Club soccer stuff that drive you nuts...

Dads that go on every social media site to let us know their superstars are available to guest this weekend. It's even better when they start listing their strengths and better yet...stats! I guess there are enough trophy chasing coaches who pander to that crowd.
Been seeing a lot of this… the worst would be getting injured guesting for another a team. Aren’t parents afraid of burning their kids out? On a top flight team, the kids are already practicing 3+ times a week with their team… private sessions with a different coach and games/tournaments on the weekends.
 
IMO a parent that does this has had their kid play on multiple team in a short period, Ive seen it start at age 11-15 most , seems like those four years, when a player should be having the best time of their lives with their teammates and growing before the real stuff happens at 16 and up...but instead dad, and sometimes mommy is so delusional that their kid has 6 different backpacks by the time they start driving......
 
IMO a parent that does this has had their kid play on multiple team in a short period, Ive seen it start at age 11-15 most , seems like those four years, when a player should be having the best time of their lives with their teammates and growing before the real stuff happens at 16 and up...but instead dad, and sometimes mommy is so delusional that their kid has 6 different backpacks by the time they start driving......
How would you feel about "6 different backpacks" if coaches were calling you asking if you're kid would want to guest in XYZ tournament (almost weekly) and when you relay to you kid they say yes every time? I don't know about the parents that hype their kids on social media (because I don't do any of that). But, I can say with a player that's done soccer since 3yrs old and competitive since 5yrs old that at age 10 "6 different backpacks" is about right.

Not saying that you're wrong. Sometimes crazy Parents are pushing players. However sometimes they aren't.
 
How would you feel about "6 different backpacks" if coaches were calling you asking if you're kid would want to guest in XYZ tournament (almost weekly) and when you relay to you kid they say yes every time? I don't know about the parents that hype their kids on social media (because I don't do any of that). But, I can say with a player that's done soccer since 3yrs old and competitive since 5yrs old that at age 10 "6 different backpacks" is about right.

Not saying that you're wrong. Sometimes crazy Parents are pushing players. However sometimes they aren't.
MOO FYY, sometimes Docs lie so much and behave so poorly ((lie some more and other naughty things)) that kid has to leave backpack and find a new backpack. It happens and you can;t paint a broad brush on all families with 5 or 6 packs. My dd was asked "to guest" a few times as baby player ((I dont want to offend any of the Elitist and say "my goat.")) and it was fun. Coach Bobak was 100% for kids playing matches as long as it didnt interfear with the team and all you have to do is ask. A confident coach has nothing to worry about. Jealousy is thick in this sport. TMs causing cancer with gossip. "Look at her, another backpack." Losers!!!
 
How would you feel about "6 different backpacks" if coaches were calling you asking if you're kid would want to guest in XYZ tournament (almost weekly) and when you relay to you kid they say yes every time? I don't know about the parents that hype their kids on social media (because I don't do any of that). But, I can say with a player that's done soccer since 3yrs old and competitive since 5yrs old that at age 10 "6 different backpacks" is about right.

Not saying that you're wrong. Sometimes crazy Parents are pushing players. However sometimes they aren't.
you had me at competitive soccer at 5yrs old, haha oh fuck......this is exactly what Im talking about ....I swear everyone south of 73 thinks bb or dd is pro by the age of 9.
 
You know what's worse than this? Is often times the way these "GOATS" act. (way to go parents) don't get me wrong I know plenty of humble ballers but those kids usually don't have parents running around telling everyone what a GOAT they are... the kid's game and work ethic, etc. speaks for themselves.
Whenever my kid has guested or whenever our team has had a guest - It's always been someone that is a friend. I couldn't imagine just showing up on Saturday morning as a hired gun to play with some kids you don't really know.
But maybe that's why my kid isn't a goat.
 
Whenever my kid has guested or whenever our team has had a guest - It's always been someone that is a friend. I couldn't imagine just showing up on Saturday morning as a hired gun to play with some kids you don't really know.
But maybe that's why my kid isn't a goat.
I agree. I do think that the keeper position *might* be the one exception where being a “hired gun” to play with kids you don’t know is necessary, because not all teams carry 2 keepers or more. So sometimes they do have to grab from wherever they can.
 
you had me at competitive soccer at 5yrs old, haha oh fuck......this is exactly what Im talking about ....I swear everyone south of 73 thinks bb or dd is pro by the age of 9.
We had no idea what we were getting into. All we knew is that our daughter liked playing soccer + it seemed like a logical progression.

Competitive at 5 was purely a money grab. Easy to see in the rearview.

I never said she was going pro or even if she has plans to play after club. She just likes to play
 
You know what's worse than this? Is often times the way these "GOATS" act. (way to go parents) don't get me wrong I know plenty of humble ballers but those kids usually don't have parents running around telling everyone what a GOAT they are... the kid's game and work ethic, etc. speaks for themselves.

I agree. At the field, before, during, or after the game, let the kid make statements of his/her ability by demonstration.

The place for parents to promote the kid's abilities is in the college coach's office when discussing a possible offer. "He's the best uncommitted player left in the county" or something like that.
 
I see that quite a bit. Give your kid a break. Take them to the beach or something. If they really want to play bad, let them organize a pick up game in the neighborhood.
Well said coach. I have been thinking about the guesting vs. playing pick up issue lately. I have decided pick up is
You know what's worse than this? Is often times the way these "GOATS" act. (way to go parents) don't get me wrong I know plenty of humble ballers but those kids usually don't have parents running around telling everyone what a GOAT they are... the kid's game and work ethic, etc. speaks for themselves.
As part of my kids “mental development,” she’s taking ng a sports psychology class. Yesterday, she had a reading assignment that focused on GRIT and included all these studies comparing parents that consistently complimented their kids telling them they were great vs. parents that only complimented effort and a kids willingness to undertake task where they could be publicly embarrassed by failure.

The kids that received constant praise were not resilient and hesitant to undertake any task where they didn’t know they be successful. Whereas the kids that were praised for their efforts worked harder and sought out challenging opportunities where they would fail as part of their maturation process.

So, the takeaway message is to praise effort and courage not current ability.
 
I do think that the keeper position *might* be the one exception where being a “hired gun” to play with kids you don’t know is necessary

Rather than guesting over on a friends team, it can also be an inter-club thing. Like this weekend one team in a larger organization we just got branded with is out some kids due to SAT. So that coach puts out the call and our coach is like some of you guys want games this weekend. Ugly soccer parenting is one thing, but it can also just be helping out.
 
Rather than guesting over on a friends team, it can also be an inter-club thing. Like this weekend one team in a larger organization we just got branded with is out some kids due to SAT. So that coach puts out the call and our coach is like some of you guys want games this weekend. Ugly soccer parenting is one thing, but it can also just be helping out.

Guesting or loaning for inter-club teams is common and can give players valuable experience.

Guesting for another club is when things can get a bit dicey if it's beyond the school, neighborhood, or friends connections.

Playing down guesting well don't think that's a good policy, sandbagging to get some $5 metals are normally just for the parents or the thirsty club(s).

If a player wants to guest or gets a opportunity they will let parents know, no reason to "advertise" a players out that I know of. Coaches communication and they should be the ones giving suggestions or recommendations on additional play.
 
Guesting or loaning for inter-club teams is common and can give players valuable experience.

Guesting for another club is when things can get a bit dicey if it's beyond the school, neighborhood, or friends connections.

Playing down guesting well don't think that's a good policy, sandbagging to get some $5 metals are normally just for the parents or the thirsty club(s).

If a player wants to guest or gets a opportunity they will let parents know, no reason to "advertise" a players out that I know of. Coaches communication and they should be the ones giving suggestions or recommendations on additional play.
One exception to the "hired gun" approach. If you are travelling a bit of distance for 1 of your kids to play in a tournament and you are dragging another kid with you- May as well try to get them on the field at the same tournament.
 
One exception to the "hired gun" approach. If you are travelling a bit of distance for 1 of your kids to play in a tournament and you are dragging another kid with you- May as well try to get them on the field at the same tournament.

Yeah for sure if you're out of town or area and just want to play is another one.

On vacation to Hawaii, San Diego, etc visiting relatives in another state and your team is on break player wants to get in some work while there instead of sitting on the beach for another 3 days or whatever, should be coming from the player(s) not the parents seeking them out or advertising.

Indoor guesting or pickup yeah that's fine also and can help development.
 
The trashy, angry, cry baby, ignorant of the rules, set of parents EVERY single Slammers teams have. Yesterday, another game against another Slammers, and this specimen showed up.

I have said it many times and I will continue.

So far, in 5 years of club soccer, 100% of the times there’s an slammers team, a set of their parents looks like this.

We beat them, so their crying was even louder.
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This seems to be a recent occurrence- Having an ECNL team play "up" an age division and destroying their SoCal League opponents. I've seen this at least the past 3 weekends.
You'd think that "playing up" would level things out a bit- But the reality is that the players on that "closed" league probably have a birthday that is early in the year- So they aren't that far off from the younger player on the non-closed league team. And they are probably more physically mature than other girls their own age.

I think ECNL (for the most part) is great. It puts the best players in a league against each other. But if you are going to play in an all-star league- Keep your competition against other all star teams.

My DD's team was up against this last weekend. I hope our club decides to not play in any tournaments associated with clubs that consistently do this (Looking at you slammers and West Coast).
 
The trashy, angry, cry baby, ignorant of the rules, set of parents EVERY single Slammers teams have. Yesterday, another game against another Slammers, and this specimen showed up.

I have said it many times and I will continue.

So far, in 5 years of club soccer, 100% of the times there’s an slammers team, a set of their parents looks like this.

We beat them, so their crying was even louder.
View attachment 11543

We have a couple of those up here in North OC..
 
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