Switching Clubs

[surreysoccer]

Tryout season will be coming up...my son is wanting to tryout at other clubs. Our son has been with our current club since he was U6...going into U15 for 2017/2018 season. He wants to play at a different level, and does not want to be with the current coach he has. I'm not sure how I feel about this, ultimately his decision. I'm not sure the grass is greener on the other side.

Some background. His first 4 years he got lucky with 2 great Coaches. The right mix of discipline, development, and fun. Then tryouts, he makes the Select 2 team, he's happy we're happy. He's with a good Coach that knows the game, and he respects him. After the 2 years with the team he gets cut down to Select 3. Life lessons suck, but part of the game. He also was waiting for surgery on a sleep disorder that most likely lead to the cut, he did slow down. New team new Coach again, but he's doing awesome, determine to prove the old Coach wrong for cutting him. Metro tryout coming up, he's working his ass off to prepare. He nails the tryouts, (when you overhear other people pointing out your son to their own kids you know he showed well) He doesn't make the team...For the past 2 years he also developed severs in his heels, and osgoods in his knees, (grew 8 inches in a year) so played on and off, and didn't do well last years tryouts after a 2 month break of soccer. This year he's at the top of his game, shows up at all the practices and games, even when half the team never shows...training and kicking a ball everyday. He currently plays Gold level, really wants Metro and will leave our Club to get it.

 

[CanadianSpur]

As long it's his decision you support him. My daughter changed clubs at u14 because of coaching and while she was apprehensive but we supported her and she made the decision as to where she wanted to play. In fact she left a club that I'm still associated but even so, we supported her choice.

The one thing I can't stand is parents pressuring a player to change clubs to get on a team at a level that the parent thinks they belong on. I coached a boy several years ago on a div2 team. His father believed he should be at a higher level and pushed him to tryout at other clubs. I watched the other tryouts and I swear the kid deliberately played well below his ability to ensure he didn't have to deal with his father's pressure.

 

[surreysoccer]

No pressure, we've always said your on the team your meant to be on. My son has a love for the game, and knows all aspects of the game well. I'm happy if he's happy, he wants more of a challenge. If his current Coach wasn't coming back next season he'd stay, but he doesn't want to take the chance. I'm not looking forward to having 2 boys at 2 different clubs. (Our youngest will stay with current club)

 

[TKBC]

Tough call. Research the prospective new team if you can - team culture, coach, assistant coach, training nights, training focus .... if possible.

 

[easoccer]

If your son wants to play metro, and if scheduling permits, try him out at a couple of local clubs. Then if selected take the time to decide what works best for you both. Usually you can meet the coach there.

If there are issues with a coach it definately would be something to think about.

 

[TKBC]

If your son wants to play metro, and if scheduling permits, try him out at a couple of local clubs. Then if selected take the time to decide what works best for you both. Usually you can meet the coach there.

If there are issues with a coach it definately would be something to think about.

yup - if you are in Surrey your son has access to a few different metro programs in Surrey and outside of Surrey. Keeping in mind Coastal will be in the Surrey district next season as well.

 

[LauraH]

My son switched clubs this season (at U17), left a team he'd been with for years. It turned out to be the best decision he could have made. You need to do what's best for him and your family.

 

[easoccer]

I feel like switching my son from his current coach. That guy can be an idiot once in a while. Honestly I wish he would retire but his son and wife wont let him. Lol

But really, I feel that I coached my 15 yr old kid long enough sometimes. I have 2 younger ones starting out and 4 year olds are much funner. HA!

 

[juninho]

But really, I feel that I coached my 15 yr old kid long enough sometimes.

I feel this - sometimes I wonder if my son would have been given more of a look at a higher level (and being a late bloomer certainly didn't help him in this regard) had his father not been his coach.

Proud of him for sticking out a tough U18 season.

 

[Oldsoccerdad]

I've coached (long ago) and my daughter's in her 3rd year of the selection/evaluation process; what i'm finding strange is how clubs now seem to be positioning their tryouts as a competition and possibly to block kids from trying out at other clubs. In the Tricities there are 4 clubs but only 3 offer metro/div 1 soccer in my daughter's division. Her club coaches encourage their players to attend other club tryouts/evaluations, allowing parents to see how things are on the other side. They also are hoping other players will consider checking our club -- and since they hired former national team players Brittany Timko and Melissa Tancredi, we've heard of some interest from girls from neighbouring clubs. Port Moody scheduled its tryouts around the same time as Coquitlam, one-day following the other so that's not an issue; I think CMF is pretty comfortable in knowing what they offer other players. PoCo for some reason just released its schedule and put it up against Port Moody. Why would they do that ? It prevents players from attending both, thus forcing parents/players to make a choice with less information. We're talking 11-12 year olds. The kids get enough pressure beginning now at the metro/select level to drop other interests -- at least allow them to make an informed decision. My daughter wanted to attend the PoCo tryouts but now doesn't have that option -- she's been Port Moody since she started but has new middle school friends since we moved to PoCo a few years ago. Is anyone else bothered by this strategy, or is it just part-and-parcel of the behind-the-scenes competition going on for players?

 

[easoccer]

I would say that competing clubs holding evals on days that DONT conflict is the exception to the rule.

Of course most clubs would want to retain talent. The exception being support for, or partnerships with, clubs that are offering a higher level.