position on the pitch, behind keeper. if my kid played center back, and did it really well, I'd be stoked.

[Unregistered]

I'm sure he has, but in truth Center Back is the second most important position on the pitch, behind keeper. if my kid played center back, and did it really well, I'd be stoked.

True that