Club/Coach Performance

10sDad wrote:Not a slur....it just has no definition and therefore could not possibly be offensive...as in ---- "it depends on what the definition of 'is' is." - Bill Clinton

Are we talking about 10 year old soccer here? I think you should be the head recruiter for your team. You should call them the aryian nation rough riders. Please correct my spelling if it's incorrect, don't use that word very often...let alone in girls soccer.

Arian nation? You obviously don't know me. That's even low for you. I was having fun with this little banter, but now you have become tiresome. Peace.

10sDad wrote:Arian nation?  You obviously don't know me.  That's even low for you.  I was having fun with this little banter, but now you have become tiresome.  Peace.

Obviously not. But your posts do not come across as you might want them too. Again good luck to your dd and her team. Thanks for the spelling correction.

soccerjack wrote:

10sDad wrote:Arian nation?  You obviously don't know me.  That's even low for you.  I was having fun with this little banter, but now you have become tiresome.  Peace.

Obviously not.  But your posts do not come across as you might want them too.  Again good luck to your dd and her team.  Thanks for the spelling correction.

FYI, I know how Arian is spelled....just thought it would be more effective if you corrected my spelling Homer!...DOH!!!

Wow. This and a few other topics have gone real sideways really quickly. So to hopefully get back on to the original topic....wouldn't you need to look at the age group as a whole? FCD website lists 20 teams in 04 which seems odd as I've never seen nor heard of a number of them but that would mean 1 out of 20. So as a consumer that doesn't seem like such a great deal. Compare that to LP who's site shows 9 teams with 5 qualifying, D'Feeters with 2 out of 3 qualifying, etc. Yea I know every team "isn't trying for LH" but I wonder if the clubs and coaches are explaining that up front to those parents before they ask for the $.

Drlaura wrote:I believe Texans were 4 teams that went into qualifying and 4 made it. 3 D1 (Scott, South, Red) and 1 D3 (White).

You are correct. My bad. I realized my error this (well yesterday now) morning while in the shower getting ready for work. I need to get a life. The D3 team being Mbemba's, formerly w'D'Feeters, correct? So, who is this third D'Feeter's team that didn't qualify? I can only think of the two LFS teams, who was the third?

I'm not sure why the 5 out of 9 vs 2 out of 3 or 4 out of 4 argument is being tossed around. Take into consideration all of the clubs who lost teams within the past 6 months.  I can think of 2 from DT that were both "top 10" at one point, one gone and one went to Rush. And Solar was LP for 3 years before moving over in the Spring. They also had two LH level teams that vanished in the past year (Gold & Crushers).
If any club has a lot of teams in an age group, it probably means they're doing something right, the coaches believe in the system, the resources are favorable, and a lot of people have bought into the philosophy.  Since nearly this entire thread is about development and not about winning the U10 world title, then it should be safe to say a club with many teams can't be labeled as a failure just because they're big and only put in 70% of their teams into LH.

I'm not sure anyone is labeling them a failure. But don't tell me that they're asking for $3500 one minute and telling parents "we're shooting for PPL" the next.

SoccerShocker wrote:

10sDad wrote:You can do whatever research and statistics you want, but it all comes down to recruiting.  There are very few coaches at this age that actually coach, and there is also very few parents or clubs that actively seek out quality coaching.  Winning and coaching/development are mutually exclusive terms in NTX youth soccer.  The worst coach I have ever seen won a few national club championships....but by recruiting, not development...seriously, the guy couldn't develop a polaroid.
Its all about winning, bragging on facebook, and revenue in NTX.  Actual coaching and development is somewhere way down the list...the only way to find a team that is right for your dd is to educate yourself on what a soccer coach actually does (an actual soccer coach...not a glorified rec coach), and go find the one that is the best fit for your dd.  If you go by winning percentage, or LH placement percentage...you will be sorry.

This is very true, but on the occasion, there are exceptions to that rule...  Sometimes you find that ONE coach that has earned both a winning percentage and decent LH percentage AND is a darn good coach to boot.  I swear, it's not a unicorn, it exists...

I agree, and my DD plays for him. We still have two spots available on the roster and will be playing in D1 if anyone is interested and can secure a release. He is a legend in NTX coaching and has an accent, it's just not British.

KnKsDad wrote:

SoccerShocker wrote:

10sDad wrote:You can do whatever research and statistics you want, but it all comes down to recruiting.  There are very few coaches at this age that actually coach, and there is also very few parents or clubs that actively seek out quality coaching.  Winning and coaching/development are mutually exclusive terms in NTX youth soccer.  The worst coach I have ever seen won a few national club championships....but by recruiting, not development...seriously, the guy couldn't develop a polaroid.
Its all about winning, bragging on facebook, and revenue in NTX.  Actual coaching and development is somewhere way down the list...the only way to find a team that is right for your dd is to educate yourself on what a soccer coach actually does (an actual soccer coach...not a glorified rec coach), and go find the one that is the best fit for your dd.  If you go by winning percentage, or LH placement percentage...you will be sorry.

This is very true, but on the occasion, there are exceptions to that rule...  Sometimes you find that ONE coach that has earned both a winning percentage and decent LH percentage AND is a darn good coach to boot.  I swear, it's not a unicorn, it exists...

I agree, and my DD plays for him. We still have two spots available on the roster and will be playing in D1 if anyone is interested and can secure a release. He is a legend in NTX coaching and has an accent, it's just not British.

If you're an '04 parent, why wouldn't you consider TSN? Some parents don't like the accent or loud voice but from a development perspective, Coach Sid is top notch. Check out the progress of his two other teams over the years - always moving up including TSN '97 and TSN '98 both in LHGCL D1!   

ElClassico wrote:I'm not sure anyone is labeling them a failure. But don't tell me that they're asking for $3500 one minute and telling parents "we're shooting for PPL" the next.

That's exactly right. Coaches have been up front with expectations and what's developmentally appropriate for their team and players with long term goals in mind. The parents get on board and buy into the plan and accept the level of their team or daughter.

KnKsDad wrote:

SoccerShocker wrote:

10sDad wrote:You can do whatever research and statistics you want, but it all comes down to recruiting.  There are very few coaches at this age that actually coach, and there is also very few parents or clubs that actively seek out quality coaching.  Winning and coaching/development are mutually exclusive terms in NTX youth soccer.  The worst coach I have ever seen won a few national club championships....but by recruiting, not development...seriously, the guy couldn't develop a polaroid.
Its all about winning, bragging on facebook, and revenue in NTX.  Actual coaching and development is somewhere way down the list...the only way to find a team that is right for your dd is to educate yourself on what a soccer coach actually does (an actual soccer coach...not a glorified rec coach), and go find the one that is the best fit for your dd.  If you go by winning percentage, or LH placement percentage...you will be sorry.

This is very true, but on the occasion, there are exceptions to that rule...  Sometimes you find that ONE coach that has earned both a winning percentage and decent LH percentage AND is a darn good coach to boot.  I swear, it's not a unicorn, it exists...

I agree, and my DD plays for him. We still have two spots available on the roster and will be playing in D1 if anyone is interested and can secure a release. He is a legend in NTX coaching and has an accent, it's just not British.

So would this post be considered recruiting? 'Cause it all comes down to that, right? Too much emphasis is being placed on winning and statistics and percentages at this point. You can't choose a team or coach based on that because there is one HUGE variable that is being ignored......these are 10 yr old girls. As far as the systems go, there is no single system taught throughout an entire club around here. It all boils down to what the coach on a specific team is teaching and I'm not aware of a coach that has been with a team from U7 all the way to U19. I'm probably wrong, but at this point I'm not aware of one. Somebody posted about "not wanting to do the research" or whatever. I'm sorry, but if I'm spending $3K, I'm gonna know what I'm spending it on and I want to at least feel like I'm getting what I'm paying for. Sometimes that takes the old eyeball test and not what some parent says that just wants to pad their kid's roster. I watch a lot of teams play a lot of games and there are some good coaches out there that don't win every game partially because of personnel and partially because they won't sacrifice what they're trying to teach just to get a win. That is something to be considered as well. If you truly want your kid to learn how to play soccer, or any sport for that matter, you have to do a little research, put your eyeballs on it, and not just listen to what somebody says.

Jules Rimet wrote:

ElClassico wrote:I'm not sure anyone is labeling them a failure. But don't tell me that they're asking for $3500 one minute and telling parents "we're shooting for PPL" the next.

That's exactly right. Coaches have been up front with expectations and what's developmentally appropriate for their team and players with long term goals in mind.  The parents get on board and buy into the plan and accept the level of their team or daughter.

I saw the D'feeters White/Carragher game this past weekend. I realize I'm partial to one of the teams in particular, but I'd let my kid play on either of those teams in a heartbeat. Both were very well coached no matter which league or division they were "shooting for."

soccerjack wrote:

10sDad wrote:

soccerjack wrote:

10sDad wrote:

Sweet_feet99 wrote:

10sDad wrote:
you got jokes...and see the other thread.  But as far as FBR goes - yes, it is accurate for ranking...never said otherwise.  My comment was that parents look at that and want their kid on a "top ten" team....which, in turn makes the top teams stronger, and the lower teams weaker...a self-fulfilling prophecy.  

Not every parent wants their kid on a top ten team, some kids don't want to join a top team. And why so upset about what league you play in. If you like your coach and he's teaching "developing" your DD, then why all the fuss. A part of that development is teaching the girls how to defend against the "bootball". It's a part of soccer. Why so bitter, your DD still has her coach and team developing possession soccer. I'm sure CJ will have the team  playing better by the time QT's come back around. Until then, maybe you shouldn't attract so much attention to your team. I remember when CJ's teams didn't have that unwanted attention. They just played ball and didn't worry about wins or stats or rankings. But then again that was a completely different team now wasn't it.

Now that there is funny.  And you, of all people should understand why I think that is funny.  
I will say it again...happy with the coach.  Happy with the style of play being taught.  Coaching she is receiving now will be a huge advantage in a couple years.  Sad about the not making LH - its less about the "prestige", and more about the challenge.  This team can challenge any of the bottom 10 in D1, and would probably go at least 50% or better in D3...but Plano is a slower game, thus handicapping development efforts as applying the lessons learned in practice at game speed is lacking.  You are correct about defending the bootball style...we tried...and were 99% effective...just like birth control.
Thats why.

I am proud to announce you not only won the Jacka$$ of the day award...But now you are the proud recipient of the Grade A A$$clown award!  This is a great achievement never done before.  Whats amazing, is most on here gave compliments to your team and you have done nothing but bad mouth every team your kid lost to.  I'm sure this will help with future recruiting for your coach and might give teams in PPL added incentive to "dare I say..score a goal against your team" cheatin bunch of brats..running down the field and kicking the ball in the goal.

Jeez, Jack -
Thanks for the award...but that was probably my least offensive post of the day!  You are starting to sound like one of those whackjobs that are just looking for any word at all to be offended at....  here is a word for you:  "is"  ---are you offended?

Wow...you just keep throwing them.  To let you know I am a middle aged white man.  But I caught what might be perceived as a slur... "is" ---are you offended?  Again wow.  Keep up the recruiting.  I would certainly hope your intent here is different from how it comes across.  I prefer to keep it interesting and say I'm a hot soccer mom.  Good luck.

Prove it!
I prefer the eyeball test, not just word of mouth.   

soccerjack wrote:

10sDad wrote:Arian nation?  You obviously don't know me.  That's even low for you.  I was having fun with this little banter, but now you have become tiresome.  Peace.

Obviously not.  But your posts do not come across as you might want them too.  Again good luck to your dd and her team.  Thanks for the spelling correction.

Curious, how do You think Your posts come across?

adufresne wrote: I watch a lot of teams play a lot of games and there are some good coaches out there that don't win every game partially because of personnel and partially because they won't sacrifice what they're trying to teach just to get a win.  That is something to be considered as well.  If you truly want your kid to learn how to play soccer, or any sport for that matter, you have to do a little research, put your eyeballs on it, and not just listen to what somebody says.  

It took me a lot of years of vicarious living, chest thumping, sideline yelling, point chasing, hair graying and turf monster arguing to figure out the above. We all have our sights set on varied goals and use different yardsticks to measure, and for most it is LH or the top of academy FBR. Or ECNL or college, and that's fine, there's nothing wrong with that, three of my four have gone those routes. But the best "teaching" coach we have run across between all my dds coaches sits over in PPL. Played on one of the most famed World Cup teams in history. Pele's final national team goal was a pass to and cross from this coach. Relates extraordinarily well with the girls. Don't get me wrong he's a competitor and loves to win, but will never be at the top of LH because has no interest in recruiting or big club politics. His only desire is taking whomever wants to learn soccer at whatever skill level they come with, infusing them with his knowledge and squeezing the very most out of them. It may not be the norm, but i believe there are a handful of quality coaches like this at lower levels, and if i had it to do over again I would have started using my eyeballs much sooner, dds may have enjoyed the game even more, and my hair would perhaps be a little less gray.

SteamingBean wrote:

adufresne wrote: I watch a lot of teams play a lot of games and there are some good coaches out there that don't win every game partially because of personnel and partially because they won't sacrifice what they're trying to teach just to get a win.  That is something to be considered as well.  If you truly want your kid to learn how to play soccer, or any sport for that matter, you have to do a little research, put your eyeballs on it, and not just listen to what somebody says.  

It took me a lot of years of vicarious living, chest thumping, sideline yelling, point chasing, hair graying and turf monster arguing to figure out the above. We all have our sights set on varied goals and use different yardsticks to measure, and for most it is LH or the top of academy FBR.  Or ECNL or college, and that's fine, there's nothing wrong with that, three of my four have gone those routes.  But the best "teaching" coach we have run across between all my dds coaches sits over in PPL.  Played on one of the most famed World Cup teams in history. Pele's final national team goal was a pass to and cross from this coach.  Relates extraordinarily well with the girls. Don't get me wrong he's a competitor and loves to win, but will never be at the top of LH because has no interest in recruiting or big club politics.  His only desire is taking whomever wants to learn soccer at whatever skill level they come with, infusing them with his knowledge and squeezing the very most out of them.  It may not be the norm, but i believe there are a handful of quality coaches like this at lower levels, and if i had it to do over again I would have started using my eyeballs much sooner, dds may have enjoyed the game even more, and my hair would perhaps be a little less gray.

Nice post. If you don't mind sharing who he is, please let those of us who don't know, know who is. Or PM me if you don't want to share it publicly.

SteamingBean wrote:But the best "teaching" coach we have run across between all my dds coaches sits over in PPL.  Played on one of the most famed World Cup teams in history. Pele's final national team goal was a pass to and cross from this coach.  Relates extraordinarily well with the girls. Don't get me wrong he's a competitor and loves to win, but will never be at the top of LH because has no interest in recruiting or big club politics.  His only desire is taking whomever wants to learn soccer at whatever skill level they come with, infusing them with his knowledge and squeezing the very most out of them.  It may not be the norm, but i believe there are a handful of quality coaches like this at lower levels, and if i had it to do over again I would have started using my eyeballs much sooner, dds may have enjoyed the game even more, and my hair would perhaps be a little less gray.

I'm pretty sure I know who you are talking about and I totally agree. The man is probably ~65 years old and still has a loving passion for teaching kids to play the game. It's obvious that he cares about the kids. He's a joy to watch interact with young players, especially knowing his body of professional work. Great point about results not necessarily being an indicator of ability.

My personal opinion is that there is a direct relationship between coaches whose full-time job is soccer and the focus on results. I'm not telling anyone anything that's not already known, but the fact is that the economics of this soccer business drives much more than perhaps we all think it should. If his livelihood depends on his teams, it's in the coach's interest to push for high profile results now. It's been cited on this forum plenty - more wins attracts more players resulting in more money. I've had at least one coach tell me that they changed their approach to developing and coaching a team when they quit their day job to solely do soccer. At that point, the paycheck depends on winning. Development and future results take a back seat to rent and the car payment that are due now. Removing that from the equation was honestly one of the qualities I considered when looking for my DD's coach.