Tryout season. Do clubs demote kids from flight 1 to flight 2 when better players come along? I would imagine that's a tough conversation with the kid's parents.
Tough conversation for sure, but that’s better then keeping weaker players on the team just to reach critical (financial) mass, well knowing they will get very limited playing time..
We've seen this happen every tryout season except Covid. Most parents should know if their kid is on the bubble to be moved down by tryout season. This means the child will get more playing time in their next team unless parents want to continue having their child come on to another team as a bench player. If you've spoken to the coach several times about your child's playing time this season, there's a good chance demotion will occur unless no players come out at tryouts.Tryout season. Do clubs demote kids from flight 1 to flight 2 when better players come along? I would imagine that's a tough conversation with the kid's parents.
It's the same way in real life. It's much easier to get a big raise and a bigger title from your competitor than a promotion from within.My experience has been that the flight 2 player almost always gets overlooked at being promoted to the flight 1 team in favor of players outside the club even if those players come from a flight 2 team
Therein lies a big part of the problem.Most parents should know if their kid is on the bubble to be moved down by tryout season.
At my boy's club they made it clear that a roster spot is only good for one year particularly for their A team. A top flight coach's job is to take the best 12 kids (let's say for 9v9) from the tryout regardless whether they are incoming or returning players. To keep his job, a coach has to do this every year. Not that many coaches have the job security to place loyalty above all else (flight 2 is a different story). If you can accept this as the norm, then the conversation gets a little easier.
Having said that, many clubs at the younger ages these days have multiple flight 1 teams. So while you may get demoted to a different team, you don't necessarily get demoted to a lower flight.
Rarely does a player who gets moved "down" work out.
Usually, they decide to leave the club and play somewhere else. Possibly even on a lower flighted team.
Or they move down to the f2/3 team and are miserable because all of their old teammates were much better and they are frustrated playing with weaker players (even they are now the best player on the team).
Exactly.
Step 1. Move to a competing club.
Step 2. Make old club pay for their insolence.
“Equivalent” is a little hard to gauge. As we’ve explored in other threads sometimes it’s just not a good fit. Maybe the team has a very passing based philosophy and the dd is good at ball handling/dribbling. Maybe the team is all about the running game and need fast players. Maybe they want a gk who can play with their feet, or maybe they want one that can pound it to the other side. At least on the boys side, in middle school it’s also all about height.If your player is replaced with an equivalent level player or less, yes. If your kid really belongs on the lower team and will thrive as a leader, it may not be worth driving somewhere far for practice. If everyone practices at Great Park, then it really comes down to whether you want to buy a new uniform kit.
The club$ are banking on you staying and paying to have your kid ride it out another year on the lesser team. Getting that outside money (player) is easier if they can offer a spot on the more elite team. And now you got one more kid selling golf balls. Recruiting 101.All day long. Normally after other clubs have had tryouts and with no advance notice. And with some clubs they better not catch you looking at other clubs, how dare you. And if a better kid comes along after tryouts, they will find room, no matter what they tell you.
PS Clubs seem to look at kids from outside with a more eye than kids in house.
If you are at the top of the bracket [other than the most elite levels once 11v11 kicks in] you have players playing for you that should be playing at a higher level and are currently playing down. Is the focus to win games or is the focus to develop players in an appropriate setting?The coach has to try to get the best players for the team. If a kid gets dropped it means that the coach doesn’t think the player can contribute. It’s not necessarily a bad thing for the player if the player and family is realistic about their player’s ability. If they think the coach is making a wrong decision and the player doesn’t want to move down a flight then find another club to play at the same level. There is always going to be another team that needs players.
I think many parents are not practical and think that the coach is supposed to transform their kid from an OK player to a great player able to start and play all the high level games. They blame the coach for not giving their kid what they think is enough playing time or training their kid well enough. Well if the kid isn’t playing much, it’s because there are 11 other kids the coach thinks is better. The player needs to put in the work and best effort. Don’t rely only on team practices to get better. And even then after putting in all the work, the player may still be not good enough. Best to move down in that situation.