How can we make the best of a disappointing first club soccer experience?
This is my U12 daughter’s first year of club soccer after three years of rec and two years of rec-plus (a tryout team).
We attended practices with three clubs and chose the smallest one because it seemed to offer a more personalized experience and excellent technical training. She loved the practice she attended; the players were focused, they moved through the drills like they cared about it, and you could tell that they played together well. The training fields are also only seven minutes from our house, which was a great bonus. Two of her friends from rec-plus joined as well, and all three were placed on the second of the club’s two teams (they had three last year but barely could put two together I guess). We were a little disappointed but happy they were all together.
Because of a very wet week, the team had only one practice before its first tournament. Still, after the first two games, it became clear that the team was at a very different level from the group she had practiced with. My daughter and her two former teammates appear to be among the strongest players, while many of the others are still developing basic skills and their understanding of the game. The team struggled with positioning, offsides, and throw-ins, and my daughter came away very frustrated because she couldn’t play the kind of soccer she used to.
I’m trying to focus on the positives and determine whether the experience will justify the expense. She is guaranteed three practices per week, the technical training is excellent, and the coach seems experienced, personable, and capable of teaching her a lot. Players who stand out may also have opportunities to guest with the A team, which currently has only 11 or 12 players for 9v9. Next year, the age group moves to 11v11, so may this year can be seen as an opportunity to earn a place on that team.
Has anyone been in a similar situation? How did you help your child stay positive and continue developing when the overall level of the team was lower than expected?