Player/Parent Survey 2007

Needs Attention

 

There were 76 responses to a question about Matters of the Club which NEED ATTENTION. The sample size was 235 participants in the survey.

 

We felt that some of the responses in this section dealt mainly with Communications. We have tried to address those questions under a companion piece on the web site.

 

Some of the responses were team-specific and we hope to deal with those issues accordingly. Quite a few of your observations were emotionally charged, questioning the player selection process (Premier, AC and D3), treatment of players by coaches, playing time, Pleasanton versus out-of-town players. We know that you want and deserve the best treatment for your daughter. Parents and players need to be aware of the various policies already in place and detailed in the Parents Handbook (also on the web site).

 

You should know that a number of Board members (current and past) go through the same anxiety that you expressed in many of the questions. Some of us have daughters who play competitive soccer, but who have either moved from Premier to AC or D3 or Rec, or even stopped playing. We have daughters who once might have been starters, but now are not. No Board memberÕs daughter is guaranteed anything nor advantaged in playing time. We, too, feel the emotions expressed by many of your comments. Because there is a huge element of emotional pain in competitive sports, we try to create ways to match the athlete with the opportunities.

 

1.     Who does RAGE serve in its competitive program?

á       RAGE brings soccer to about 2000 girls, of whom about 20% are in our competitive program. In the earliest years of the competitive program, one key measurement of success was the number of girls who played in a college setting (each year about 15or more RAGE girls go on to play Division 1 college soccer). As our competitive program evolved and more players became included, we determined that we could provide excellent training and coaching for players who might not seek or achieve Division 1 attention. We are rapidly proceeding to our goal of accommodating a wider spectrum of girls. Not every girl who comes to RAGE has the same technical, tactical, physical and psychological capabilities. Yet, each family has entrusted us with developing a better soccer player, achieving considerable success, while greatly enjoying the experience. We can best serve the most girls by placing them on the appropriate three or four competitive teams at each age level. Then we have the obligation of providing them with similar opportunities to learn. We truly regret that this necessitates some real disappointments and heartache.

á       In 2007, we fielded the strongest list of coaches in our AC program. We supplemented our terrific D3 volunteer coaches with trainers, professionals to provide a second set of eyes. The results speak volumes. Evaluations by players and parents are far more positive (not universally so, however). Many of our AC and D3 teams are experiencing their best win-loss records. However, in some cases, there were surprises in the cost component of soccer. We regret that we did not communicate this eventuality at all well enough, and pledge to do a better job in the future. Your club is COMMITTED to the AC and D3 programs and will aggressively develop a strategy to introduce more of these qualified players to college coaches. Darin Preszler has been charged with much of that responsibility.

á       Because RAGE is one of the most successful clubs in the Bay area and has a great track record for placement of players in colleges, there is going to be movement of the areaÕs best players to RAGE. That will result in the displacement of Pleasanton players from the Premier teams. That DOES NOT MEAN that Pleasanton players will receive an overall inferior experience. If we are successful in recruiting the highest quality coaches and trainers for the AC and D3 teams, we can assure you that those players will be constantly challenged and very likely be more successful in achieving their own personal best results. We want the greatest number of players in circumstances where they can thrive, finding personal satisfaction and success.

á       If there are 50 good girls soccer clubs in the Bay area, each with two or three really talented players at each age group, there are 100-150 players who might aspire to going to a club which offers superior training through the high school years. LetÕs say there are ten such superior clubs in the area. The math suggests that each RAGE team may see 10-15 non-Pleasanton players ultimately aspiring to join us. We all hope that Pleasanton girls are better trained and stay on at the highest level. In many years that will be the case, but in others that will not be true.

á       Here are the FACTS for Pleasanton players on our competitive teams at the beginning of the 2007-2008 season.

 

 

D1 Premier          D1 AC          D3

 

U11          2/18                    1/16            0/15

U12          1/16                    0/16            0/33 (two teams)

U13          4/17                    2/16            0/34 (two teams)

U14          9/18                    3/16            0/30 (two teams)

U15          9/15                    5/16            0/16

U16          4/15                    3/16            7/15

U17          10/18                  4/18          no team

U18          15/18                no team        1/18

 

TOTAL  54/135                18/114         8/161

                 40%                     16%            5%

 

Of the 410 players in our competitive program, 80 (20%) are non-Pleasanton residents, but 40% of our Premier team players are not from Pleasanton. At several ages, there are specific reasons for this.

 

á       Can we refuse to accept girls from outside of Pleasanton? Yes, but what happens to the majority of Pleasanton girls who otherwise would qualify to play at our Premier level? Do they stay in Pleasanton or are they more likely to leave for other clubs which can provide them with the level of competition they demand? Your Board feels that by providing an outstanding program at the AC level and at D3 we can accommodate all Pleasanton players and still retain those who seek the highest level of competition.

 

 

2.     Playing time is another highly emotional issue.

á       At the youngest ages, we try to assure every child of playing half the games. After a few years of competitive soccer experience, it evolves that playing time will be less equal. Midfielders (especially outside midfielders) and forwards will likely share time because of the physical exertion level. Defenders usually do not have to cover the same distances during games, so are less likely to be substituted due to exertion. Playing time will become a carrot in some cases, with those players who are working extra hard at practice or achieving team and personal goals receiving the reward of a starting position or more time on the field. Progressing to older ages, maybe U14 or possibly earlier, starters will be established and they may play entire games, even in demanding positions. It may be devastating to attend games and not see your daughter play much or even at all. Discuss this with your coach, find out how she can see more time on the field, ask the probing questions about her future on the team, ask your daughter about her happiness with the situation and what really matters to her in her soccer experience. She may surprise you with her answers. Maybe an important role on the AC team would overcome any disappointment of not being on the Premier team. Ask the Technical Staff about our dedication to making the AC and D3 experience exceptional.

 

3.     There was considerable agreement that RAGE needs all-weather lit field capability. Of the 165 who responded to the importance of a RAGE investment in such a facility, 77% said it was ÒessentialÓ or ÒimportantÓ.  Fields/Facilities was second only to Coaching (80% said this was the most important component, and we agree wholeheartedly) as to importance.

 

á       There is probably no opportunity to partner with a developer in Pleasanton, as there is almost no available land for residential construction of a size to warrant cooperation. As you may know, Val Vista neighbors were adamant about their opposition to lights. The high schools are severely constrained in the hours they may use their football field lights. The club has identified Upper Bernal and Foothill High School as two candidates for cooperation. Foothill has a largely unused practice field, which could be developed, as a baseball/practice field. RAGE and BUSC are continuing our conversations with PUSD about this development. The soccer clubs would have to make a considerable donation for this to happen, but the school district seems enthusiastic. Upper Bernal, also a PUSD property, would require City funding, which means local (park-adjacent) community cooperation. The only other opportunities seem to be Bernal Park and Staples Ranch, both of which may be decades from realization. Both Foothill and Upper Bernal would require considerable financial support from the RAGE membership. Likely we would have to borrow funds from local banks and we would have to commit ongoing funds for field maintenance and replacement, which occurs after about ten years of use. Any commitment of RAGE money would come with a promise that it would be used by all constituencies of the club. One club member suggested a spring league to better equip our players. We have done Spring Soccer (rec) and NorCal (Premier). An all-weather field could re-energize our Spring Soccer program.

 

4.     Mentor younger or less experienced coaches

 

á       We are going to do that. We recognize the need to provide leadership for coaches, not because they are not knowledgeable, but because it takes years of experience to develop the right communication skills, especially with younger girls. It has taken years of successes and failures to find a great core group of coaches. Frankly, some of these coaches are less enthusiastic about being ÒhelpedÓ by their peers. That is an educational process so everyone sees the benefits from a cooperative, non-threatening effort. We also plan to mentor very experienced coaches, to use best practices of others. There is far less tolerance of those who stray from the RAGE philosophy.

 

5.     One comment was made about poor refereeing.

á       A possible solution is for this person to become a referee. Seriously, this, as in other issues, identifying a problem is pretty easy (and we need to hear your observations). But, please become part of the solution.

 

6.     Winning and Losing. RAGE compared to nameless others.

á       When asked if winning was important, 3% of the replies rated it number one. 16% rated winning as second most important of the five categories we posited. 25%, 19% and 36% rated it third, fourth and least important (coaching and facilities were rated one and two, while costs were rated third, then refereeing). It is possible to create a team with bigger, faster girls who focus on kicking the ball over the heads of defenders, running onto the ball and scoring goals.  Or, it would be possible to take athletically talented girls, teach them skills that will last them for many years, like juggling, and develop individual talents. It does not seem really compatible to do both at the same time successfully in most cases. Having said that, it is increasingly apparent that more and more clubs are taking what we consider to be the easy way out. We will not stray from the concept of player development, but we may start earlier in teaching defensive tactics to play against the BOOTBALL strategy.

á       Some people noted that we spend perhaps too much effort on individual talent and not enough on team strategies. At older ages, the composition of teams change, sometimes radically, every year. Team strategy would have to be taught and re-taught, which is not necessarily bad, but it can be time-consuming.  Yet, at older ages team play is a focus, but because individual skills are in place (at placements we can see the individual skills pretty clearly). At younger ages, the concepts of corner kick headers just does not make sense. Nor does it make a lot of sense to practice complex passing routines at considerable distances. Basic dribbling, 1v1, 2v2, passing and trapping are challenge enough for most of the players. Having a big defender who can kick the ball with limited accuracy forty yards is not team tactics, but it may win games at U11 or U12.

á       Winning, especially to avoid relegation, is evolving in our strategy at younger ages.

 

7.     Role of trainers and coaches

á       We have attempted to discuss this subject in our Communications note. In summary, we believe many of our coaches are so well qualified that they can perform the role of a trainer, which is more technical in nature. There are advantages to two pair of eyes, but the cost is considerable for the benefits accrued when we are able to provide first class coaches. Club trainers (Philippe, Gordon and Darin) will be active participants for the months prior to State Cup. We are discussing the possibility of having unpaid coaching assistants, sort of in training for future appointments as coaches.