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| MESSAGE: | I am on a A u11 girls club team. It is my first season on a club team. I am one of 2 new girls to the team. The other new girl is the only goalie, so she plays a lot. I am not super fast but I play a forward position very good and I have scored 2 goals for the team. I think we have only scored 8 goals so far. My problem is I don't get a lot of play time. Usually 5 minutes a couple of time for the whole game. So I play 15 minutes. I don't feel like it is very much and I always ask to go in. Is this how it is supposed to be? I never miss practice or a game and I work hard during practice to. Should I be playing more, I am only 10 years old. Thank you. |
| Responses |
| ameil43065 On 10/23/2009 9:51:40 AM soccerfun - you are a great girl.. don't let anyone take the fun out of soccer from you and if you are serious about soccer, you find a team/coach that will help you develop your skills and let you play. Best of luck! |
| soccerfan On 10/13/2009 8:30:46 AM Soccerfun--so glad to hear things have improved a bit--that is a good sign that your coach will be responsive and the harder you work, the more you may get to play as you continue to improve. So glad you are talking about it with your parents, too. At this point I would say keep doing what you are doing and at the end of the year when try outs come around see where you are. If you still aren't 100 % happy you may want to talk to your parents about trying out for a different team. Keep up the good work and I wish you the best for the rest of your fall season!! |
| soccerfun On 10/11/2009 11:09:13 AM Ok I am 10 and I am the girl who asked the question, my mom helped me creat a account so I could ask my question. I am smart, all a's in grade 5. I started playing rec soccer when I was 5 and 2 years ago started goysal. The last time I played with my old team I scored 15 goals for the seson. So I asked to try out for my sisters club team. I am getting some more play time now. I get about 20 minute each game now. I am still upset that I don't get to play half of a game. When we were practicing in the summer, the coach let the captains put us where they wanted. They always put me in a defender. Then when games started my coach played me as forward. I asked my coach to tell me some advice so I could get some more playing time. He did and I am working on some things. But the other 9 girls that he always plays together need to work on other stuff to to get better. My mom says no one is perfect at soccer and that everyone should always work to be better even the profesional player. My dad said my coach is wearing blinders like the kind a horse wares. Thanks for helping anser my question, but some of the stuff some people were talking about didn't seem to be anything about my question. I want to keep playing like both my sisters because I am good. |
| cleancleats On 10/5/2009 11:23:46 AM I think a key statement above is that she is ten years old and states "I play a forward position very good". At ten years of age, the majority of girls on a club team want to play forward! Is her playing time limited because the coach is giving many other hardworking players on the team the opportunity to play forward? Her comment "I always ask to go in" does not appear to be the correct approach. At ten years of age she needs to learn that she will be a better player if she is developed at multiple positions on the field. Playing other positions will help identify her strengths on the field. |
| soccerfan On 10/5/2009 8:51:01 AM I see the coaches point on this issue--so let me clarify. Absolutely, club soccer is more competitive and more playing time should go to the best players. However, if you have a roster of 15 and you play 11 v 11---you can leave your best players in for 80-90% of the game and still sub in and out the bottome tier so that they are getting 50 % playing time. My point is that if a child is not good enough to get that 50 % playing time it is far better for a coach to cut them instead of them spending the entire year getting more and more down on themselves. They should be on a different team that actually needs them and can use them at least 50 % of the time--for the good of their development as a soccer player and a person. And, okay--sometimes due to try outs--mistakes happen. A child who really doesnt fit the bill ends up on your team. Do your best for that year, then let them move on---even offer to help them find a team that is a better fit for them. But I've seen kids play on teams year after year after year that they only play 5 minutes a half and in highly competitive games such as tourney championships---they sit out all together. In that situation, the parents are also accountable---not just the coach. Like i said in my other post, some kids personality is such that they can handle that situation and not be torn down by it---but most kids I believe, especially 12 and under, cannot. So parents need to take a close look at what is best for their child in this circumstance. |
| states02 On 10/3/2009 4:46:01 PM Well sorry you feel that way and will tell you that although I do hold a high coaches license, have coached every age from 10 to 20+,boys and girls, at every level, rec to college. I coach my sons rec team and will continue to do so until he is ready to go to the next level. I will know that, and will not need another person to tell me or "place" my child for me! When that time comes it will be decided between me and my child. I actually enjoy coaching this group. And find the parents much more fun to be with. Many are former players themselves. You have yet to answer my questions. I was simply trying to help answer your question. My thought was that maybe you were mislead on what club offered differently from rec. Saying your "daughter is in club soccer because they actually placed her in the right level for her skill set" leads one to believe that you had no real thought in the process. "They" did it for you. So you just shell the money? I'd bet as long as you do that "they" will keep telling you what you want to hear! When they don't you can just call them unprofessional and drag your daughter to someone else who tells you what you want while you pay them. I won't get into the name calling that you've stooped to. For the time being, it appears you and hopefully your child have found a good organization. There are some fantastic ones out there. |
| states02 On 10/3/2009 4:45:47 PM Well sorry you feel that way and will tell you that although I do hold a high coaches license, have coached every age from 10 to 20+,boys and girls, at every level, rec to college. I coach my sons rec team and will continue to do so until he is ready to go to the next level. I will know that, and will not need another person to tell me or "place" my child for me! When that time comes it will be decided between me and my child. I actually enjoy coaching this group. And find the parents much more fun to be with. Many are former players themselves. You have yet to answer my questions. I was simply trying to help answer your question. My thought was that maybe you were mislead on what club offered differently from rec. Saying your "daughter is in club soccer because they actually placed her in the right level for her skill set" leads one to believe that you had no real thought in the process. "They" did it for you. So you just shell the money? I'd bet as long as you do that "they" will keep telling you what you want to hear! When they don't you can just call them unprofessional and drag your daughter to someone else who tells you what you want while you pay them. I won't get into the name calling that you've stooped to. For the time being, it appears you and hopefully your child have found a good organization. There are some fantastic ones out there. |
| ameil43065 On 10/3/2009 1:50:44 PM state02. nice comment in response to my post. You are the frustrated coach who it looks like to me is coaching children that you were forced to place in a higher league by your club. My daughter is in club soccer because they actually placed her in the right level for her skill set, gets quality instruction and is not coached by negative individuals such as yourself. |
| cvthorn On 10/3/2009 12:49:43 PM Hmmmm. That was well written for someone who is only 10... |
| states02 On 10/3/2009 10:29:52 AM Sorry Amile, but you've yet to answer why you decided to go to Club? Why did you leave rec? What do you think the job/duties are for each. You appear to be a frustrated parent that belives that your child is to good for rec? So, you signed your child up for a pay team with a supposed better coach, without doing any research and now are upset with your results or the system. If you honestly believe that equal play and playing every position is critical at this level, I ask again, why did you leave rec where that is what they stress? You say you are not concerned with wins and losses? So why leave rec? To go to tourneys? You can do that with any team. Better training? Go to camps! higher a trainer! There are thousands of free programs out there to help find and develope that unearthed talent you believe this system is distroying and ignoring. You have the ability to pay for training and therfore you give you child more options than many have. Maybe you could use that money to invest in a rec team organization for better training and facilities therefore helping kids as a whole to help counter the mean ol club teams. I now it is not a system with out issues, but as long as PARENTS believe that paying to play is better there will be someone to collect your money. At one time not to long ago, only the best of the best played club. They trained and competed at a high level and held regular open tryouts for talent. But, some PARENTS decide that this was ignoring to many kids (theirs in particular)and that they could put a lesser team together, still charge (excluding those w/o money), and call it a club team. Well of course that still left a large amount of children behind and those PARENTS with money, not wanting to be left behind developed yet another club. This happened over and over until every area of town had 4 to 5 "club" teams. Do you think that there is that much talent throughout every town? This, PARENT ego, I believe lead to the distruction of the rec teams. The talent and coaching left! Sometimes they don't have enough kids at a certain age to even put a league together! So, why would a person who has spent so much time learning their sport volunteer to coach a rec team when somewhere PARENTS want to pay them to coach better kids? What part of this system are you in? I recall you said that sense this young lady isn't getting what she wants (more playing time), she should go to another "club" team. Therfore continueing this nasty nasty thing called select ball. If you really belived what you say. You should have told this young lady to go back/stay involved with her rec league. They need talent like her to help push others to improve. Tell her parents to get involved with training and instruction and in the future, if she felt she was ready to test herself daily against the best competition, try out for Club. Sorry if I've painted you wrong, but after over 30 years in this sport I've seen alot, not all of it good. I don't have the answers, but know that this isn't it. We loose a ton of great athletes to other sports because ours is to expensive to excell in. We need to set up a club system that only picks 1 team per age group per area of town. It could be sponcered, so cost don't dicriminate. Everyone else plays with there local association. If you are not good enough to play that level that year you don't. This would keep good coaches and players at the rec level and continue development for all. Unfortunately this will never happen. Parents will complain when their kid is slighted and rebel against the system. Not to be out done. Old Club coach A belives he is better than Club coach B and joins in the revolution. Ego-Ego-Ego! Notice through this entire thing, the player devolpment is not the focus! Sad! |
| ameil43065 On 10/3/2009 6:43:44 AM one more thing. As far as your reasoning that there may be more than one child at that team that plays a position and she/he is not the best and that is the reason for allowing them 5 minutes per game to play? That is crazy reasoning. if you are developing the team you will allow all the children to play all the positions. Our coach puts every single girl in every single position including at goal and god knows it might have cost us the games at times but that is okay. Apparently it works and it is working we have won two tournaments so far and an A team up from a b team last year. I don't know I am just so disgusted that teams are hurting children that have potential and could be the next soccer star in the future but won't be because they never got a chance to be developed and their self confidence was shot by a bad coach that only cares about winning. |
| ameil43065 On 10/3/2009 6:30:13 AM States2. Okay. I have a 12 year old in one of the best most competitive clubs in columbus. She has been playing soccer since 4. She is not in the highest level but she is good and she does get placed appropriately and does get to play 50% of the game. Your attitude is seriously scary if you are a coach. You are in this for the wrong reason, children at this age need to be developed and I don't care if you pay $100 a season or $1600 then as a parent you expect your child to be coached with their best interest in mind and placed on a team that they can grow on. |
| states02 On 10/2/2009 11:01:58 PM Left a fairly long responce on the other thread, but will try to speak more directly on your question. Who knows your child better, you or a coach that spent 2 hours watching 50+ kids go through a tryout? What is it that makes this person able to hold a tryout and charge for something offered for free at most places? Why are you trying out for a club team? You know your child better than anyone. If your child wants to play club and you think they can handle the extra stresses that come with it. Be a parent and explain to them that making the team is not the end of the job, and that they may be challenged differently than what they are used to. It's not for everyone, thats why it's select. Thats also why it's an option to play. Your option! This young lady states she is working hard at practice and shows up to them. She should be, everyone should. If you are not you shouldn't be on the team. She states that because she has scored she should be playing more. Why? Does this then say that the child that only assist goals shouldn't play as much as the one that scores? Or the girl that scored 4 goals should play more? You quickly want to blame the coach or club as unprofessional yet have no where near enough info. Whats the makeup of the team? Maybe they have 4 strikers and she is one of the few that cannot/will not play another position. Worst thing I see from this young ladies statement is that she says " I always ask to go in." That is usually a big no no! What I would suggest is that instead of asking to go in during a game, that she speak with the coach before or after practice on what she can do to gain more playing time. She appears to want to be better so I'm sure she will continue to work hard to earn more play. And again it is your choice to play or not. Your investment, your decision. |
| ameil43065 On 10/2/2009 5:00:57 PM states02. Are you saying that parents have a say at what level their child is placed in select soccer; I thought the coaches/club made that decision solely during tryouts based on the childs performance? If the club places a child on the "A" team after tryouts you would hope that the club knows that child is able to play at that level. A club/coach owe it to children to have equal playing time especially at age 11 which is the development age. I agree with you in that this girl probably needs to look for another more professionally run club to be a part of in the future. |
| states02 On 10/2/2009 11:23:51 AM Playing time seems to be a discussion at every level and being on every side from player,parent and coach. I think to join a "Club" team and expect equal playing time is wrong. It is your option to play for Club A, Club B or no Club. It is your responcibility as a parent (or older player)to justify what you want for what you pay. The coach or team must not only give great training they must put out quality on the field. This helps continue the Clubs good reputation, allows them to compete for the best athletes and make them money in doing so. There are many well coached teams out there that you can play on that may guarantee equal play and less pay. Just know that is not where you will find the best competition. There is always that scream of "polotics" when money is involved, but if you are the better player, you 9 of 10 times get the greater playing time. At 10-11 you are old enough to work on your own to get better. If another girl is getting more time than you, increase your value through hard work and attitude to force the coach to play you. If you feel you are being unjustly slighted, change teams. |
| soccerfan On 9/29/2009 10:36:15 AM soccerfun: sounds like you are wise and brave for your age. Keep doing what you are doing and ask your parents for help in talking with your coach and club director. coaches: I don't know how some of you can sleep at night. If you don't feel you can play a child at least 50% of EVERY game than do not put them on your team. You are there to develop your ENTIRE team not just the top 8 or 11. After all the top players now may not always be your top players. I have seen kids sobbing at their car after a game at age 10 and 11 that they did not get to play a single second. Parents---get involved!! If lack of play time is effecting your child, put a stop to it before it destroys their self esteem and love of the game. I have seen a child develop stomach aches, headaches, misc. leg pain during games so that the child could save face to their teammates. Better to sit out an entire game because of illness or injury than to have your teammates know your coach just didn't want to put you in. Parents---this can have life long impacts on your child---you need to be their advocate! No child should be treated this way. Socccerfun: Believe me there is a team and a coach out there who will not do this to you---ask your parents to help you find it!!! And please don't think it has anything to do with you. Many times it has to do with things totally out of your control that we adults refer to as "politics". It sounds like your playing time is not a reflection on how hard you work and practice or how good you are----so please keep working hard, playing hard and having fun! |
| cleancleats On 9/26/2009 10:14:41 AM At a young age, it is very important that a player is developed to play multiple positions on the field. Let your coach know you are happy to play elsewhere on the field. Hopefully, this will give you more playing time! |
| CAFC On 9/25/2009 11:39:39 AM Ask your parents to speak with the coach or director of coaching. They should request that you play at least 50% at this age. Players need to play to learn. |