Switching clubs next year questions...

M

mommato2girls

SILVER
It's been about 6 months into the season and we are 90% sure we are going to switch clubs next season for various reasons. We are debating on playing up a year and staying local or trying for a more 'elite' club at her age level. We've had several coaches reach out to us after tournaments and invite us over for practices, to check out the team etc but we are finishing up our year where we started and feel funny doing that early on. What is the protocol here for this type of thing? We've already told our coach our intentions and that we feel like it's just not the right fit for us so it wouldn't be taking him by surprise. Who has done this successfully? I'm hoping to find a great fit for her and not sure how to tackle it since I didn't do a very good job this season!
 
Seems like you're doing things right. Be open and honest. We pay big money for clubs, we're the client and can pick and choose where we think our kids are best off.
 
A lot depends on how your current coach reacts. I highly recommend keeping your commitment to the current team through the end of the season - unless there is some unworkable situation - and voice that commitment to the coach if he is open to hearing it (Some are not......). Soccer world is small as the kids get older so breaking commitments usually only leads to problems later.

The good news is you have a lot of time to do your research, watch the other potential coaches styles at games & do some training with them. Also time to talk to current and former parents who have been part of the potential target organizations. To make an informed decision will take a fair amount of work on your part as well as your daughters - beyond the commitments to her current team.

Also - highly likely some coaches will pressure you to jump ship early. This is a red flag for me. If they can not respect your prior commitments then how will they treat your child later.

Depending on age and options - local is better if you can do it in my opinion. Depending on skill level there certainly could be a point where the long commute makes sense for more exposure - but there many factors in that decision.

Good Luck
 
So based on reading your other posts, I'd say that at this age group, the focus should still be on skills improvement and development, not keeping a winning team together by having some kids play up. Give your daughter the opportunity that USYS has handed to her: She now gets to be an OLDER player in her age group. Find a place that matches her interests and competitiveness level - whether it's a flight 1 team in her year, or something less intense. (We just did the same thing - left one club to be an "older" on a new team in a different club. Big, positive change for my kid!) Keep your drive as short as possible for now, you need the extra hour to adjust to middle school life. Good luck!!!
 
any team that looks at your kids at this point in the season (literally just days after making their final league rosters) sucks and should be avoided. Wait until after Thanksgiving to have them play with other teams.
 
Your commitment is to your daughter. The commitment to the club doesn't extend beyond the financial commitment. If you feel like she would be better suited in a different environment with different training, you should move as soon as possible. That being said, it doesn't make much since to move now, so close to the start of the new season. You never know what a new season brings...maybe the situation at the current club will improve, maybe the training she is receiving improves...but you usually want to wait until after State/National Cup to see if any changes occur.

As others have said, you have the fall season to evaluate which clubs are options logistically and which have a complimentary playing style.
 
Be very wary of coaches that approach you/your kid after games to ask you to tryout. If they're looking for the next best thing now, they'll be doing it next year too. If they want to pull you into their team this late, it means some kid is getting less playing time.

What's so bad about the current team? There'd be 3 reasons I'd look to move my kid ASAP:
1. Abusive coach
2. Abusive kids
3. Asshole parents
Pretty much anything else, I could handle.
 
Wow, the regular league season schedule is not posted let alone games.... Already one foot out the door.

I guess if you are CSL/Presidio parent, you can pull your kid out Monday after Thanksgiving. If your are SCDSL, technically, they do not have to release you to another SCDSL club until after the state tournament (if you're going to CSL from SCDSL, they have no power to stop you after Thanksgiving).

For whatever reasons you have to move, I do recommend finishing the league season positively and have the player do the best. Its too bad you didn't think to do this a month ago. August 1st is when the players get tied down (CalSouth) to a club. Before hand, you probably would have lost your fee but still could move without any issue.

Perhaps next time keep your options open longer, in spite of coaches saying commit or else. If the coach really want the player, he will accept whenever you commit, unless he has reached a roster limit.
 
Thanks for all the responses. We don't plan to leave until next year, we have no intention on jumping ship or teaching that to the kiddo. Her coach is a good guy, he's not in the best situation with a handful of parents that have zero commitment to the team. One girl we haven't seen in over a month, then we have a handful that ride the coach to play their kids in that one position that they favor and another handful that won't run after a ball unless it rolls right to their feet. it's no one persons fault. We were incredibly lucky with our last club before we moved, the girls all had very similar personalities, were all very competitive and became more like family by year end. I still don't know some of our current girls names bc they show up for practices so irregularly. Just a frustrating situation. I appreciate the advice.
 
Definitely start attend other team's practices in November after the fall season ends. Attend multiple practices and try to guest play with them during a December tournament. If the current team is not a good fit, I would leave for another team before the State/National Cup roster freeze date. May as well get integrated into the new team and play State/National Cup to see if the new team is a good fit.

My DD changed clubs after the fall season during her U14 year due to an abusive coach and ended up with a great coach and a good bunch of girls. She changed again after U16 after State/National Cup but this time because she wanted to play for a higher level team. This time it was completely her decision and did not work out as well as she planned and she moved again for her U18 and 19 seasons which worked out wonderful. None of the coaches after the U14 move got upset with her.

The U14 coach was pissed off at her and me. She did walk out of practice and to the car and told me to take her home because she was not playing for "Coach" anymore. Evidently she crossed the ball too far across the penalty area. The coach yelled at her and told her to do 20 push ups. She said, "No, what are pushups going to teach me." He said, "Fine, than do 40 pushups so you learn to keep your mouth shut." She said, "No." and walked off. I had her at the new team within a week and on their roster within two weeks. I saw this coming and we were going to wait until after State/National Cup to leave but the coach just pushed the wrong button with her.
 
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The OP sounds similar to a parent on my youngest DDs team. The mom was upset because her kid didnt get on the "A" team and has to play on the "B" team. I was unfortunate enough to say, "hows it going?' and I got an earful.

Rationalizations aside, her kid isnt that good. When I mentioned that, mom said her daughter wasnt challenged and blamed the coach.

Few of our little darlings will be amongst the best of the best and that is a bitter pill to swallow. Youth soccer is about development on and off the field. Commitment, follow through, stick-to-it-tive-ness and grit are all qualities that develop along side ball handling and sportsmanship. Looking for another team before the fall season is even posted lacks the character and commitment that I hope my kids will walk off the field with.

good luck...

btw-my dd is on the "B" team
 
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I don't know all of the situations of the kids on the team, but.... It is summer. Lots of families take vacation. Some (gasp!!) even take a break from soccer.
 
Your reply would be funny if true. Ironically the at the club we loved, she was on the 'B' team and here she is on the 'A' team. My only concern is that my kid gets to play the game she loves with kids she can learn from and that motivate her to do her best. It's an unfair situation when half your team is either a no show or half asses it all the time. Like I said I don't blame the coach, it's just not the right fit for us and I have been upfront about our intentions. I just came to ask advice about the best way to go about it. If you want to presume that I am a dillusional parent that thinks my child is the next US Olympic star then go ahead. Whatever floats your boat.
 
timbuck said:
I don't know all of the situations of the kids on the team, but.... It is summer. Lots of families take vacation. Some (gasp!!) even take a break from soccer.
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Which I would have no problem with except that it hardly seems fair that some are rqd to attend and some aren't.
 
mommato2girls said:
Which I would have no problem with except that it hardly seems fair that some are rqd to attend and some aren't.
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Our team has a kid that played softball all spring and most of summer. They made a deep run in the state/regional tournament. They had planned to be at some of our spring soccer practices and games, but couldn't because of softball.
Some teams take summer very serious. Some see it as more of a "bonus" season that doesn't require as much of s commitment.
We had another kid that was having some health issues and took a break. She just decided to skip the fall season.
We had another kid who had the starring role in a play with a pretty intense practice schedule.
Hopefully your coach can get those that are goofing off to fall in line a bit.
And hopefully those that were missing a bit will be fully committed for the Fall season.
 
My advice is to move as soon as you can, as a year is a big chunk of your DD's developmental window. If you get your coach's sympathetic ear and consent, get out now. However, per Calsouth rules, roster freeze period started Aug. 1 and lasts till the end of the season, or end of State/National Cup per SCDSL.
 
mommato2girls said:
Thanks for all the responses. We don't plan to leave until next year, we have no intention on jumping ship or teaching that to the kiddo. Her coach is a good guy, he's not in the best situation with a handful of parents that have zero commitment to the team. One girl we haven't seen in over a month, then we have a handful that ride the coach to play their kids in that one position that they favor and another handful that won't run after a ball unless it rolls right to their feet. it's no one persons fault. We were incredibly lucky with our last club before we moved, the girls all had very similar personalities, were all very competitive and became more like family by year end. I still don't know some of our current girls names bc they show up for practices so irregularly. Just a frustrating situation. I appreciate the advice.
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The AYSO team I'm coaching this year sounds better than this club. How could any person in their right mind even pay to be on a club like this. Crazy. The coach needs to step up, put the parents in their place, and motivate the kids to play soccer. And this is the "A" team? Hopefully you can find some type of silver lining this year.

I'm glad I found this site a year ago and almost everyone stated find a coach you like that is good for your daughter and stay with them. Followed that advice and so far so good.
 
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mommato2girls said:
Thanks for all the responses. We don't plan to leave until next year, we have no intention on jumping ship or teaching that to the kiddo. Her coach is a good guy, he's not in the best situation with a handful of parents that have zero commitment to the team. One girl we haven't seen in over a month, then we have a handful that ride the coach to play their kids in that one position that they favor and another handful that won't run after a ball unless it rolls right to their feet. it's no one persons fault. We were incredibly lucky with our last club before we moved, the girls all had very similar personalities, were all very competitive and became more like family by year end. I still don't know some of our current girls names bc they show up for practices so irregularly. Just a frustrating situation. I appreciate the advice.
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This part jumped out at me. I'm all for kids playing on a team that they like, but are you sure you're not one of the parents you're talking about? Thinking about leaving in August is not very committed to the team.
 
Out of curiosity, what happens if a team adds another player after August 1st? Can they petition Cal South and add him/her to official roster?
 
The thing is I listened to what the coach said at the tryouts and really liked what he was saying. He talked a lot about development and soccer strategy. My daughter liked him so we went with it. Unfortunately it hasn't panned out :/
 
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