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Bridge Parent,
Very honest and good posts...Committment should work both ways but the desire to win NOW gets in the way..It's a crap shoot when you pick up new players..they could help the team but most of the time there is no change..But sometimes teams evolve and the cream rises to the top..That's why you do what is best for your child..First and the team comes second

IMO- When you move to challenge and premier league level play it has more to do with a players level of play and competitiveness not a parents commitment to the team.

There is little way that a team can grow and increase how competitive they are based solely on player commitment- I can be committed to a lot of things but that doesn't mean I am good at them!

The Bridge concept embraces development based on skill not where you are from or how long you have been on a team- Sometimes the team just plain outgrows a player!

If "keeping" the team together is important play rec ball- then a dad can coach and the team will remain intact...I for one pay good money and feel I get a great return on that investment for my child to be trained- If he doesn't cut the mustard then he needs to sit the bench or not make the team the next season. Look at the stats of the team and see just how much those "new" players have added- I think those stats speak for themselves.

This is dirty laundry- keep it to yourself or step up and say it to someones face- be adult---- it is ludicrous that a parent would get on a public forum and make such statements about their childs OWN team and team mates!!!

BRIDGEPARENT needs to be ashamed of themselves- IMO-This forum is to discuss,stir up some good natured rivalry and talk/learn about the beautiful game not to personally attack others-

I am a parent of a CESA premier player. I have been reading the posts on this site and feel that a comment is warranted. I was at first concerned about the BFA forming with the sole reason of competing against CESA. It is clear that unless the BFA and other clubs in the area pull themselves together and start acting rationally that we really have no reason to worry. It appears that you are "eating your young" and self destructing on your own. I really do wish you luck as there is a severe lack of competition in this state.

[IMO- When you move to challenge and premier league level play it has more to do with a players level of play and competitiveness not a parents commitment to the team....I can be committed to a lot of things but that doesn't mean I am good at them!....The Bridge concept embraces development based on skill not where you are from or how long you have been on a team....Look at the stats of the team and see just how much those "new" players have added- I think those stats speak for themselves.]

I think Pockets is pretty narrowly focused on what an ELITE player IS. An ELITE player has good soccer skills {of course), is committed to his/her (CHICO) training/team, is good in school and social activities. I've heard that you can look at the soccer stats and be misled about ELITE, look at the off-field behavior and you'll see a different picture. For example, look at the SCSOCCER.COM link about Mike Gustavson (USC), think about commitment and quality. I stress to my kids, "OPTIONS". Whatever you do in life, does it create more or less options for you? At 6'4" 180 lbs you'd think Mike has a lot going for him, it probably got him into college as a Goalkeeper - God given! Now what did he do with it? The thread talks of arrests, a 0.00 GPA (someone should have told him that GPA/higher/better vs >GAA/lower/better). So, what's the ELITE player's off-field stats: Now let's suppose the player BFA picked up from MPSC has recently cursed out a teacher, broken a fellow students nose and now has in school suspension. NOT QUALITIES OF AN ELITE PLAYER. I think the coaching staff at BFA needs to do a little more homework before picking up players from the region. AND ALL COACHES/PLAYERS SHOULD THINK ABOUT THIS! THIS INCLUDES PLAY POLICY SUCH AS SUSPENSION IN HIGH SCHOOL FOR DRUGS/ALCOHOL OR BEING KICKED OUT OF A HIGH SCHOOL FOR POOR BEHAVIOR.

You can call it dirty laundry but how do you clean it up?

For the U14's, this should be the real discussion, NOT the 30 day waiting period 'cause a coach didn't sign his papers.

I am soooo glad I am out of this circus.

"When I say it's a game, you say it's a business. When I say it's a business, you say it's a game".

There's a fine line of hypocrisy that most of us walk in this game of youth soccer, particularly at the highest level of play. A friend of mine told me that a DOC once told him that parents of high level players are ALWAYS unhappy. Never believing that their sons and daughters best interests are being looked after sufficiently.

We want loyalty and committment.....yet bail for a perceived better oppportunity for our kids, or a better player for a team. We seek out higher competition....then bemoan the loss of community that we felt when our kids were on a tighly knit U10 team full of neighborhood kids.

Parents want successful competition AND community for their kids.....clubs want successful competition AND community for their teams. Sometimes it works and sometimes kids and families get caught in the crossfire.

I remember U-10, when everything was pure & innocent. Ahhh, the good old days. Cherish these moments you U-10 parents....bigger kids, bigger problems.

HURST, you are sooo right. The soccer problems that the kids have at U14-U17 [commitment starts to fade, other activities are more distracting, drugs/alcohol/blah..blah..blah]. I asked how do you clean it up? I found the answer in your post, "Kids play sports because they find it fun. Eliminate the fun and soon you eliminate the kid." I think most of the soccer players in the lowcountry know eachother and like eachother. It's parents stirring the pot that takes the fun out of it.