Hi-I'm new to this soccer world, but my daughter plays for a club. The coach the team got placed with this year is beyond horrible. Not to get into details, but just to give you an idea, they had an 1.5 hour time slot for practice and only had 24 minutes total with the ball at their feet after water breaks, lack of the coach being prepared/organized etc. It's bad. This happens often. The team is thinking about forming our own team if it doesn't improve, but we don't even know if that's possible. I grew up playing softball and I know with baseball and softball you can literally form a team and compete but not sure what the rules are about soccer. The girls are super close and want to stay together. Can someone lead me in the right direction?
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Youth Soccer Question
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Last: 2 yr ago by AgCMT
Not at the club level. A new club team has to apply for admission to play in a competitive league and most have numerous requirements - certain number of teams, a certain number of home fields available, coach with a prerequisite level of coaching badges.
Your options are:
1. Move to a rec league
2. Call competing club teams and ask to attend a practice, if the coach and environments seem right, the girls could move en masse to another club as long as the current club will grant a release
Your options are:
1. Move to a rec league
2. Call competing club teams and ask to attend a practice, if the coach and environments seem right, the girls could move en masse to another club as long as the current club will grant a release
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If it's that bad, go to the club director with your complaints and threaten to leave for a rival if improvements aren't made. You paid dues I'm sure. If you aren't getting good value, then take your money elsewhere.
But "making your own team" isn't usually an option.
But "making your own team" isn't usually an option.
Club sports are very political. Maybe submit your complaint to the club director anonymously? They hear a lot of complaints from parents, and probably initially assume the parents are full of crap.
I have a niece who plays volleyball, and there was a sort of mutiny against the coach. The coach went out of her way to screw over the players out of spite. But when she found out that my niece wasn't part of the mutiny, the coach did a 180 on her and went out of her way to help her find a new club/coach.
I have a niece who plays volleyball, and there was a sort of mutiny against the coach. The coach went out of her way to screw over the players out of spite. But when she found out that my niece wasn't part of the mutiny, the coach did a 180 on her and went out of her way to help her find a new club/coach.
If you do it anonymously, the complaint will be ignored. If it is bad as you say, I would schedule a group meeting with the parents and the club director. Keep the emotions in check and just state the facts and stay united as a group.
I've found being direct is the best option. It can be difficult to remain calm but focus on the organization of practice and you feel like there is a lot of lost time. If the director isn't reasonable or gets angry, your decision is easy. I say you give them a chance to fix things before bolting.
We all emailed the director-we we're emailed back a good response but nothing is changing. Next step was going to be to leave as a unit.
Are contracts are still signed in July 1st? If so, then you can't just leave and join another team very easily. Their rosters are often full and you have to get a transfer from your coach, unless you want to get released to play rec.
And if multiple parents complain (even anonymously) then the director will listen.
And if multiple parents complain (even anonymously) then the director will listen.
What age and level of play are we talking about? Is the coach an arrogant know it all (these types are usually English males) or maybe someone who just really needs some guidance and training?
Any club worth their weight in salt has some sort of ongoing coach education program for their coaches. My wife and I coach U14 girls, the lowest level team at the club in our age, and even though we've only just done the USSF Grassroots trainings our club still does a ton of ongoing coach ed, and most don't want to have their org get a bad rep by having bad coaches.
Any club worth their weight in salt has some sort of ongoing coach education program for their coaches. My wife and I coach U14 girls, the lowest level team at the club in our age, and even though we've only just done the USSF Grassroots trainings our club still does a ton of ongoing coach ed, and most don't want to have their org get a bad rep by having bad coaches.
Gator79 said:
We all emailed the director-we we're emailed back a good response but nothing is changing. Next step was going to be to leave as a unit.
Has anyone talked to the coach directly yet?
I would warn against just leaving a club this early in the season. I understand you are frustrated, but it is still August. I would stop the emails and ask for an in person meeting. Again needs to be a professional, non-emotional meeting.
Anonymously complaining is not going to do the trick, even if it is multiple families. If it is anonymously, how can they verify that it is different families and not just the same upset parent sending in multiple complaints. Will have much more weight to a director if people are willing to put their names behind it and act professionally.
Anonymously complaining is not going to do the trick, even if it is multiple families. If it is anonymously, how can they verify that it is different families and not just the same upset parent sending in multiple complaints. Will have much more weight to a director if people are willing to put their names behind it and act professionally.
We had a similar issue with a coach in a club when my son was that age. The parents got together with the Coaching Director of the club. He came out to a few practices and amazingly the practices were better after that.
He ended up being a very good coach and has won multiple ECNL titles.
Maybe go that route before calling it quits?
He ended up being a very good coach and has won multiple ECNL titles.
Maybe go that route before calling it quits?
This is really the first question that needs to be answered.Pahdz said:
What age and level of play are we talking about? Is the coach an arrogant know it all (these types are usually English males) or maybe someone who just really needs some guidance and training?
Any club worth their weight in salt has some sort of ongoing coach education program for their coaches. My wife and I coach U14 girls, the lowest level team at the club in our age, and even though we've only just done the USSF Grassroots trainings our club still does a ton of ongoing coach ed, and most don't want to have their org get a bad rep by having bad coaches.
People think I'm an idiot or something, because all I do is cut lawns for a living.
Lots of young coaches think their knowledge of the game is all they need. Coaching is that plus a lot of planning.
Let me guess….is it Rise?
We had major issues similar to the OP (and in some instances even worse) and left the club. We had many conversations with the Director and they just don't care. If you aren't on their best team at that age level, then your money is just subsidizing the top teams and their travel costs. The club system is broken.
We had major issues similar to the OP (and in some instances even worse) and left the club. We had many conversations with the Director and they just don't care. If you aren't on their best team at that age level, then your money is just subsidizing the top teams and their travel costs. The club system is broken.
fletch01 said:
Let me guess….is it Rise?
We had major issues similar to the OP (and in some instances even worse) and left the club. We had many conversations with the Director and they just don't care. If you aren't on their best team at that age level, then your money is just subsidizing the top teams and their travel costs. The club system is broken.
This is true as well in some clubs. They only use the lower level clubs to subsidize the top end.
It's true in almost all clubs, but the fact is that's okay, large majority of players (my daughter included) are playing for the experience of a team sport, not trying to go to college for soccer.
I feel with this and all sports there needs to be more frank and honest conversations about the long odds abd numbers proving that their precious kids are NOT going to play that sport past HS. And that's okay. My goal as a coach is to instill a lifelong love of the game and that hopefully some day when they grow old they want to coach.
But I understand businesses have been built around "we'll get your kid a scholarship" so parents buy into that.
I feel with this and all sports there needs to be more frank and honest conversations about the long odds abd numbers proving that their precious kids are NOT going to play that sport past HS. And that's okay. My goal as a coach is to instill a lifelong love of the game and that hopefully some day when they grow old they want to coach.
But I understand businesses have been built around "we'll get your kid a scholarship" so parents buy into that.
Sometimes those "frank" discussions are wrong.
When my daughter was young, a coach told me that she'd be too small to ever play in college. I ignored that dude and listened to another coach that told me she could easily play college if she stuck to it. The latter guy was right, not the former.
When my daughter was young, a coach told me that she'd be too small to ever play in college. I ignored that dude and listened to another coach that told me she could easily play college if she stuck to it. The latter guy was right, not the former.
Congrats to your daughter that's awesome, but I stand by my statement. The amount of money some families spend in pursuit of a scholarship could have easily just been saved and paid for college itself, but that's for a whole other thread. The numbers don't lie when it comes to the odds.
I think you are more right and the other post is the exception. And most kids that get a scholarship ended going to a school they would never consider outside of soccer. That's not necessarily bad but who wants to play and go to school in Alpine, TX?
Pahdz said:
It's true in almost all clubs, but the fact is that's okay, large majority of players (my daughter included) are playing for the experience of a team sport, not trying to go to college for soccer.
I feel with this and all sports there needs to be more frank and honest conversations about the long odds abd numbers proving that their precious kids are NOT going to play that sport past HS. And that's okay. My goal as a coach is to instill a lifelong love of the game and that hopefully some day when they grow old they want to coach.
But I understand businesses have been built around "we'll get your kid a scholarship" so parents buy into that.
It's definitely not true in my daughters club. They're small.
I know the type of parents you are talking about. They're also the type of parents who pushed their kids into it too hard. Usually, when those kids realize they have the ultimate power to scuttle the whole thing, they often do so. In my case, my daughter was driving the whole thing. I wanted my kids to play team sports because I think it teaches them valuable life lessons, but my daughter turned out to be so competitive that she wanted crush her enemies and hear the lamentation of their men.Pahdz said:
Congrats to your daughter that's awesome, but I stand by my statement. The amount of money some families spend in pursuit of a scholarship could have easily just been saved and paid for college itself, but that's for a whole other thread. The numbers don't lie when it comes to the odds.
I agree with your point with a caveat: The parents really need to be honest with themselves. Coaches have their own agenda. I think that in my case, the first coach didn't want my daughter to leave his mediocre club for a D1 team. So he told us that she has no chance in college, so we might as well not blow our money on a top club. Of course, the D1 coach was the one saying she could play in college. I believed him, because he was also ruthlessly honest on what she needed to work on. He wouldn't tell me that, if he was buttering me up.
We lucked out on the financials. It turns out, the money I saved not paying for her college was far more than I spent on select soccer. But that's not because soccer is cheap, but because college is ridiculously expensive nowadays. She got a full ride, but I think the average is ~40%.
My opinion is to put your kids on a team where they are not the best on the team, but in the top half. Keep their confidence up, but ensure there is something to strive for. If they are #1 on the team, then find a higher team to play on. If they are at the bottom and can't possibly climb up, then move them down a team where it will be more fun. But at that point, it's not about a scholly anymore, it's all about friends, keeping in shape, learning teamwork, etc.
All well said and your daughter sounds awesome
She is. She graduated and is no longer playing soccer anymore, but I still want to brag:Pahdz said:
All well said and your daughter sounds awesome
She's a pediatric nurse now. A few months ago, she went over a doctors head and convinced the administration to run some more tests on her patient. The kid turned out to be septic. She probably saved the kids life.
IMO, that surpasses all of her soccer accomplishments, but I think soccer is a big reason she's the person she is.
Throwing my 2 cents in. With our 4th (current sophomore in HS) we had an experience with a coach a couple of years ago where we had asked that the director come and a serve practices and games.
However, prior to the conversation the coach said something that even the director agreed he should not have.
We were given the option to leave the team for a 1) different age group, 2) drop down from top team to lower level team, or 3) club release.
Always be prepared to walk if you are going to meet with the club director.
We walked.
It was the best decision ever. It's not always the best, but in our situation it was. She now has a great coach who has managed to instill confidence. She's playing on an ECNL team now, which if she had stayed with the prior coach his words would have continued to play a role in her decline as a player. She is a totally different kid now than 3 years ago.
Don't be afraid to ask the right questions, and don't be afraid to walk.
Handle yourself with class and be respectful. We did. The club respected our decision. No lash back at all.
However, prior to the conversation the coach said something that even the director agreed he should not have.
We were given the option to leave the team for a 1) different age group, 2) drop down from top team to lower level team, or 3) club release.
Always be prepared to walk if you are going to meet with the club director.
We walked.
It was the best decision ever. It's not always the best, but in our situation it was. She now has a great coach who has managed to instill confidence. She's playing on an ECNL team now, which if she had stayed with the prior coach his words would have continued to play a role in her decline as a player. She is a totally different kid now than 3 years ago.
Don't be afraid to ask the right questions, and don't be afraid to walk.
Handle yourself with class and be respectful. We did. The club respected our decision. No lash back at all.
We are new to the club soccer world as well. I really didn't know much about the club world since my daughter only played rec for a few years. At the end of the Fall Rec season last year our coach said he wasn't going to coach any longer and suggested that we looked at Club team.
It was a night and day difference from the Club world to Rec. We were definitely behind the curve and the team had a development team that they wanted us to join. The coach on the primary team had a reputation of being pretty rough on these 9 year olds and several dropped down to our team. However, two days before the July 1st deadline several of them moved up to the primary and our team didn't make.
We ended up at a lower level team, but with a fantastic coach. It ended up being a much better situation for my kid...and she is still having a blast playing the game. The coaching style has made a huge difference in my kids game and has made her work hard to not disappoint the coach. We also saved about 2k in fees. My only complaint would be the $400 I had to pay for the other team's kit that I can't seem to sell.
This heat does have some mandatory water breaks etc. Your description does seem a little extreme though and beyond the heat break mandates. Does your coach have all of the drills setup before the kids show up? I haven't been to a club or rec team that hasn't been ready to go as soon as the kids get there.
Good luck! Where are you located and what age is your kid?
It was a night and day difference from the Club world to Rec. We were definitely behind the curve and the team had a development team that they wanted us to join. The coach on the primary team had a reputation of being pretty rough on these 9 year olds and several dropped down to our team. However, two days before the July 1st deadline several of them moved up to the primary and our team didn't make.
We ended up at a lower level team, but with a fantastic coach. It ended up being a much better situation for my kid...and she is still having a blast playing the game. The coaching style has made a huge difference in my kids game and has made her work hard to not disappoint the coach. We also saved about 2k in fees. My only complaint would be the $400 I had to pay for the other team's kit that I can't seem to sell.
This heat does have some mandatory water breaks etc. Your description does seem a little extreme though and beyond the heat break mandates. Does your coach have all of the drills setup before the kids show up? I haven't been to a club or rec team that hasn't been ready to go as soon as the kids get there.
Good luck! Where are you located and what age is your kid?
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