Roster Sizes A vs B Team

[Unregistered]

Is it common to stack an A team with overage as in 9+ subs and leave a B team short as in not enough to field a team?

Why would a club do this? It's clearly not a good situation for the B team. But it's also not a good situation for the A team seeing that those kids will get less play time.

It's happening at our club in several age brackets.

[Unregistered]

Is it common to stack an A team with overage as in 9+ subs and leave a B team short as in not enough to field a team?

Why would a club do this? It's clearly not a good situation for the B team. But it's also not a good situation for the A team seeing that those kids will get less play time.

It's happening at our club in several age brackets.

which club and which ages and genders?

[Unregistered]

Is it common to stack an A team with overage as in 9+ subs and leave a B team short as in not enough to field a team?

Why would a club do this? It's clearly not a good situation for the B team. But it's also not a good situation for the A team seeing that those kids will get less play time.

It's happening at our club in several age brackets.

It's not unusual at this time of year to have A&B teams practice together. You may see some kids being shuffled up or down when the season starts.

[Unregistered]

which club and which ages and genders?

Is there a particular reason you need this info?

[Unregistered]

It's not unusual at this time of year to have A&B teams practice together. You may see some kids being shuffled up or down when the season starts.

Nope. They are not practicing together.

[Unregistered]

From my experience at our club, we see the A team with a smaller roster, and the B and C teams with a bigger roster.

[Unregistered]

Is it common to stack an A team with overage as in 9+ subs and leave a B team short as in not enough to field a team?

Why would a club do this? It's clearly not a good situation for the B team. But it's also not a good situation for the A team seeing that those kids will get less play time.

It's happening at our club in several age brackets.

You have reason to be concerned. At least to me it says the club is more concerned about keeping parents happy (they can brag their kid is on the A team) rather than do what is best for players on both A and B teams. If they quickly move a group down then it's fine but if it drags on for more than a few weeks they'll end up losing many A team players (frustrated with lack of PT).

That said, some clubs I've seen have a group of lower A/Top B players that are kind of limbo land each week - if they work hard they get moved up; slack off they get moved down. That works as long as families on both teams know the situation up front and are ok with it. But since you're posing the question it doesn't sound like that's the case with yours.

[Unregistered]

You have reason to be concerned. At least to me it says the club is more concerned about keeping parents happy (they can brag their kid is on the A team) rather than do what is best for players on both A and B teams. If they quickly move a group down then it's fine but if it drags on for more than a few weeks they'll end up losing many A team players (frustrated with lack of PT).

That said, some clubs I've seen have a group of lower A/Top B players that are kind of limbo land each week - if they work hard they get moved up; slack off they get moved down. That works as long as families on both teams know the situation up front and are ok with it. But since you're posing the question it doesn't sound like that's the case with yours.

Thanks for the response. That was my guess but I thought I'd put it out there and see. This wasn't the case last year so it took me by surprise.

I don't believe there will be movement between teams as they are keeping them separate right now. Though I was told that some A players will come down to help if we need the #s. But I don't believe anyone will be moved down permanently.

Guess we'll see what happens and watch while the A team implodes.

[Unregistered]

By A and B do you mean regional A team (Elite, United, etc) and Regional B (Select, Barcelona)? If so, previous comment is likely correct that club is taking money from parents who wouldn't sign contracts for anything other than "A" team

[Unregistered]

By A and B do you mean regional A team (Elite, United, etc) and Regional B (Select, Barcelona)? If so, previous comment is likely correct that club is taking money from parents who wouldn't sign contracts for anything other than "A" team

Yes. Regional A/B. Not DAP/NPL/ECNL.

I guess those parents who wouldn't take anything but A think it's better to be on the A team than to actually play bc at 19 for 9v9 play time will likely be limited.

[Unregistered]

By A and B do you mean regional A team (Elite, United, etc) and Regional B (Select, Barcelona)? If so, previous comment is likely correct that club is taking money from parents who wouldn't sign contracts for anything other than "A" team

Yes. Regional A/B. Not DAP/NPL/ECNL.

I guess those parents who wouldn't take anything but A think it's better to be on the A team than to actually play bc at 19 for 9v9 play time will likely be limited.

I think that original post was a phony. This post: "Yes...regional A/B. Not DAP/NPL/ECNL" is too non-specific as there is no club that has these levels on both girls and boys. The OP is not asking about any specific club but a general question.....cheap start of a thread.

That said...............

on the one side, you can argue that a club uses the lesser teams to make money to better support the higher teams. However, there are many families/parents who enter their kids willingly on the lesser teams where it should either be a 'buyer beware' or a recognition of the idea that they knowingly do so for recognizing that their kids are weak players and are only seeking training to accelerate their play at the town level.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the response. That was my guess but I thought I'd put it out there and see. This wasn't the case last year so it took me by surprise.

I don't believe there will be movement between teams as they are keeping them separate right now. Though I was told that some A players will come down to help if we need the #s. But I don't believe anyone will be moved down permanently.

Guess we'll see what happens and watch while the A team implodes.

Can almost guarantee an implosion will be occurring, probably just after Columbus Day weekend. 100% guaranteed if you're traveling for a tournament and either

1) some A team players aren't invited at all
2) all players go, spend the time and money and see little PT

Next spring I'd be looking at other clubs just in case. This is an clear indicator of greed over development

[Unregistered]

Can almost guarantee an implosion will be occurring, probably just after Columbus Day weekend. 100% guaranteed if you're traveling for a tournament and either

1) some A team players aren't invited at all
2) all players go, spend the time and money and see little PT

Next spring I'd be looking at other clubs just in case. This is an clear indicator of greed over development

so thankfully the club my son plays at doesnt do this crap and I agree its a greed thing to keep the players who wont accept a B team assignment. Likely the coach wont play these kids much and they will be asked to "sub" into the B team on occasion to ensure a roster with adequate players, so in effect they really arent active A players but in name only.At my son's club, the A team has a slightly smaller roster than the B team and the B kids know they have to work hard and keep improving if they want to have a chance at moving up. This year one of the A team kids got moved down to the B team and a B team player got promoted up. If you are on an A team and not playing much but refuse to have your child consider being a B player, then as a parent I would likely consider moving my child.

[Unregistered]

Question: This is our first year playing club. When you say that some folks might leave the team in the spring, do you get any money back? I was under the impression that you pay and then are stuck for the year.

[Unregistered]

Question: This is our first year playing club. When you say that some folks might leave the team in the spring, do you get any money back? I was under the impression that you pay and then are stuck for the year.

Time to wake up and smell the coffee about the way club soccer works. Most clubs won't give you your money back even at this point in the year before things really get started let alone halfway through the year. That's not as bad as it might seem though because from the club's point if families start pulling out of teams once they agreed to be a part of them that actually screws the other families involved. Some times all takes is for one selfish family to start acting up to cause a team implosion. A lot of times it's not even the club's fault because they can't force kids to show up, the only thing they can do is force the parents to think twice by making the cost of quitting painful.