Touchline: Getting cut sucks
Photo from EHSports.com
Commentary by: Ryan Sparks
When a kid doesn’t make a high school, college, or a club team at a certain level for that matter, we have to take a step back and be objective.
Stop being mom, or dad for a second. Remove the emotion from the situation for a second. I know, that isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Really, we all want what is best for our kids. Each of us wants our kid to do well. We want them to exceed expectations. We want them to be “next level”. Most parents think highly of their own child often to a fault. I have been guilty of this in the past. I also hold my kid to a higher standard because of it.
As a coach, I’ve connected with players that I have. It’s often times hard to “cut them” or “move them up” because you really like working with the player but as a coach, sometimes you have to make a really hard decision. I’m a very glass half empty guy. There’s plenty of negativity flowing through my veins but when it comes to player development, my brain is wired differently. I’d be 100% okay with losing EVERY JV game or developmental level game if I believe the players are getting better. EVERY… SINGLE… GAME. I’ve coached teams where in leagues that everyone qualifies for the playoffs, we’ve lost almost every regular season game leading up to the playoff run. We’ve finished 1st or 2nd in the playoffs at the end of the year.
“I believe if there’s an opportunity for a player to get better, the kid should be put on a JV squad. “
I believe if there’s an opportunity for a player to get better, the kid should be put on a JV squad. That being said, if a coach knows that a kid isn’t going to be a contributor on the Varsity squad, it’s hard to keep them around in JV. It’s a rough spot that coaches are in with some players for sure. Some kids don’t develop into a solid player until they grow into their body and understand how that body works. I’ve seen this first hand.
Coaches often times have to cut players that are “GREAT KIDS” and the pain of having to cut one of those players hurts the coach as much as it does the player and the parents.
Parents:
Did your kid do absolutely everything in their power to improve during their time off or leading up to the tryout? If the answer is yes, and they still didn’t make it… Be proud of them for the effort they put forth, and challenge them to work harder to make it next time.
Does your kid put in the extra work and play at a high level, see a trainer, or hit the gym during a his or her off season? If the answer is yes, and they still didn’t make it…congratulate them on putting forth the effort and encourage them to keep working.
Would your kid contribute to the overall success of the squad by offering some sort of attribute that no one else on the other team has?
As a parent, you might think so but, more than likely, the coaching staff doesn’t agree that attribute is enough to roster your player… AND THAT IS OKAY.
Players:
You’re not always going to be picked.
You aren’t always going to fit a coach’s system.
You won’t always agree with choices that a coach makes.
And sometimes, you’re straight up just not good enough to play at the level you think you are OR, someone is just better than you.
That’s hard to understand… especially when you are younger or come from a rec program where everyone gets 50% playing time.
It sucks getting cut today, but how are you going to prepare yourself for tomorrow? That being said, if a coach knows that a kid isn’t going to be a contributor on the Varsity squad, it’s hard to keep them around in JV. It’s a rough spot that coaches are in with some players for sure. Some kids don’t develop into a solid player until they grow into their body and understand how that body works. I’ve seen this first hand.
Coaches often times have to cut players that are “GREAT KIDS” and the pain of having to cut one of those players hurts the coach as much as it does the player and the parents.
Parents:
Did your kid do absolutely everything in their power to improve during their time off or leading up to the tryout? If the answer is yes, and they still didn’t make it… Be proud of them for the effort they put forth, and challenge them to work harder to make it next time.
Does your kid put in the extra work and play at a high level, see a trainer, or hit the gym during a his or her off season? If the answer is yes, and they still didn’t make it…congratulate them on putting forth the effort and encourage them to keep working.
Would your kid contribute to the overall success of the squad by offering some sort of attribute that no one else on the other team has?
As a parent, you might think so but, more than likely, the coaching staff doesn’t agree that attribute is enough to roster your player… AND THAT IS OKAY.
Players:
You’re not always going to be picked.
You aren’t always going to fit a coach’s system.
You won’t always agree with choices that a coach makes.
And sometimes, you’re straight up just not good enough to play at the level you think you are OR, someone is just better than you.
That’s hard to understand… especially when you are younger or come from a rec program where everyone gets 50% playing time.
It sucks getting cut today, but how are you going to prepare yourself for tomorrow?
“Getting cut as an underclassman gives you an opportunity to work your ass off to get better. “
Okay parents, back to you:
Look at the athletes that did make the team.
Take a second to think about the strengths and weaknesses that your child has. What do you know about the game other than “I’ve watched my kid play it over the years”?
Do they really stand up to the majority of the squad? I’d challenge you that if you look at this objectively, you know the honest answer is no, they probably don’t. That doesn’t mean that in the future, they can’t compete for a spot.
Ask yourself what would he/she contribute and did they have room for development in the system that the coach is going to be playing.
More than likely, the answer is no, they probably can’t contribute and probably could find a better way to develop.
Player here’s one big thing to take into consideration following getting cut:
Getting cut as an underclassman gives you an opportunity to work your ass off to get better. Seniors that get cut, it could be the end of your soccer days or you can work hard to try and get better and walk on somewhere in college. As hard as this is to believe, it’s 100% better to get cut and find another way to GROW on and off the field than it is to sit on the bench knowing you’re not going to get a minute of playing time. Your future depends on the next step you take!
