Pay to Play sports and club teams

I coach an independent team. We’ve been together for a few seasons. I have a question for those that “Pay to play”.

Question after my game today against a “club” team: I got in a discussion/disagreement with a coach today after I felt his kids slide tackling wasn’t safe for 8 year old kids. The third time it was from behind and took one of our players out for the game. He explained to me that I’m an “independent” coach and my team sucked. I advised him that we are winning and we beat them the last time we played. His answer was “who cares, this is our 3rd best team...since you’re free you should have the better players”. I explained that we don’t have the resources that he has, but at the same time we make this about soccer and not money. I want the kids to have fun, learn soccer, and not have to pay tons of money doing it. Is this what it has come to? Is being part of a “club” that important? This coach had 6-7 subs for a 7v7 game. Is this how kids at 8-9 years old grow...sitting on the bench watching their friends play?

My daughter plays on a “select” team for a club, but I don’t mind as it’s one of the least expensive and her coach only has her team. It’s part of a club, but none of what I perceive as the “money grabbing” clubs. We also waited until U12 to do select.

My concern/questions are vast, but is it really important to say that my son/daughter plays for “X” club? Is your child getting fully exposed to playing if they’re not getting in the game on their “3rd best team”? Is this how you would want your coach to talk about their team? Is the money you’re spending going to your child’s growth or just the pockets of some of these coaches?

I know they’re some great coaches in it for the right reasons, but in my 5 years in Texas it seems that those are few and far between.

I also have an independent club (Lobos F.C.) , I have had other "big clubs" talk down on me but we always end up beating them. I also do it to help these kids play at a higher level. For example today i played a FCD team and 2 of my ex players are on that team and we blew them out 8-0, The reason they left my team was because the parents wanted them to play for a "known" team. They also had 6 subs while i had 2.

We have 2 subs as well. Plenty of playing time and learning. While I love to win it isn’t always about that to me. If they’re developing and getting better then those wins will come. We’re 5-0-1 this year, but I’m most proud of how every game the boys are getting better and better. Isn’t that what it’s about?

Wow thats good. My kids it was there first season playing outdoor and some of my top players have been sick alot . Were 3-3. But when we have had our full squad we have blown out opponents. And yes development is the most important thing.

There are definitely coaches/parents' egos out there that muddy the waters per se. I've found that some parents would rather have their son play with a big club where they recognize the name only, roster on a team with 12-14 players, and get minimal playing time than he would on a smaller team. At the same time, the resources that you speak of are partially funded by these bottom-dwelling teams that coaches' are 'requested' to coach. I hope that youth soccer can get some deep-pocketed boosters to flip this pay-to-play model upside down. I'm not sure it will fix all the issues, but at least it will help address some of them.

Agreed. There are too many kids that are left out of the process all because their parents can't financially afford to keep up. I'd love to start/be part of a "club" that is focused strictly on development and not the dollar. A club that lets kids play multiple sports a year. The specialization in sports is what is killing players/kids from finding out what they are most happy playing. Kids are burnt out by 15-16 years old because their parents pay a lot of money for them to do these sports and they make them do it. What I saw yesterday was 3-4 kids on the sideline that were not engaged as they knew they had no chance of playing. At one point the coach told a player on the field "if you can't get me a goal then you might as well sit here too". There was no encouragement, nothing...it's either you perform for me or your out. At 8-9 years old that is the perfect recipe to burn a kid out!

I am glad that I am not the only one that thinks player development and having fun is more important than the money.As an independent team we might not have the top coaching big clubs have but I can assure you we know how to develop players.We have an 04 boys team that 70% of my roster have been with us since 6-7 years old and have developed in to very good players.

Kudos to 
jgarcia303030 
lobosfc17

Keep up the good work

my son plays for a large club and we are growing increasingly frustrated by the amount of kids on the team and how it translates on the field. there are usually 4 to 5 kids on the bench- considering the game is only 50 minutes, that is not very much playing time for everyone. for the price that people are paying, they are always going to show up. makes you wonder what the point of all of this is. it is starting to take the fun out of the whole process. We waste 3 hours every weekend for 30-40 minutes of actual playing. he plays in div 1 and I almost wonder if it is better to not be in classic at all, take away the constant pressure of winning, and join a primetime or plano team. at least he will get to play a bunch and leave the field unstressed.

I hear this all too often especially with teams that my daughter plays. What is the point of all of this? Do you think the kid really cares that they play fora certain club? All they really care about is having fun and playing with their buddies. Once the parents realize this there expectations and demands of the clubs with change. However, the problem is that by paying so much money you are convinced that you are receiving some kind of service.

Again, there are plenty of great coaches out there. I understand everyone has to make a living, but the way all sports, not just soccer, is going is creating this crazy stress filled environment for kids. Are they playing sports because they love to or because their parents feel this is how they are going to get a scholarship or become a professional. Crazy...

jgarcia303030 wrote:Agreed. There are too many kids that are left out of the process all because their parents can't financially afford to keep up. I'd love to start/be part of a "club" that is focused strictly on development and not the dollar. A club that lets kids play multiple sports a year. The specialization in sports is what is killing players/kids from finding out what they are most happy playing. Kids are burnt out by 15-16 years old because their parents pay a lot of money for them to do these sports and they make them do it. What I saw yesterday was 3-4 kids on the sideline that were not engaged as they knew they had no chance of playing. At one point the coach told a player on the field "if you can't get me a goal then you might as well sit here too". There was no encouragement, nothing...it's either you perform for me or your out. At 8-9 years old that is the perfect recipe to burn a kid out!

YES - I agree 100%!!!! Youth Sports should be a fun experience for the Kids .... not a pressure-cooker and hodor specialization at age 9-10

We haven’t really heard from the club coaches. What are your thoughts on being part of a club? What are your expectations? What issues do you have from parents/managers, etc...

I think a good thing would be for some of these coaches to run clinics for parents that want to coach. Make the rec and early years more productive with better coaches. There are lots of families that don’t want to play soccer year round, but would still love to teach aspects of the game that will help their children/teams to better understand the game at the rec level. Why not use resources that way and give all of these coaches better information to help develop players. This is one way I think we can grow the sport and still make it enjoyable for lots of kids.

Most club coaches do this as a FT job, yes a FT job w/o any income outside of what they make from their teams. One could determine that someone in this position will put their priorities over anyone else, or even development - hence the win over development debate.

One could also determine that a larger roster translates to more money, or perhaps clubs set the amount of kids a coach needs on the roster in order to get max pay.

Not saying this is the entire problem but when a coach/club are looking at teams as money well, you know where the priorities lay.

always about the money and when you sign the contract, play times over boy

Kudos to all the independent team/coaches out there. You will occassionally see sideline behavior like what jgarcia303030 stated earlier but it is fact of life in this soccer frenzy times. It is one thing for a coach/parent to say this is about development and fun for the kid but to live it out at a weekend game.

You guys are investing your precious time and experience into future generation and making it affordable to all. Keep up the good work.

lobosfc17
chelsea east
jgarcia303030