SC Soccer Forums SCSoccer.com Forums Club Soccer & ODP There's no "I" in team......but everyone wants to play!

As the season comes to a close with conference championships, tournament championships, promotion/relegation, and state cup titles at stake, I see a lot of coaches of competitive teams (college, high school and club) having to make some tough decisions. Playing time is at a premium. Many kids who have been very good players throughout their careers, and have acheived a roster spot on a top-notch team, are now finding themselves spending a lot of time on the bench. Some don't even get into the match. I guess this is one of the many sacrafices you make for playing at the highest level.

I've also seen expanded rosters. Many college teams carry over 25 players. Many competitive club teams are carrying 17 and 18 players. The revenue is good but it makes it very tough on the coach come crunch time.

My experience is that girls are a little different from boys. Both genders want to be on the field, but with girls, I really feel that they have a little more sympathy toward their teammate on the bench. Girls want to see their friends happy and girls want to see their teammates play.

As a parent, it can be very uncomfortable too. Your kid is playing, your buddy's kid (the best friend of your son or daughter) is not. How do you sympathize? What do you say?

As the parent of the kid who is not perhaps getting the playing time you think they deserve (when the games become very important)....what do you do? Your kid is in tears after the match. If the team won....hey, be positive ("Great game, huh?")

If your team lost, and you feel your kid is getting a raw deal.....do you find yourself relishing in a little schadenfreude? Do you feel guilty about feeling this way?

Thoughts?

But there is an "M" and an "E". Also, Darwinism applies: only the strong survive (or play)!

Absolutely 202677.

There's no middle ground. Nobody gets a guarantee that once they get on the "A" team, that everything is going to be peachy.

Been on both sides of the fence with this one..No any answers for anyone.I always tried to talk about anything else but as to why my child is or is not playing..I always stressed the FUN factor in the game..If they are not having fun then they should be playing where it is fun for them..Even the ones that are playing at a higher level seem more or get more frustrated at times with the game..It's not an easy road for anyone

Development - It's all about touches on the ball. I would rather my kid be on a good team getting playing time and touches than on a great time and getting little playing time. Same thing in high school with the transition from JV to varsity. I would rather see a 10th grader playing JV and being a vital part of the team than on varsity and sitting.

^ Agreed. Can't develop players if they don't get meaningful playing time. Meaningful meaning that playing is not with 5 minutes left and you are up 3-0 or 5 minutes left and you are down 3-0. That's crap.

Development?

Development is for U9-U12.....maybe U13. But once you start playing State Cups, R3PL, etc etc.....its only about winning. Period.

Not saying its right....but to be playing at that level and thinking that there is some other agenda at play is misguided and simplistic.

And......if you don't agree with those priorities then don't dance to the music.

so what happens to the exceptional player who is on a poor team? Do they switch clubs, play up or suffer through the frustration of playing on a sub-par team? Be reminded that although the decision is the childs the club and teammates will certainly have animosity surounding any decision. The issues are different but we need to remember that both types of players are confronted with difficult circumstances.

As a parent of a couple of soccer players I've come to realize that its all about the Peter Principle.

You have a talented, motivated kid.....and you give them every opportunity to play and grow and get better.....until they peak out. And they will peak out. And the realization for these young kids and parents....that they aren't as good as they thought can be rough.

Then priorities adapt and you just have fun. The game is fun, competing is fun. Have fun. Compete as hard as you can until its not fun anymore. Then cut back. One of the posters said that....and its probably as good of advice as anything.