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Pros and Cons of GPS

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    #16
    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
    The most fundamental thing you need to understand about GPS is that they are first and foremost about trying to extract as much money from their customers as fast as they can. I have no problem with businesses trying to make money, but better-run businesses try to provide value for money so as to create a lasting relationship with the customer. That may mean a little less profit immediately but more profit down the road. GPS, OTOH, wants to Hoover your wallet right now and if they lose you next year, that's fine by them.

    Some people will tell you that GPS is considerably more expensive than other clubs. Others will say that it isn't. They may both be correct. For us, the price was about the same as other clubs through U12. It got much more expensive at U13 because they rolled into the annual cost the cost of two camps (one in August and one in the spring) as well as summer activities. If you actually participate in those activities, the per-hour rate is probably about the same as other big clubs. But if you aren't going to participate (or can't participate in the spring camp, because your child's school doesn't follow the standard vacation schedule), it's considerably more expensive.

    The coaches will generally change constantly because GPS's top priority is paying them as little as possible, and if that means they can't hold onto good coaches, that's fine with them. There are some very fine coaches nevertheless, but some extremely poor ones as well. This problem is worse if your kid isn't on the top team (mine was). But it affects all of the teams.

    For similar reasons, you should expect that the facilities will be second rate. Your team may practice on overgrown grass fields because GPS has a deal in place with the school whose coach is a GPS employee, while other clubs have better facilities. Similarly, the place where the camps are held is a dump that is clearly inferior to the places where other big clubs hold their camps. (The camps are shorter than other clubs' camps, too.) Of course, the savings are not passed through to the consumer.

    Communication and organization are poor, because administrative tasks are largely performed by soccer guys whose executive function skills do not impress. But honestly, this the case with most clubs.

    What was most annoying, however, was the GPS-wide attitude that is encouraged, straight from the top, of flat out lying to your face. For example, practice will be canceled and the email informing you of the cancellation will claim that it will be rescheduled. Of course, it won't be. And you know that the second you read the email, because the last three times this happened, it wasn't rescheduled. And they know you know it won't be rescheduled, but that's what they tell you anyway, because that's the GPS way. Or they'll tell you that the GPS-run tournaments that your team is scheduled to play in will provide top-class competition, but you know better than that. You can see that you could easily get better competition by playing in another tournament the same weekend that isn't run by GPS, instead of playing a bunch of lower-tier GPS teams in the GPS tournament. But that would entail cutting checks to other teams, and GPS isn't into doing any more of that than is absolutely necessary.

    Finally, and this once more plays into the short-term profit maximization that is at the core of everything GPS does, their style of play can be awful. They may actually play an attractive style during their practices. But it can take a while for that style to gel, and they're not willing to wait. They want and need to win right now to attract more players to next year's team (to replace the ones who are going to leave for the reasons given above). Therefore, instead of a more patient build-up, the offense almost always consists of getting one or two big, fast forwards and trying to slip them past the other team's backs. Now, there's nothing wrong with doing that if the other team is going to give it to you. But with GPS, that's Plan A and there usually isn't a Plan B.

    Caveat emptor.
    Curious if you are someplace else now and if you/your kid is happy? Do you mind sharing where?

    I'm the GPS poster considering leaving. Just don't want to leave to realize it's similar elsewhere.

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      #17
      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      Curious if you are someplace else now and if you/your kid is happy? Do you mind sharing where?

      I'm the GPS poster considering leaving. Just don't want to leave to realize it's similar elsewhere.
      your best option is the find a team where the coach is only dedicated to that team and no others - that is usually not one of the big 4 or 5. be in a good league top maple for example, you will find much better team spirit and coaching at a much cheaper price with better facilities

      Comment


        #18
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        your best option is the find a team where the coach is only dedicated to that team and no others - that is usually not one of the big 4 or 5. be in a good league top maple for example, you will find much better team spirit and coaching at a much cheaper price with better facilities
        Thanks for the response.

        Comment


          #19
          It is very simple to decide if you should move.

          1. Is your child having fun?
          2. Is your child improving as a soccer player?
          3. Is your child in an environment that is appropriate to their level?

          every single club has its issues so saying one is better than the other isn't really factual information. In the end why did you sign your child up in the first place, remember the reason why and if you are not being provided that then that would be an indication of you needing to change.

          I disagree completely about joining a maple team. You are better at a bigger club where you have a chance to progress through the ranks. Playing in a maple team and being the best player doesn't make you better, those clubs struggle to run one team!

          Comment


            #20
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            Curious if you are someplace else now and if you/your kid is happy? Do you mind sharing where?

            I'm the GPS poster considering leaving. Just don't want to leave to realize it's similar elsewhere.
            I wrote post #15. Yes, we're at another club and yes, we're reasonably happy. Our new club isn't perfect; as I said, all of the clubs we've had any experience with, which include our current club as well as the club we were at before GPS, don't communicate well, but I think that's the rule, not the exception. The other problems I mentioned with GPS haven't been a problem with our new club. I'm also going to reply to post #19 in a minute.

            Comment


              #21
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              It is very simple to decide if you should move.

              1. Is your child having fun?
              2. Is your child improving as a soccer player?
              3. Is your child in an environment that is appropriate to their level?

              every single club has its issues so saying one is better than the other isn't really factual information. In the end why did you sign your child up in the first place, remember the reason why and if you are not being provided that then that would be an indication of you needing to change.

              I disagree completely about joining a maple team. You are better at a bigger club where you have a chance to progress through the ranks. Playing in a maple team and being the best player doesn't make you better, those clubs struggle to run one team!
              your clueless or someone trying to make money at a big club - i dont blame you trying to keep your job but the big clubs are just money grabbers and could not care less about any kid - no one said anything about being the best player on maple team - just shows youa re not genuine

              Comment


                #22
                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                It is very simple to decide if you should move.

                1. Is your child having fun?
                2. Is your child improving as a soccer player?
                3. Is your child in an environment that is appropriate to their level?
                I agree with all of that.

                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                every single club has its issues so saying one is better than the other isn't really factual information. In the end why did you sign your child up in the first place, remember the reason why and if you are not being provided that then that would be an indication of you needing to change.
                Well, yes and no. It's true that every club has its issues, and that not every team on a club has the same issues. But it is also true that there are club-wide issues, such as the ones I described above.

                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                I disagree completely about joining a maple team. You are better at a bigger club where you have a chance to progress through the ranks. Playing in a maple team and being the best player doesn't make you better, those clubs struggle to run one team!
                I think this depends on the level of player, but mostly I agree. If your kid is good enough to play on the top team at one of the big clubs, he won't be sufficiently challenged at the smaller club. Even if the coaching is excellent and everything else is top-rate, his teammates just won't be good enough for the kid to progress as he should. But if that's not your kid, then a smaller club could be just fine.

                Comment

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