Looking For A Good Soccer Club (St. Louis, Wildwood: YMCA, school, university)

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by movingfromatlanta

No one from SLSC has spoken negatively of Lou Fuzh or any other club. I just have a bad habit of playing with names. Like I said, my neighbor speaks very highly of Lou's club. We didn't arrive in the area with a lot of time to spare, most teams had already set their rosters for the fall and Matt was very quick to line us up a tryout with a team that would be competing in SLYSA's A league. A couple of clubs didn't even return my e-mail inquiry and some had web sires that weren't very helpful.My daughter liked the coaches and was impressed with most of the girls she tried out with. When the spot was offered, I saw no reason to keep looking in a city I was unfamiliar with. I'll definitely keep an open mind and will observe opposing teams and their coach's demeanor during matches this season. As I said, this is going to be a learning experience for me and my daughter. See ya on the pitch.

I gave you the top teams names...etc...fortunately Scott Gallagher and St. Louis Soccer club are merging, two long time rivals with different philosophies...St. Louis people have a strange fragmentation when it comes to their suburbs and soccer teams and other things. The purpose of the consolidation was so that there could be a top team or teams or represent St. Louis nationally instead of having several very good teams beating each other and doing poorly nationally. There will be plenty of opportunity for those who don't make the very top or best teams. The key is to develop players, and not necessarily the results at the youth level, but getting "some" results with the older kids, brings many things to the benefit of everyone on the local soccer scene.

St. Louis needs to stop with the fragmentation and this burb vs this one and where you went to high school garbage(trust me you will get asked)......it hurts and progress of the metro area. St. Louis is one area, not many.

And not to be a jerk...friendly head's up.....but it is Lou Fusz...not Lou, not Fuhz...or anything else....nobody is taking themselves too seriously...but geeze it isn't tough remember and respect the name of something. Rather immature and childish to me....and, just a head's up, it won't get you far in the local soccer world to give the clubs different little nicknames. Just a head's up because others do take their name seriously. It doens't bother me at all but not a good idea for a newcomer.

You will get different people giving different opinions on the clubs...so welcome to St. Louis. Talk to people from all the different ones, etc...gather your info etc...you started off just fine ...check out there websites too talk to parents, players past and present and coaches......As your kids get older competition will get tougher etc...but your kid is 8....enjoy it, have some fun...etc...and like I said speak to people from all of the club teams past and present and make up your own mind. All of the ones I first mentioned are the top teams most years.

You will get the opinionated animosity from some parents about this club or that club. Do your homework and you will be fine. A new parent moves to town, gets their kid into one of the top 10 programs in the country as a club...a good start....Lou Fusz, St. Louis Soccer Club, JB Marine are some of the big ones for girls of different ages. With Scott Gallagher an all boys club team and another top 10 national club team....is merging with St. Louis Soccer club....they have very different philosophies....so there will be some changes. ....and there are still other solid teams out there as well.

Enjoy it, have some fun.

[jaybird37]

I do not know of a weak soccer club, rec (cyc) or select in St. Louis. I know this is a late post, but select soccer at 8 is a little young, my opinion. The game should be fun with no emphasis on winning. They have their whole lives to be serious. I've been coaching soccer for over six years and we are about helping youngsters apply success on the the field to other situations in life such as the classroom, scouting, playing an instrument, etc. We focus on building the self esteem, character and morale of the players through experiences on the soccer field. A good program has diffferent definition depending on what you want out of the organization. We have 9 of our original 14 players still with the team and a winning percentage over 70%, but I guarantee you it's NOT because we focus on winning, it's because we genuinely care about our children and families. Best wishes with the select soccer clubs, I hope you find what you are looking for.

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by jaybird37

I do not know of a weak soccer club, rec (cyc) or select in St. Louis. I know this is a late post, but select soccer at 8 is a little young, my opinion. The game should be fun with no emphasis on winning. They have their whole lives to be serious. I've been coaching soccer for over six years and we are about helping youngsters apply success on the the field to other situations in life such as the classroom, scouting, playing an instrument, etc. We focus on building the self esteem, character and morale of the players through experiences on the soccer field. A good program has diffferent definition depending on what you want out of the organization. We have 9 of our original 14 players still with the team and a winning percentage over 70%, but I guarantee you it's NOT because we focus on winning, it's because we genuinely care about our children and families. Best wishes with the select soccer clubs, I hope you find what you are looking for.

Many select soccer clubs focus on all of the things you mentioned without the win at all costs attitude. Just because the title is "select" doesn't mean it is all about winning. You have to investigate each program.

[jaybird37]

I agree you need to investigate each program. Let's not kid ourselves, in most cases (there might be a few exceptions you know about) select soccer programs choose the best athletes to win, not to teach them about life. Otherwise, everyone would be excepted in the select programs regardless of athletic ability.......which would make them rec leagues........right? The focus I'm talking about is secondary in select scenarios to equiping the players with all the skills necessary to go out and win games.

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by jaybird37

I agree you need to investigate each program. Let's not kid ourselves, in most cases (there might be a few exceptions you know about) select soccer programs choose the best athletes to win, not to teach them about life. Otherwise, everyone would be excepted in the select programs regardless of athletic ability.......which would make them rec leagues........right? The focus I'm talking about is secondary in select scenarios to equiping the players with all the skills necessary to go out and win games.

Many select teams have several teams in each age group for all levels of play. You are aware that when Scott Gallagher and St. Louis Soccer Club(Busch), and Metro United merge, there will be no kid turned away that wants to play. If you don't believe me, ask Jeff Cooper.

As I said, many top level area coaches would easily tell you what is and isn't important based on age. And most of the times they get it right.

Now, parents.....that's a WHOLE other story.

Many parents are delusional. Go to any local game. There are always parents trying to live through their kids, and it's sad.

[jaybird37]

So what you are saying is that select soccer will have different tiers based on talent level much like the rec programs? Will they also have strict rules prohibiting team stacking and pulling talent from lower level teams? Will it be like professional sports where the weak and struggling are sent down and the strong with potential brought up? It will be interesting to monitor how that is structured. I would imagine if team stacking is happening at the rec levels with no repercussions then there will be no restrictions on select.

I pray you are correct with the coaches philosophies. I've seen too many children go select with the promises that accompany the change only to be cut because someone was a fraction faster than they were. I've also heard horror stories of select kids only getting about 5 minutes of mop up time. Scary when we go out of our way at the rec level to give kids equal playing time.

Parents can be rabid at all levels. I have a second team of younger kids and some parents on other teams are out of control. Fortunately for me I've been through this a few times, so I informed my parents from the beginning to act like parents. We have experienced zero problems this year at both levels I coach. I have heard parents from other teams screaming at their children to play dirty (telling them to do things like trip or push) and coaches intimmidating the young referees to the point that they look at the coach for the call before making it. I enjoy every aspect of teaching and coaching the game of soccer to youngsters, I do not enjoy the immature actions of "adults". I agree with you 100%, parents should not try and live through their children, it's sick, sad and ruins relationships.

[LAangel9190]

St. Louis is trying to get a Major League Soccer team. In order to do this, one of the requirements is that a MLS city must have a youth development program. As a result, the big three St. Louis Soccer clubs, which are St. Louis Soccer Club, Gallagher, and Lou Fusz are all merging in order to make a developmental youth team for MLS. All three of those are great clubs, and once they merge the development program will be huge.

[LAangel9190]

Ok so maybe I got confused... I think that Metro Strikers are also involved in the merge. Could somebody clear that up for me?!? Thanks

[RickMG]

Originally Posted by LAangel9190

St. Louis is trying to get a Major League Soccer team. In order to do this, one of the requirements is that a MLS city must have a youth development program. As a result, the big three St. Louis Soccer clubs, which are St. Louis Soccer Club, Gallagher, and Lou Fusz are all merging in order to make a developmental youth team for MLS. All three of those are great clubs, and once they merge the development program will be huge.

This is interesting. I walk everyday at Creve Coeur Park and they just opened some really professional soccer fields there a few weeks ago. Someone said that Gallagher owned them which I thought was strange because I had thought the land was part of the park. It does say private property on the fence, so I guess it is. I'd only heard of the St. Louis Soccer Club before. Are these places affiliated with schools, or what? The kids I see playing every night look to be from 10 all the way to 15 or so and the place is packed. Good to see something like this in St. Louis.

[Fishtacos]

Originally Posted by LAangel9190

Ok so maybe I got confused... I think that Metro Strikers are also involved in the merge. Could somebody clear that up for me?!? Thanks

Yes they are.

Any local club coach with a grain of salt....and yes there are many....understand what is age appropriate for development.