Monday, January 14, 2019

U18 Girls Youth Soccer

This page is focused on Under 18 girls youth soccer, primarily in Region 1 and everyone is invited to post.

Teams face increased competition for the top players, (who are increasingly attending college showcases).

More teams consolidate and the best teams--academy soccer, club soccer and high school teams--battle to attract and retain the right player mix.

Stay tuned. This is bound to be good.

2,858 comments:

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Anonymous said...

9:24 - was glad to see scores/outcomes corrected by ECNL from this past weekend too in the NE standings. Surprised they don't get on these right away.

Anonymous said...

In 2013 Widener University WS were 14-4-4, then TW took over and he went 5-9-3 then 4-11-2 and then a final year 6-10-1. It takes effort to recruit at the D-III level and it isn’t easy, however other coaches have had success at Widener. It seems he wasn’t able to coach and have success with players that may have been average, as well as not putting in the time to make the program successful through recruitment and player development. In order to develop a successful DA, you have to put in the time and spend 6 days at the complex developing the program. If Widener is a refection of his efforts, then PAC might have something to worry about going forward.

As for the ECNL/USYS debate, the ECNL teams in EPA are far stronger right now. GDA will make a huge impact on ECNL in a few years.

Anonymous said...

2018 Commit list (selective) by club:

Continental FC DELCO
Dartmouth
Navy
FC Bucks
Bucknell
Columbia
Saint Joseph's
FC Pennsylvania
James Madison
Maryland
South Carolina
St. John's
FC Revolution
Mary Washington
HMMS Eagle FC
High Point
Kutztown
Saint Joseph's
LDC United
Delaware
Match Fit Academy FC
Wake Forest
Patriot FC
American
West Chester
PDA
Duke
Princeton
Penn Fusion
Boston University
Buffalo
James Madison
Messiah
North Carolina
Saint Joseph's
Rage Soccer Club (PA)
DeSales

Anonymous said...

9:59
There you go with actual facts...:)
FYI, Widener struggled this year for sure bc they have no true keepers!!!!

Anonymous said...

Yep, U16 PF vs. FSA was posted on Saturday as a 2-2 draw and it was a 2-1 win for PF. And U17's PF vs. FSA was posted as a 5-0 loss for PF and it was a 5-0 win for PF. Both of these were just corrected. ECNL has to start handing out fines to teams that don't post timely or correctly.

Anonymous said...

1002 A candidate for the worst post of the year. Impossible to understand and meaningless.

Anonymous said...

Hey 10:02 check again: Here are the PF commits - you forgot MANY

http://pennfusion.org/girls/861219.html

Anonymous said...

The problem with commit lists is they are of limited value. Case in point. If you tool a kid that had top ACC potential when you got her at 14 and at 17 she commits to U Conn. Is that good? if you had a kid who had limited options when you got her and she improved in 3 years and committed to U Conn, is that good?

Point is that without full context this means little and the only people with full context are the families and the kids concerned.

Bottom line is if you are happy that your commitment represents what you wanted from your youth soccer journey then Im happy for you no matter what anyone else thinks about the "quality" of that commitment

Anonymous said...

10;31 - very true. And, also it's about playing time. Will they be a contributor or a roster spot/practice squad kid? And, the obvious, sometimes its about the balance of education and soccer, too. Some kids sacrifice one for the other, some get both.
It's whatever works for each family/child, as you described. Not one all size fits all thing.

Anonymous said...

10:02 here,

The list is at TDS so I did not Miss PF commits, they did not report. And for matting must be logical if you were able to refute PF commits. And it's all spin anyway. Truth, facts, statistics and Damn lies!

Anonymous said...

10:18 here - just because I could figure out what you were doing doesn't mean it was clear to others. I'm very fast at finding Waldo too. Yeah, I don't go by TDS. Found inaccuracies. Soccerwire is better.

Anonymous said...

10:57 - 11:02 here - case in point re clarity or lack thereof, I'm not the 10:15 poster.

Anonymous said...

TDS lol
You put out a list like that then try a little harder to be accurate
2018 PF commits include ACC, SEC, Ivy, and mid majors.
But commitments mean very little. The bigger question is how much money in total did they get and are they happy? A commitment could essentially mean an unsupported walk on. In other words not much.

Anonymous said...

So now you want bloggers to compare scholarship/aid packages to meet YOUR criteria? Get real.

Anonymous said...

1132 To be honest, I am only impressed by soccer ONLY offers above 75 pct to top schools. I dont see the real relevance of the rest. Not because they are not great for the families and kids concerned,, they are. But does getting in to an Ivy becasue you are smart and good enough at soccer have any relevance on a soccer forum as a basis to judge soccer excellence ? Or as a basis to asses how good a coaching staff is? Or how good a job a team is doing?

Probably not.

Anonymous said...

11:46 - you do realize that top school re soccer is ever changing? Each year there are new programs making it to the sweet sixteen and beyond. We haven't had any dynasty schools in a bit. And, that's a good thing because that means that any good recruiting class or couple of classes can make a difference in any league. So, a school that may have been in the top 25 a year or so ago may not be next year. The chess match is on.

Anonymous said...

Suffice it to say, just like most of the soccer information, trust the source. To me there are 2 de-facto sources for college commitments, the actual college posting their signings each summer/fall for the incoming class and to some extent the PA HS (Suburban One/Chestmont etc.) shoutouts. As to where a u14 is on the radar and where she eventually commits, there are so many factors that come into play. You have prep school girls who are driven academically that want to go to an Ivy, you have big suburban school players who would love to play for Penn State, and then you have girls who could play D1 that chose not to work at soccer while trying to get an education and opt for D3. If you are the parent of a girl who loves soccer and you love to watch her play, you realize the benefits of playing a team sport and she is fourtunate enough to play 4 more years after HS the God Bless.

Anonymous said...

No doubt that my daughter who plays at a high level is working to hopefully play in a competitive program at a school that fits. However if there was no interest in her nothing would change. She would still play on the same team. She loves to play. She does not play thinking about the scholarship. I don't watch her play thinking about the scholarship. I don't talk about the interest in her. When did the main focus step away from the girls love of the game and the parents supporting that and enjoying it? You are not impressed with anything below a 75% scholarship? I don't even know how to respond to that! You will come back and say my daughter plays for a low level team and has no interest and that's not the case. But it's not the reason she plays. I'm just dumbfounded

Anonymous said...

1145 do you know what a rhetorical question is?
Guess not. No one suggests actual offers be discussed on the forum. However to know older kids sagas would be very helpful to younger kids. I think that the clubs should consider parent round tables so that they go into the process better educated. I would be willing to share our ups and downs with others who may benefit from the experience.

Anonymous said...

TBH I am not as impressed with any of the commitments anymore. After going through the process and realizing that so much goes into the whole decision, match of academics, school, location, soccer, major, etc.

I remember starting this process and my D getting interest from USC back when she was a freshman and being clueless about the whole thing, we didn't pursue anything, she wasn't ready and so she didn't follow through with any of the interest she received from schools. Looking back, despite their recent success, I am so happy we didn't. My D would never have been happy there. It was far from home and not the type of school that she would ultimately choose (great school, just not for her).

Flash forward two years later, she is committed to a good school, should graduate without much debt and is happy about being close to home. But that decision didn't come without a ton of soul searching. Looking at her commitment wouldn't seem impressive to some, but no one would know the other great offers she had or the interest she received, and they would think, wow, that's the best she could do? So while I think looking at others' commitments is interesting, they don't tell the whole story.

So I am not impressed when I see so and so going to South Carolina or Princeton or James Madison, okay, maybe Princeton a little ;) jk. But my point is, no one knows what goes into all of these commitments. That player committed to South Carolina could sit the bench or get minimal playing time or be full pay, who knows. Honestly, I don't care. This is one soccer decision, that is truly left up to the individual.

Does it reflect on the soccer program where their commits go? They might like to think so, but it really doesn't, not entirely anyway. Especially with this age group. So many of these kids were trained elsewhere and just happen to land on that specific team, that coach or trainer, really doesn't have anything to do with how well that player plays at this point. Some do, but not most.

So people can post lists of club commitments and think they are impressing others, but people who really know all that is involved with soccer recruiting, shouldn't be. Including the fact, that which team is strong this year, may struggle and not get very far in a few years, who knows. Ultimately, a kid can go to say Penn State and play soccer, if they get to play, and never make it to the big game in their four years.....would you consider it a waste? I certainly hope not, I would hope that the choice was made based on the school and what the STUDENT was getting out of it, not the PLAYER. Because for MOST players, that is what it should be about......just saying :-)

Anonymous said...

12:05 - AMEN!

Anonymous said...

11:46- seriously? Not impressed with anything under 75%. Good thing no one is asking your opinion on their kid's commitments.

Anonymous said...

1225 1205 ..Spot on. 1146 -here -point being I am not impressed from a soccer ONLY PoV . without context its irrelevant to me. Maybe impressed is the wrong word. When people come on soccer forums and say my kid is committed to an Ivy there is no soccer context for that so its hard to know what role soccer did or did not play.

I come her for soccer, not academics. Everything I say is from a soccer only perspective.So if you tell me that ABC is highly coveted by UCLA as a soccer player, then im very impressed.

1152 I dont really agree. There are are core group of schools that are consistently in the top 20 and have e reputation for recruiting and producing outstanding players. i would bet that if you produced a composite top 15 of the last 10 years, the schools are going to be fairly easy to guess.

Anonymous said...

1228 but thats the point isn't it. Why would anyone ask anyone else opinion? the stuff here seems to be posted as an indicator of something. Im not sure what.

Anonymous said...

12:05 - hahahaha...your sources; Chesmont; Suburban One. Good one. And, DIII commits are improving as well. Just a couple of years back DIII kids didn't even have to play club soccer. Soccer all around is improving.

Anonymous said...

12:14 - of course that is a great idea at the club level but not necessarily on the forum. Too many would get their kids out of soccer and into crew. lol

Anonymous said...

12:48 - 10 yrs ago basketball was the top girls sport. Now, it isn't. 10 yrs ago you saw a 5'9" kid and she was either a bb player or vb player. Now, she's a soccer player and in high demand. So you continue to look back and I'll look ahead. And both of our kids will probably be in post season going deep into the mix.

Anonymous said...

144 Interesting that you relate purely physical stats to success and demand at the game. I dont think i said anything about where any kids were going, just that the best 10 years ago are largely still the best.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Division_I_Women%27s_Soccer_Championship

not a particularly large variance

Anonymous said...

I'm giving you that, but I am also saying that the sport of soccer, now, today, that has changed as has the way the game is played and the amount of girls in the sport and the type of athlete needed (hence the height reference).

Do you see the amount of transfers year after year even from the sport cornerstone programs? Btw - once their coaches leave the school/retire, what will happen?

And, 10 years up through only the past year or so, there were enough spots for most of the girls that played club to play in college. Today, that's not necessarily true BECAUSE kids that aren't doing other sports and concentrating on soccer. Comprendez vous?

Anonymous said...

Oh, and in the past 5 yrs alone; I see alot of "blue" ink re schools (meaning newbies) more than ever before. Kind of supporting my point, too.

Anonymous said...

Just heard a new rumor concerning next year. NCAA is blocking all showcase attendance by coaches from Dec.15-Jan 5th. This will change much for Sanford and Disney. This is a very legit statement.

Anonymous said...

Interesting. GDA showcases are scheduled to occur before that timeframe. Wonder if they had the heads' up that this was coming down?

Anonymous said...

Here's a thought that falls into borderline conspiracy...
So is NCAA helping to push coaches toward GDA and pull away from other showcases? ie GDA over ECNL as the end goal?

Anonymous said...

I think you will see that the normal Christmas week tournaments will be scheduled for different weekends. Look for January and February to come into play. CASL not affected.

Anonymous said...

Yes Sanford/Disney will just move to a compliant weekend. Good for the college coaches too who can spend the holiday with their families. Also good for the wallet. Orlando over Christmas week is crazy expensive and airport insane.

Anonymous said...

As of today, Disney website is still 12/29-1/3
Florida over the winter months is a rip either way.

Anonymous said...

Moving to any holiday weekend during winter is expensive, MLK or Presidents Weekends as similar cost. Difference is these holidays are not absolute for all school systems. It creates a better system for college coaches but not the players. Also it becomes nearly impossible for the majority of Northern clubs to prepare for late winter showcases. Indoor prep is just not same as outdoor.

Anonymous said...

So 11:46 thinks it is EASY to be included in an Ivy League team's incoming recruitment class for women's soccer

How rich.

Anonymous said...

not at all. I think it reflects many skills that have very little relevance in a conversation about soccer excellence. but feel free to twist it any way that suits you. Its not easy for anyone to get into any school. A kid that can get into Duke thru soccer, may not be able to get in to Harvard and vice versa. Its all relative.

But like I said, twist away

Anonymous said...

Has CASL been scheduled yet? I heard GDA showcase is early December as well.

And, I do agree with prior poster that this is better for college coaches to hang with their families during holidays and maybe we get to do so, too and save some $$$$.

Anonymous said...

6:37 - i don't think NCAA thinks that much about it. Soccer isn't a money producing sport like football and basketball. I do like the black-out dates though. May stop some of those that travel to tourneys every week; give the kids a break to recover.

Here's a good thought, too, we are heading toward the finish line re Youth Soccer.

Anonymous said...

True
NCAA more concerned with equal access to any restroom right now...

Anonymous said...

If we can all REALLY be honest with ourselves, girls getting recruited and playing soccer in college is not that hard. There is no comparison to girls vs boys college soccer and the recruitment process. I have both and it is night and day. If a girl can run, she will be recruited. Now add in a move or two and she is D1. I know girls that have committed to play D1 soccer that I cant believe even get on the field on their current teams. Sorry Daddys, just being real.

Anonymous said...

So then your daughter is committed to a D1 already on a full ride? Easy peasy

Anonymous said...

Nope. She didnt have a move or two so no soccer money at all.

Anonymous said...

829 Mens Womens are 2 different games. You are correct. Problem is most people analyse women using Mens metrics. Having the assets you described does indeed put most girls a leg up on the rest.

Overall I agree, the passion, desire and incentives to really be great are sorely lacking in the girls game.

There are a handful of player who check all the boxes. Given the $$ and time spent on the game it should be a lot more

Anonymous said...

@8:29 - totally agree. And, to add to your pearls of wisdom:
DI soccer has numerous tiers; so yes, I agree even playing soccer at the school in 300 ranks of DI schools (i think there are 335, but not certain) is being able to say, "hey, playing DI."

And, there are many DII and DIII schools that are better than some of these DI programs. But, some (either the kid, the parent or both) fall for that vanity plate that they would prefer playing in a poor DI program over a better program from another division. As another poster added, it's all relative.

There is a lot of movement in the top 150 schools. You can commit to a school when it was in the top 30 and it can fall out of that ranking. It's all relative.

Best of luck to all the kids with their decisions.



Anonymous said...

Simplify the recruiting process. No communication between players and college coach until July 1 entering into your Junior year. ID clinics following the same time line. No using club or high school coach as a liaison to get around the rules.

Anonymous said...

@519 What would Mike O'Neill do ?

Anonymous said...

I think we all know the difference between the girls and boys games. I think we also know, and I am not saying this is a bad thing, that if you play for PDA you WILL be recruited. It is easy for college coaches to recruit PDA players. They know they are dedicated, well trained, play alot and heck might even be good. If they turn out not to be what they thought they will just have another player on their roster of 30, no big deal. They got them to go to their school, most likely not the school they would have gone to excluding soccer so they are making their money.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone think that having 4 teams at one age group is a good thing? It makes the top tier teams look bad to have lower level teams with the same <>> branding stinking up the field with kick and run daddy coaching?

Why not have AA and AAA like baseball? It may be close to the same product but everyone can tell the difference between the Yankees and the Trenton Thunder. Players can move between teams and nobody is pretending they are something that they aren't. You can attract better talent and make the top team more prestigious. It will also make the other teams work harder to improve and move up to get those premier kits.

Anonymous said...

Oh boy now you will be hurting the feelings of so many. I completely agree with you, the players on the top team earned it so why not make it clear that they did. Ooops, mom and dad wont be able to say their son or daughter plays for (PDA) and they may have some splainin to do.

Clubs will not do it because this illusion is all part of the money making scheme that is running rampant. They will tell you they dont care what other people think, and why should they.

Anonymous said...

922 chicken or egg.

Anonymous said...

11:09 I believe that was the NPL/ECNL concept. Back when ECNL was considered top Tier (I think it still is until GDA proves itself) One Club two teams at each age and player transfer between. But parents and money got in the way. If you are an NPL parent paying NPL$$ and your daughter is offered to train with the ECNL team you get happy, when she asked to dress for an ECNL game you get excited, if she actually plays meaningful minutes the concept works. Now if you are an ECNL parent and your daughter is at the end of the bench and is given the option to "Play for the NPL team" which actually is heard as "Play Down" do you take it so your daughter gets minutes or do you keep the ECNL bench spot, knowing that in the next round or tryouts and placement she will most likely be phased out of the ECNL team? To be honest my daughter was an ECNL player who fell out of favor with the coach so we actually asked for her to be put on the NPL team where she flourished, was recognized by a coach at a different club (basically asked why she wasn't playing for ECNL team) and the rest is history.

Anonymous said...

1247 what does prove itself mean? I know of several current YNT players who are going to the GDA. That impacts ECNL teams directly. So what is proof to you?

Anonymous said...

1:32 AGREED! The top D2 teams could definitely beat more than half of the D1 programs, so when I see a really good soccer player going to a D2 competitive team, I think that kid gets it. But for most part, players just want to say they are going D1, even if that team isn't as strong. Different strokes for different folks.

Anonymous said...

1:19

I believe that US Women's/Girl's soccer has no true identity. There is no reason for the GDA as a competing product for ECNL. I see this as another hybrid car on the market pandering to the status symbol crowd. To prove itself the GDA needs a true mission statement and purpose which at this point is what? Create a new competitive league that promises girls the ability to play for the US national team while entertaining D1 offers from the top college programs in the nation? Or is it to build a true academy system that funnels players to a national pool to international competitions? A 1% offer, meaning 1% of all GDA participants will see the holy grail of stepping on the field as a Sr. National team player. ROI for players very low, ROI for USNT very high. It's another league in another sport where parents have deep pockets. This isn't even taking into consideration the back room deals for players and coaches. To me "Prove itself" means don't become what you are trying to replace, a pay to play system mainly controlled and supported by insiders.

Anonymous said...

Problem with the D2 schools is that generally they are not good schools. School is the point, you know learning getting out and being marketable.

Anonymous said...

GDA at U17 and even U16 is meaningless. By the time the program gets settled in, these girls will go gone. However, in the long run the GDA will be the top program. Better, Cheaper, and the only way for the very top players to be seen.

ECNL, NPL, and EDP will follow the same path that ODP, JAGS and MAPS did.

GDA is the new best thing, just accept it!

The best 1-3 players on the top 10 teams are all leaving at the younger age groups. They see or will soon see the writing on the wall. Why would any coach want to go to 20 tourneys when they can see all of the best in one place. The showcase model is out for all top D1 schools now that the DA is starting. College coaches will drive this narrative not US Soccer.

Anonymous said...

Well, I was going to be a little nicer with my post, but yes, the educational offerings at DII schools are usually not as broad as DI and DIII. And, the scores/grades to get in are (overall) not as onerous.
I would not go as far as beating 1/2 of the DI's, not consistently however. Especially since a lot of the programs are undergoing big changes (assistants from top programs are now either heads or assistant coaches throughout the DI program). So, the gaps are closing. But definitely the top DII's are good programs.

Anonymous said...

2:41

I agree D1 is for the athletes and D3 is for the Student/Athlete. D2 is the equivalency Division. My daughter had options at all 3 divisions and chose D3, she found a group of schools she liked only one in D2, 3 in D1 and 3 at D3. D1 options were either too big or too expensive, the D2 just did not meet her educational requirements and between the D3's she was able to get the best deal and "promise" of playing time. GRADES ARE VERY IMPORTANT!!!

Anonymous said...

3:09 - agreed. And, Dii are usually a very affordable education with or without $$. Glad our kids have plenty of choices.

Anonymous said...

223 I am not sure what issue you are addressing. Your criteria fro proof, makes no sens at all. Proof, to me, is that the majority of the best young players are playing in it. Over time they will. I also believe day one a meaningful number will. GDA will be cheaper than ECNL , and in many cases already is.

You are no laying out a set of conditions for proof, you are just railing against another pay to play system.

By your criteria, what has the ECNL proved ?

Anonymous said...

3:11 - DI exceptions - ivys and patriot league are also student/athletes as well as a few others sprinkled through out the division (stanford, pepperdine, etc.).

Anonymous said...

3;20 - you have seen some announcements about the various YNT players that are in GDA, right? This doesn't include those on the US Soccer radar that are most likely also playing in it. So, take out those kids (not all, but alot are leaving). So, you have what is going on right now with USYS.

Anonymous said...

328 ??

Anonymous said...

326 .. almost ALL of them are student athletes . that is defined by the player, not the school

Anonymous said...

3:28 - were you talking about ECNL will then be USYS at the older ages (spotty good teams)? That is how I read your post.

Anonymous said...

3:50 - that's the plan you would think. Can't get around that some schools are more serious about academics than others.

Anonymous said...

I must say somewhat surprised by the PF CFC score today.

Anonymous said...


You shouldn’t be surprised, CFC are a good team and it is the second time they beat PF this year. What was more exciting after the game were two mothers from PF fighting with each other in front of their daughters in the parking lot. Meow..
.

Anonymous said...


Matchfit 4- pf-1

Continental 3- pf- 1

Anonymous said...

10:27 - What are you talking about second time? You mean when half their team wasn't there for a last minute scrimmage in the fall of last year? Please.

Unfortunately, in a team sport when only a few kids want it (some were checked out), usually not a successful outcome; hence the weekend.

It was not a well played game. PF could have, should have won. But, CFC wanted it more and they did. Hats off to them.

Anonymous said...

* correction to above - some seemed checked out; don't know if they actually were.

Anonymous said...

1:24am
I agree with you on the "checked out" syndrome.
I watched some PAE NCS games Saturday and it was obvious who was in it and who wasn't.

Anonymous said...

CFC vs. bucks 1-1 - 5/20

Anonymous said...

its sad to watch this pool of so called Elite players on a weekly basis. Significant numbers not engaged in the game. not wanting to be there. Making lame excuses to not travel and putting in limited effort. This is the pool of players from which a GDA and the ECNL is "selecting", even fighting over.

There are far too many Clubs, too many leagues and too many families kidding themselves that the kids actually want to play the game for the games sake as opposed to something else.

Sad.

Anonymous said...

8:04 is spot on.

College coaches and national team coaches are not going to keep a kid around because they are checked out. Players should want to play with passion each game. The top or elite players don't check out. If you daughter has checked out it is time for plan B.

The travel and cost of playing youth soccer is crazy. If games were localized there would be less stress on players and families. All games could be played within a 2 hour drive. No hotel stays.

There are too many families kidding themselves. If college committed players and can no longer meet the challenge those players will get cut or forced out in year one.

Anonymous said...

Why do you think they were checked out?

Anonymous said...

We all know USYS has done a great disservice to these girls and also the college coaches as they try to follow good prospects. This was so poorly managed and transitioned, beyond what any of us could have even imagined and I think it will only get worse as it progresses. Could we have made an impact if we had really created noise? I don't know but I wish I had at least tried.. Even girls on the DA teams are going to have a period of adjustment to gel while many are in the most important recruiting time of their life. ECNL teams will likely have 6 strong players and then a drop off.

Anonymous said...

Being checked out could be another way of saying we got beat handily. That the players weren’t able to meet the physical challenge and wilted under the pressure. That the coach wasn’t able to adjust. We were checked out because we simply weren’t good enough over the weekend? I think so, and you can say checked out, out coached, out played and (out) or unprepared. We were out played in both games. Hats off to Matchfit and CFC.

Anonymous said...

9:15 I find the individual clubs to be more responsible for the miscommunication or unanswered questions.
PF parent friend of ours said they did a fairly good job communicating.
8:41 tough to explain the mental side of a girls' game I think...it was just obvious which team wanted it more.

Anonymous said...

936 i have no affiliation to the team you imply. My post is a general one based on a years of watching the Girls game. Checked out is not a reflection of the result.

Anonymous said...

I didn't read any excuses. The winning teams were both better on match day. Simple. Whatever the guess for a reason...

Anonymous said...


This is not based off of any result.

Checked out is missing training or not being active at training. Not attending games for odd reasons or not making an effort while playing in the games. Focusing more on the social aspect of the team rather than playing soccer. Being checked out has to do with the player no longer having the desire to continue playing beyond their current level. Could be parental pressure, and the player no longer shares in parent’s goal of their daughter moving on to a D-I program. Could also be that the players don’t believe in the coaching staff and that they need new voices. Perhaps being burned out with youth soccer and all the travel and nonsense that go with it. The strong survive.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to say but the "check out" issue gets far worse at U18. My kid is one of only 2 juniors on a U18 team with all seniors. The seniors have made for a miserable season. I can't imagine the majority will be ready for college ball next year. Several had their college coach check in by surprise at a recent game. He must be wondering what a mistake he must have made.

Anonymous said...

1105 100% correct. Its interesting how so many kids/families think once committed...job done. Or that they can just catch up once the season starts.

Anonymous said...

It is not just girls, boys check out also. Cant get enough at training, always have excuses not to be at the games. Cant worry about it, they make those decisions now.

Anonymous said...

sure they do, and thats why DA etc are pointless on the current planned scale. There are nowhere near enough kids who care enough to make it viable on a large scale.

We have every right to worry becasue it impacts what some are paying for. 3k per year to go to an event an have random kids on your team? Not exactly value for money.

Anonymous said...

12:20 you are correct.

Anonymous said...

9:36 - it happened. They had a bad weekend. Not everyone wanted it. No excuses. On another note, that can be changed. If they played well and lost, then there should be more of a concern.

And in the conference, all the clubs are good. And they all have good days and off days. The true gamers come back.

Anonymous said...

Starting a DA with U17/18 players serves no purpose. Both this age the potential players should have been identified by now. Any player that develops after this point is easy to identify in college. Keep the GDA from u12-u16. The older players should be invitation only.

Anonymous said...

1:26 here - And, this also happens when you do play your entire roster trying out kids in new positions this weekend. You don't get game time experience unless you get game time experience. Some kids still coming along in different positions and hopefully will continue to improve.

Anonymous said...

1:38 - DA invitation only? Isn't it?

Anonymous said...

1:40 - yeah, I'm not a fan. It's called practice. Games are games. Play your best players in their best positions. But, that isn't how you develop I guess.

Anonymous said...

126

you summarize all that is wrong with the girls soccer scene in one line


If they played well and lost, then there should be more of a concern.


If they play well, the result is irrelevant and. I assume you would be ok if they played awful and won. Moreover. how do you feel if your child plays great and the team loses? Or vice versa :0

Anonymous said...

1:51 - Very true. everyone would say, a bad win is a win. And, all teams have those too; in particular in soccer. It's such a cruel game sometimes. How many times do some teams win the possession game, but still loose? You can have the momentum for most of the game and still come up short.

And, yep, I do get frustrated for her as she always shows up. Her position requires her to do so. She is able to compartmentalize and chalks it up to get it done the next time. Does she get frustrated? Absolutely, she's extremely competitive. But, expects more from herself than from others. She tries to figure out what else she can do to help her team.

Anonymous said...

1:51
Not OP but after 10 years of competitive soccer I end many games with mixed emotions. My kid played well but team lost. I feel bad for the team but I know she played well so I come away pleased. But this means nothing, the question is how did she feel after the match? I can say she remains upset that they lost. This tells me she still loves the game and wants to compete. Development is for each person to measure in their own way, but the game is a team sport and winning remains an acceptable goal. My kid is not worried about developing for the USNT, she is playing for the present. We use the term development far too much, often an excuse for poor results.

Anonymous said...

2:20 - but that's it, the results. Development isn't always going to have great results. Hard pill to swallow for parents and kids;unless your kids are the ones/one being developed. And, they should all continue to be developing. It's a continuing evolution. But, there are some that are more development projects than others.

Anonymous said...

1:49 - that is why I am looking forward to the GDA. No game time experiments.

Anonymous said...

2:14 - I disagree with your "Very true. everyone would say, a bad win is a win. And, all teams have those too; in particular in soccer. It's such a cruel game sometimes. How many times do some teams win the possession game, but still loose?" comment.

That's what makes this game special. Many might not like it, but a team that doesn't have the talent can sit back and be organized making it very hard for the more technical or athletic team to break them down waiting for their opportunity to pounce and counter. Then the same team will play a different tactical game vs a team that they match up against.

This is very much apart of development as the players need to understand when they don't match up either as individuals or as a team and how can they adopt what they have learned to make it work to get the result.

Anonymous said...

2:42 - that's kind of what I meant as well; the universe of the sport. But you said it so much better :)
Yep, sometimes you have to change it up. Sometimes you have to see, hey that worked, let's do it again. Or nope, let's try this.

Anonymous said...

I see teams who are supposed to be full of elite players, completely change tactics to stop one player and "get a result". Fair enough I guess, but ntot for me. I would rather be the kid they are trying to stop. Thats a challenge,. Winning games on deep teams with many interchangeable parts is not my idea of a challenging environment. Each to their own tho.

Anonymous said...

2;57 - hopefully, at this age, the teams have more than 1 player to key on.

Anonymous said...

2:57 - why not? Would love for my kid's team to have a full roster of game ready, high iq soccer kids. She would too. She likes playing with high level players that know their assignments. Was at a recent event with kids just that and she came home gushing. She can't wait for college. And neither can I.

Anonymous said...

11:05 - I can see it. Shame it has been miserable. Senior year is so crazy with many things outside of soccer. Life is not a dress rehearsal. Srs. should enjoy some senior things. You don't get a repeat.
They should attend a football game or two. They should make their ring dance. They should make the prom. They should help with the yearbook. They should do some community service. Let's not forget.

Anonymous said...

What happened with the Continental FC u17 team this year? I see a significant drop in rostered players an a head coaching change?

Anonymous said...

7:34 - looks like no one is biting. No one cares. End of the season coming on. Too many things going on with these teams; many in transition with GDA starting in a month or so.

Anonymous said...

CFC is actually a solid team. The coach was the 00 coach last year. Is there any movement to and from Penn Fusion? Thought maybe the want to play in high school crowd might switch to ECNL and CFC would be logical. Or vice versa, some kids wanting DA move to PF.

Anonymous said...

Didn't some not like the 00 coach from last year? I just remember hearing that from friends in the club.

I think there is movement to GDA, but not sure. No one is saying. Many GDA kids that want to play high school are doing pre-academy for DA clubs. You can move up and down within it from what I read in the DA rules.

Anonymous said...

7:34AM and 3:30PM
The 2000 CFC ECNL team are good, and the roster is the same group of girls that started the season minus two girls that got hurt. No adds or subtractions. They do miss players during the season because of spring high school soccer. The 99-00 ECNL team should be good next year. The remaining 99's are very talented. One 00 player moved to the Penn Fusion DA. We heard she will just play at Penn Fusion DA during the fall season since she plays high school soccer during the spring and it's her senior year. The older college committed girls didn't really need to move to DA and stayed with their friends. I would guess the PF girls did the same. There wasn't much movement of players between PF and CFC. No 99's moved from either club as far as we know. There will be two U18-19 teams next year at CFC and I think it will work like it did this year. The girls might rotate between the two teams, we will hear the plan at an upcoming parents meeting. There will be a new 99-00 coach. The 99-98 and 2000 coaches didn't return. They told us that they want to spend more time with family and can't do the ECNL travel anymore. The girls love the coaches and are going to miss them. We got lucky that the ECNL DA situation didn’t negatively impact our kids and that we are beyond having to make difficult choice. I can’t imagine being confronted with having to make a choice between high school and DA soccer. Difficult choices for folks on either side.

Anonymous said...

@9:49 - I'm a PF member. Glad it's all working out for your girls.
We are all soccer parents in this crazy soccer world just supporting our soccer girls. It all goes by too quickly. Enjoy it.

Anonymous said...

I know that SF is gone and so is KC, listed at PF. The new ECNL Director took over the team and they started playing better. The issue starting the season was with the younger girls following Ferris who is now gone. The team plays to their competition. The NPL team slowly eroded through bad choices and injuries. And the Composite team never really got out of the gate.

Anonymous said...

at 9:49 PM

There are a few holes in your post with age groupings and 99 players returning. 99 players are 2017 grads unless they are real late birth year. And girls rotating between teams is a bit of a stretch, not common practice. It will be interesting to see what players still show up to start the 2018 season. I am thinking DA moves are not complete.

Anonymous said...

Um there are quite a few 2018 grad 99s returning. In fact the old Aug 1 cutoff u16 (99/00) CFC team was loaded with 99s. Remember the relative age effect was most pronounced on the upper level teams. Most of the ECNL teams were very heavy with the fall birthday kids.

Anonymous said...

in general 98s are graduating now, 2017
99s and 00s are seniors next year and 2018 grads

Anonymous said...

839 You are really basic. The point is that there are a disproportionate number of 99 2018 grads due to years of RAE at the highest levels. Some of those were displaced this year because of the age change. They will bounce back and next year's 99/00 teams will look very different from the 00 team this year.

Anonymous said...

Exactly why for this particular age group this whole thing is a sin. This move is in no way in the best interest of 00 players graduating in 2019

Anonymous said...

At this point it is spilled milk. The rational thing to have done last year was to let the older ages stay together to finish their Junior and senior years. Make the age change mandatory starting at the 2002 year. Now with a year of playing together under the birth year level teams will progress. Any late commits will have to scramble to get seen as colleges are already "signing" 2020 graduates. Spring ID clinics are currently focusing on filling spots for 2018 and this is mostly for low D1 and High D3 programs. A few players on my daughter's team could not make the grade cut for some of the schools they were looking at, for 2018 coaches are not holding spots for the Fall SAT round and girls are scrambling. Whether you want to believe it or not there are at least 5 girls as good as any player that can't meet the acceptance requirements and coaches will move along to the next in line. Women's soccer is an NCAA academic boost to keep the schools Athlete GPA up, especially at the more coveted D1 programs where Men's FB and Basketball are top sports.

Anonymous said...

9:16
Feeling a little acidic now...

Anonymous said...

9:16 - i hear ya. Other clubs in same boat. As someone posted, spilled milk. That is why some teams are having overflow for spots at older squads. ECNL, USYS and GDA will be U19 (2nd half of year 99's; and 00's full calendar year).
That's a lot of kids to move around, again.

Anonymous said...

PDA sucks!

Anonymous said...

Someone is obviously jealous of PDA

Anonymous said...

I think it was a troll looking for attention. Congrats. You bit.

Anonymous said...

Was checking some scores. Saw Continental lost to EMS 5-1. Is that true or an erroneous post?

Anonymous said...

NPL has to go or serious adjustments need to be made. This was a weekend full of NPL teams from ECNL clubs that didn’t have enough players to play. Not all clubs can fulfill the NPL obligation some can’t even make the ECNL happen. FC Bucks had a terrible year with their ECNL teams but it was an even greater problem with the NPL teams. Fusion and Continental aren’t much better and have bad numbers at there games. I’m not sure but people have to be making money off of this nonsense because the PA clubs can't want this and need to put a stop to it. It is beyond foolish that we had to travel New England to play games with this type of team. Our teams are not good enough to warrant driving to Connecticut and Mass and then having to of to NYC towards the end of the school year. There are not enough girls that can play! The kids know it is a joke, there were so few kids it was all about going through the motions and not playing the game.
Frustrating!

Anonymous said...

This is very common with this age group. The girls start dropping off in commitment throughout the year. Many reasons...some are already committed to or know which school they will attend(soccer or not). Some just weren't committed to the team to start but were ok with their parents paying anyway...
Unless you are saying that numbers were an issue to start the season??

Anonymous said...

...Or they get injured or this is prom season; graduations, etc. Good forbid they actually built a team around kids being able to do some other stuff like graduate, too.

Anonymous said...

FC Bucks NPL

FC Buck 04 NPL- Finished 12th of 13 teams (Continental last place)
FC Bucks 03 NPL- 10th of 13 teams
FC Bucks 02 NPL- 13th of 13 teams, last place
FC Bucks 01 NPL- 12th of 13 teams
FC Bucks 00 NPL- 13TH of 13 team, last place
FC Bucks 99/88 NPL- 8TH of 8 team, last place

FC Bucks ECNL
FC Bucks Pre-ECNL -13th of 13 teams, last place
FC Bucks 03 ECNL- 14th of 14 teams, last place (no playoffs)
FC Bucks 02 ECNL- 14th of 14 teams, last place (no playoffs)
FC Bucks 01 ECNL- 6th of 14 teams, 6th place (made playoffs)
FC Bucks 00 ECNL- 11th of 14 teams, 11 place (no playoffs)
FC Bucks 99 ECNL- - 8th of 14 teams, 8th place (no playoffs)
FC Bucks U18/19 Composite – 12th of 12 team, last place

Anonymous said...

8:57
NPL travel is crazy. NPL numbers at our club started bad and finished worse. For the most part the PDA teams have good numbers but the rest of the NPL league is hit or miss. Local travel leagues could meet the needs of these girls without having to travel so much and spend so much money! I don't think we are getting what we pay for at all.

Anonymous said...

FC Stars have good numbers. FC Boston not so much!

Anonymous said...

Did FC Bucks actually beat the PDA ECNL team this past weekend??

Anonymous said...


SAT and school functions on Saturday kept kids from playing. PDA has the playoff AQ so no need to push something that didn't need to be pushed. Sunday was a different story.

Anonymous said...

9:34 AM

Ah, Makes sense.

Anonymous said...

NPL outside the ECNL clubs does just fine. ECNL clubs run the NPL for added income, nothing more. Such a shame because in NJ and NY there are some very good NPL programs but too many parents want their kid associated with an ECNL club thinking it is a better option. Go to Copa, PSA, SJEB, Quickstrike, SUSA, or Stallions. Your kid will get better training with a much more competitive environment. All of them have teams a similar caliber to ECNL teams.

Anonymous said...

NPL was received well at our club in the early stages of the league. But as parents and players started to feel like there was no connection between the first (ECNL) and second teams and that player movement between the teams wouldn’t happen, playing NPL became pointless. If clubs don’t adjust you will see the same thing happen in the GDA with relation to some of the pre academy players.

Anonymous said...

9:47 - i have younger kids and have seen some of those clubs vilified in the other blogs. A whole host of things from coaches and how they treat the kids to mismanagement, and more. Kept us away for try-outs.
Where does someone find a good team/club just to play soccer without all the ancillary crap? Does it exist anymore?

Anonymous said...

9:47
That is a great question!

Anonymous said...

10:08 AM

Can you be more specific. What crap are you taking about? Is it the lack of honesty from the coaches, the parents competing for spots more than their kids, the useless travel, the spur of the moment changes to the roster or the overall progression of what US soccer thinks what's best? I say pick a lane and stay with it, but realistic. Pay for as much as you want, enjoy watching your kids play and don't listen to a lot of the talk on this board. There is a player in Jersey that is going to a top D1 program and she never played for any of the Elite teams bragged about here. She was just a really goo player who stayed in her lane. Also, realize what your kids are capable of, everyone is different what you can accomplish with your gifts is different tan what I can accomplish. Teach your kids to be better than they were yesterday. Have them set a goal and support them in achieving it.

Anonymous said...


10:08 there is much truth to what you write. I do agree. Do what is best for your daughter. But so much of this travel and cost is needless. It is not always possible to pick a lane in some places either. So are dead ends over time and you have to change.

Anonymous said...

Why did PF literally have no bench against PDA? People complain about big rosters and then there are not enough players.

Anonymous said...

1231 There are too many Clubs and nowhere near enough talented and fully invested players. The business of youth soccer has sucked the tit dry.

Anonymous said...

ill add- people dont actually complain bout big rosters. Read between the lines. They just want the roster to be big enough so Mia can play a lot of minutes, but not too big so she cant get on the field. Motives are largely selfish.

Anonymous said...

Not about selfish it's about honesty and truth.

Honesty of the club and coach on what the playing time will be and honesty from the parents (mostly to themselves on what level their daughter should play. Yes the clubs are selfish and want the $$ but the parents are sometimes selfish and want the playing time. But it's about truth. Evaluate my daughter at tryouts, bring her on to the team and tell where she sits, starter 1st up off the bench and practice player. Then as a parent be honest with your self if you are willing to take that position for a year. But there is the level of untruth that keeps the machine going that causes the issues. And players on the bottom end will never win. They sit, get angry and move on.

Anonymous said...

1255 most parents cant handle the truth. Its bad for business.

Anonymous said...

12:39 is spot on. It isn't ofter that you find the better players walking away or their parents on here blasting away. It is always the parent that isn't honest with where their daughter stands. Parents that want it more than their kid cause the problems and walk away from teams and don't stick out a commitment. PF have always had a problem at the end of their season. They went to SD last year thin with all of their teams. Players get cut and don't finish out the year.

Anonymous said...

12:31 - i heard about that and i agree with you 100%. A full roster (20-22 kids) is not a big roster.
Starting the season with only 17 players as posted, without accounting for injuries or anything else seems like a lack of forethought. It's a long, physical season. And, life events pop up too.
Part of coaching is planning strategy. You have to play for the obvious and consider the unobvious.
I guess they are lucky US Soccer dictates the minimum rostered amount of kids for GDA. Even US Soccer considers the unobvious it seems.

Anonymous said...

12:39 - and some want quality players on the field at all times. Not all benches have a full roster of quality, high soccer iq players. They aren't made in a factory or dancing around cones.
Isn't that what the parents pay for? So, it's not selfish. It's an expectation for the $$ charged.

Anonymous said...

Agree with you.
By now, kids that are ball watching; kids that are being surprised that you actually have a ball at your feet (or maybe you are because you still haven't learned how to receive a ball); kids that just stand in one position waiting for the ball to come to them; etc., should not be the ones getting more time than others better suited to actually play the game.

Now, this time of the year, it's about winning. Development is for practice. League play is over. Best kids in the best positions. They earned the right to drive the bus now. Give them the wheel. And don't chirp.

Anonymous said...

Well, what if one of the best kids IS waiting for the ball but they aren't getting it to her? What if teammates see she is open and just take it themselves (only to shoot wide; over the net; play catch with the goalie; pass to someone else who is triple teamed or just loose possession)?

What if this is a kid that actually makes something positive happen out of many of her limited possessions. How, how does this happen and the coach doesn't yell to the kids to pass the ball to her? How are the kids not told before they take the field look for her, too? How?

It's about the team. Do you want the most attempts (whether or not even close) or the most assists?

Anonymous said...

Of course, other quality players should be taking shots too. I'm not suggesting becoming one dimensional when you have other options, but when you have other very viable and proven successful options, use them. Use them, all.

Anonymous said...

1:01 - You would be surprised I think. I think there are some parents of quality players on here that are not happy with the soft roster spots and they are complaining, too. Just because you give a kid an emblem (nat'l league, ecnl, gda, whatever) doesn't mean they suddenly get soccer iq/ability, too. It's earned as is their playing time or at least it's supposed to be.

Anonymous said...

124 Once you accept that the majority of ECNL players are interchangeable with little impact on the result of the game, the better placed you are to understand that PT decisions have little to do with merit.The top kids play and the others get time based on all sorts of factors.

How many kids that your team plays against jump out to you as being game changers. Kids who you have to worry about or plan for? Kids who if they dont play, the team is totally different?

Not many.

Anonymous said...

Agreed. the top kids should play. I'm talking about kids that are top and get less playing time than a kid that for a lot of the game, ball watches or turns over the ball. That's a cone on the field. No real team value other than wearing a shirt. Actually should get a basket of fruit from the opponent as a thanks for playing consolation. So, yes there are those.

Anonymous said...

Hahahaha. Love it. Yep, when you coach out coaches his/her own team. I'm schmart too, Mike. Yes, Fredo, you are.

Anonymous said...

209 Maybe we define top differently. I dont think the kids you are referring to are top at all.

Anonymous said...

Yes. I am. League defined and top in the club of a premier club. So, yes, I am.

Anonymous said...

Continuing and the soft roster spots are not top. I agree.

Anonymous said...

Soft roster spots are kids that if they show, great, if they don't (prom or whatever) okay too because the team was still successful sometimes more so because they weren't on the field.
Or kids that when they get on the field, you see a shift in the focus, their own teammates have to cover for them so they can't just do their assignments. They have to babysit their teammate, too. That negatively impacts a team and also changes they way they play.

Anonymous said...

209 If your kid is getting less PT than others she is a "top" player. No one disputes the game changer kids are game changer kids. They are obvious to all and don't come off the field in tight games.

Anonymous said...

You would think right? Welcome to our team frustration. Many of us just scratch our heads.

And I not talking about my kid. She does get her time and when games are meaningful, plays full game. She doesn't mind giving time to others to develop when nothing is really at stake. It's part of being a good teammate.

But, this kid. Should be on the field most times and isn't. And, others who are not as productive or soft are left on.

Anonymous said...

Sounds punitive; like coaching head games. Not cool.

Anonymous said...

317 any other issues like attitude or practice attendance with this kid?

Anonymous said...

Or spots being gobbled up by booster kids.

Anonymous said...

No attitude. And kids blew off games for personal things like prom when others were told no; including her. Yet they play. Seems like a personal thing; oh well. Plenty of teams out there.

Anonymous said...

And have already been knocking on her family's door for some time.

Anonymous said...

How about fitness? maybe she isn't fit enough to play more?

Anonymous said...

4:14 - no more or less than some of the others that may be gassed and left on the field. And not trying to be unkind. Some needed a break but were left on. Some wanted to come off. So, why not remove them?

Anonymous said...

Seems personal. Hopefully she is looking at my kid's team.

Anonymous said...

4:26 continuing and a couple have no added value other than for the opponent.

Anonymous said...

wow that's pretty harsh
reading between the lines, it does sound like maybe there is a fitness issue with this kid. Sometimes coaches play a kid like that a big producer off the bench purposefully. They come in with fresh legs when the opponents are tired and kill it. that's smart coaching actually. Is this an ECNL team? The no renetry can create problems with kids that are gassed and can't be subbed because there aren't allowed subs left on the bench

Anonymous said...

No one is disputing the fresh legs thing. but fitness it's no more or less than others left on the field (and some were gasping where she wasn't). And, when given the opportunity to play more, has successfully done so; operative word, successfully.

Anonymous said...

Yep, nope it seems personal. PLEASE get her to our team if they are looking.

Anonymous said...

We have a girl on our team, watched as she was calling for the ball being wide open on the sidelines and she is top scorer. Girl with the ball at least 3-4 times sent it to the middle of the field in traffic only to be picked off instead of getting it to her. THAT girl should should have come off.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like that's the type of kid that is better for the opponent that is being referenced. So, yes, I agree. Trip to the bench and a discussion about how to play the game; distribute to the better option. Keep your personal crap off of the field. On the field, it's about the team. Off the field who cares if you talk.

Anonymous said...

Some it's the soccer iq or lack thereof. Doesn't the wizard of oz hand those out, too? Probably back ordered with/red shoes.

Anonymous said...

We have a gal on our team similar to one described above in the mix of posts.
PLayed a top team yesterday and they kept sending up their fastest kid from the back line to cover this girl because she is so dangerous and we have others too, but zeroing in on her specifically when she had the ball. They saw her play recently and know.
Still, coach takes her out as a sub and leaves on others not being covered by the fastest girl on the opponent and still turning over the ball. Frustrating!

Anonymous said...

Pass this along. Even bad coaching experiences teaches something :
"Looking back I've learned the most from the bad coaches, really, how not to act, how not coach, how not to treat people. So, I always say no matter what situations you're faced with, how bad it is, you can always walk away and learn. You can always rise above it." Jennie Finch (USA Softball player and ESPN analyst)

Anonymous said...

Seems like the coach won't budge from an opinion formed, warranted or not.

It's a weird coaching environment anymore. No hard lines drawn between the coaches and the kids and even the parents of some kids.

Some coaches like it when the kids really engage in conversation with them and some kids just don't want that with their coach. They want a hard line drawn. I'm the athlete and you are my coach. I don't want you to be my close friend nor i yours. I will be friendly toward you (small talk and the like) and hope you are to me as well. I respect you and you should respect me, too.

I'm not a fan of kids, minors, who have their coaches on speed dial. Kind of creepy. A teacher would be called out. Coaches should be too.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that's a lot of chatter. Trying to figure out the message and who it is intended for. The back and forth sounds like two people who know each other texting. If you perceive that your daughter is a top player, is not getting playing time and has stayed with that team it will be tough to change the coaches mind. If your daughter is a top player on the field and is "suffering" because the supporting players that need to be on(in your opinion) are not, you can't change the coaches mind. As a keeper parent I can see the difference when certain players are subbed how that impacts my daughter, but she has a job and needs to compensate. As a keeper she is aware who will take her direction and who won't as well as who needs it and who doesn't. the better players need little direction from her but listen, the bad ones need more direction but don't take it. Same across the field. As a unit players need to respect each other on the field, cover for each other when needed, and be aware. If the team knows the coach has favorites oh well, play your game if you are getting the time, or take a look at other options.

Anonymous said...

516
Do you see any reason this kid isn't getting time? Does she show up to training late or not at all? Is her work rate the same as the others if left in the game longer? Does she take direction? Is she negative to the other kids? Maybe there are others the same, but is there anything other than the coach doesn't "like" her to explain the shorts?

Anonymous said...

823 and others. Why are you concerned with the performance of other kids ? Anyone who has not figured out that this is primarily about how YOUR kid reacts to differing circumstances and challenges will spend a lot of time making excuses and looking for other kids/coaches/parents to blame.

Just take everything as a challenge to be overcome and if you dont like the environment, leave.

You will be surrounded in life by people who are better and worse, good and bad , share your views and dont at all - Deal with it here and you will learn.

Anonymous said...

The discussion arises because its an interesting phenomenon that some have seen. No reason to get on your soap box.

Anonymous said...

1003. Other have it because the majority are not realistic. they see the flaws in other peoples kids and the best in their own. leads to a warped perception of reality.

It interesting that on a message board we take a persons word for how good their kid is even though evidence points to that perhaps being a stretch. I dont think i have ever encountered a situation where a top player got consistently benched for kids that were significantly worse, .

Anonymous said...

"a top player got consistently benched for kids that were significantly worse, ."
All I can do is call BS on this.
This is totally from a parent's warped view of their kid's talent.
UNLESS, kid is top but a total social misfit, prick, non-team player

Anonymous said...

I will be honest - this happened to my daughter. Great season previous year. Tryouts are over and my daughter sits the entire first game of the season, I think it is because the new player needed an additional look, sits out the entire next game. Parents ask if she is injured as she was not playing. Apparently the new coach decided to bench players based on his relationship with incoming players. The decision was based solely on that and not ability. The record went from top 3 to bottom three that year for the team.

Anonymous said...

10:23 AM

I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I have seen coaches with connections to parents (ECNL Level) play their daughters over top players. Usually the connection offers some additional benefit to the coach. Eventually the situation is apparent but it usually has something to do with access to a next level position or compensation. I have also seen collusion between coaches or sibling preference as well.

Anonymous said...

And you or daughter never asked the coach what was up?
i don't get it...

Anonymous said...

11:16 AM

See 10:23 post. two seasons removed and the coach was eventually found out and removed. We moved on.

Anonymous said...

1115 i guess this all comes down to the definition of top. I stand by my comment.

Anonymous said...

11:24 AM

So what are your credentials for evaluating players? Daddy coach? I am a national B license. Retired.

3 of the girls benched were 80 minute starters and a keeper that played 1st half and second half starter in close games previous year (Top 3 finish in league) Each had D1 interest and 2 were in the NT pool. Speculation was either the coach or DOC did not like sharing the NT players. Coach also held back on communicating College coach interest with others.

Anonymous said...

8:23 - I'm a keeper parent too and we have the same issues. It must be universal to a degree, when the kids that need babysitting are subbed in or worse yet, start. It's brutal.
Good luck with the rest of your season.

Anonymous said...

1132 NT pool . Really? Given that all the players in the N Teams are published, I have a feeling your NT pool definition is also open to interpretation.

A coaching license does not make your opinion any more than just an opinion.

Anonymous said...

8:29 - it's an enigma why the coach handles things in a certain way. No explanation. It is baffling not only for us but the kids, too. Hopefully they work it out; otherwise, the team will need to plan around playing against her instead of with her.

Anonymous said...

11:15 - yep, i have seen it too. I can connect the dots to parents doing stuff for the club or team like lining fields, going to benefits, maybe sponsors, doing paperwork, handling schedules, that stuff. Kids should earn their time not have parents earn it for them. Reduce their payments; handle it that way.

Anonymous said...

yup exactly...and ..and ...the russians got trump elected too

Anonymous said...

9:55 - your wondering why people are questioning the performance of other people's kids. At this level, depending on the league and the level of play, but certainly this age, i think there is a reasonable expectation that the kids on the field will have not only an understanding of their basic assignments but also how to play the game.

So, if a high level team has soft roster spots, that's a problem. We are still consumers. If a bill of goods is being sold to us, then we have a complaint and if the complaint is a kid who doesn't even have an understanding of how to play or what she should be doing, then there's a gripe.

If the kid is a cone, there's a gripe. And, you can tell the cones as easily as you can tell the high level kids. It doesn't take a license to pick out the obvious, either one.

Anonymous said...

12:06 - i don't believe that, but you can see where favors are being repaid.

Anonymous said...

I suspect I know at least one of the players being bantered around here. When this kid is hot she is super hot and dangerous. Production per minute played is top notch. I have seen her score 3 goals in 10 minutes. A real asset to the team.

But... sometimes the switch is just turned off. She is often fantastic off the bench because she can really take advantage of her fresh legs. If she is off she doesn't have an upside of great pressure or hold up play to compensate for a lack of production. The coach in my opinion is using her appropriately as a "super sub". I think her production would radically decrease if she were used more on the front end and for longer periods. Smart coaching in my opinion. This kid has won games for the team in this role and has been overall very successful. My kid is a defender so there is no competition or reason for me to say this, but she just isn't a 90 minute kid- at this time.

Anonymous said...

11:32 - so why not come out of retirement and take the reins? THey may appreciate the add'l guidance.

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