Anyone Use a Squad Approach?

[Jerzy]

I've been asked to take over our U12s and create a traveling team. I've coached a couple of the kids before and have a passing familiarity with several of the kids, but I'm a little hesitant to take a have-tryouts-make-cuts approach. U12s around here play 9v9 and I've been told that there's probably a pool of 20 or so players with the interest and/or skill to play travel ball. I don't want to make any cuts because these kids are still developing (we've only had a serious league for 4 years) and because the two best players are notorious for not practicing: they're athletic kids and play soccer, football, basketball, hockey and tennis. One's a fine, fine goal scorer and the other is a natural goalkeeper. Maybe they'll start to take soccer more seriously, maybe not. I'd just hate to cut someone for these two and then have them not really participate.

My thought is this: have a squad of everyone (I think I have a decent assistant coach, which is a first for me) and for each game I'd activate 16 kids, and the other four or five would get a game off. I'd let parents now a week in advance so they have some free time. I'm not too worried about keeping the kids happy -- I can do that -- the bigger problem is keeping parents happy. I haven't heard of anyone doing anything like this. Do you think it would be a problem?

[ian.curry]

In my honest opinion, yes.

Obviously things are different depending where you come from, but this is our situation...

From under 11s up to 17s you have squads of up to 18, 16 of whom may play in 11aside on a Sunday. Having 18 means squad rotation which isn't to everyone's taste. As they get older and less reliable/more injury prone, you tend to need those extra players.
However at under 12s, you don't. If the kids aren't turning up then the ones who are will be improving more and hopefully in time will become better. I am saying this with football being an overwhelmingly number one sport in England.

I'd say this to you, those two 'fantastic' players need to make a choice.
a)join the excellent plans you have in place and enjoy football by turning up to every event/occasion
or
b)make a decision to turn up when they like but be part of a very large squad and possibly have to sit out several games.

Remember, you might have 20-odd now, how many will you have in 4 months?

[Hamburger Hill]

Interesting question Jerzy, especially when I have just made the decision to increase my Under 9's squad at the end of this season.

As of now we play 7 a side and I have 9 players (one who is predominantly a g/k but others can play there also)...

For next year I will have a squad of 11 (with 2 preferred keepers) and I was planning on taking 10 to each match which means that 1 week in 9 they will have a week off.

I thought this was a fair compromise and not too hard on any of the kids (or difficult for me to administer!!!).

If I've read your post right I personally think you may have a few too many reserves (I'd say 12/14 max) but if your parents/kids can handle it and you communicate well from the outset then why not?

[lanesra]

I have to do that all the time with indoor teams. Indoor's still the red-haired step child of soccer, so my teams/parents/players haven't minded as much, but if that's a tradeoff you have to make to keep a core, go for it. Also, the younger the kids are the better. Big difference between a core of 4th grade U12s and 6th grade U12s.