ZONE TRAILS

[RIDER]

the zone trails are they a waste of time for our kids or not.
have the teams already been picked before they start.
i think its a good expirence for the kids but are they wasting their time

[Montanha|Campeo]

It's obviously not a waste of time otherwise hundreds of kids, parents and officals wouldnt waste there time. The coaches already no about maybe 5-7 kids that they are probably going to choose in the team before the trials but they might change throughout the trials. STUPID STATEMENT

[RIDER]

only asking montanha on opinions no need for that.

[prefly]

You would be surprised how many kids and parents don't bother coming out a second year!
I don't think it was a stupid statement, there are many stories that teams are already picked or the team selection is weighted towards the more powerful clubs etc etc. Just read other threads on the forums, now I'm not saying there true or not but what I would suggest is take him/her out and see what you think, and it is a great experience for them if they do get picked, playing against the best players in their age groups. Pretty hard if they don't get picked as well

[Danny Way]

It's obviously not a waste of time otherwise hundreds of kids, parents and officals wouldnt waste there time. The coaches already no about maybe 5-7 kids that they are probably going to choose in the team before the trials but they might change throughout the trials. STUPID STATEMENT

Coaches already know 5-7 kids that are probably going to be chosen in the team . Haven't got a problem with that because he probably sees them play regularly and if they are good enough then they deserve their place. But in the two older age groups though, the number is probably closer to 10 if you add in a few kids that have been in the "system" for a while i.e previous zone teams, development squads etc. That leaves 4/5 ? positions available. Assuming 50 kids come to initial trials then my maths tells me that 90% are wasting their time. Lets face it, Adelaide is a small place and if there is a young Messi playing some where in Adelaide but not attending TIC don't tell me he wouldn't be identified. I guess that TIC serve a purpose in giving club players short time some psuedo goal but in the context of serious talent identification surely it is ongoing and done over the season not just 3 x 2 hour sessions ( working on the theory that if you do not survive the cut after the 3 trial sessions then you would not be attending the TICs anyway). Just my opinion.

[Neva Assume]

Just an observation - I was out and about watching some different aged zone trials last week. One thing I did notice was that several of the stronger clubs actually fielded up to 13 (in some cases) kids from the same club to tryout. The official FFSA stance reported to me was that any club can trial up to 8 players with no more than 5 being able to be chosen. How can this be fair to all the other boys or girls selected to try out if the odds are stacked so highly against them and the clubs they're representing?

[The Boss]

Just an observation - I was out and about watching some different aged zone trials last week. One thing I did notice was that several of the stronger clubs actually fielded up to 13 (in some cases) kids from the same club to tryout. The official FFSA stance reported to me was that any club can trial up to 8 players with no more than 5 being able to be chosen. How can this be fair to all the other boys or girls selected to try out if the odds are stacked so highly against them and the clubs they're representing?

Have a look at the "Talent Identification Championships" post for further info.

[back of the net]

if there is such blatant rule bending going on....is this a showcase for junior talent or just early trials??

[johnydep]

Just an observation - I was out and about watching some different aged zone trials last week. One thing I did notice was that several of the stronger clubs actually fielded up to 13 (in some cases) kids from the same club to tryout. The official FFSA stance reported to me was that any club can trial up to 8 players with no more than 5 being able to be chosen. How can this be fair to all the other boys or girls selected to try out if the odds are stacked so highly against them and the clubs they're representing?

I was also out at the trials, two of them, helping at one and watching my son trial for another.

Things are not always what they seem, sometimes clarification is the best policy.

One of the trials I was at had 10 players from one club and 9 from another club - or so it seemed.

In actual fact, the clubs only nominated 7 field players.
The other players came from the JSA (Junior Soccer Association), those boys play for club and JSA.
So it may look like that there is a dozen players from one club when some it is really players representing the JSA, that also play for a federation club. If there is anything unfair about this it is that some players get 'two bites at the cherry', whereas everyone else have only one.

Now I don't know if this is the situation that you have seen, but for the benefit of all involved maybe you should clarify it; with the coach or FFSA.

[IH8POLITICSinsport]

I must agree that it can be a huge waste of time! Unless the system changes and coaches are not allowed to coach within there own zone things will not change! half the team is preselected, the other half depends on who you know.....why do we put our kids through this is my question???

I want to be proud of my child and want him to be selected because of his ability not because of who his parents know or dont know. So Big Deal! If you get in because of who the parents are can you be really PROUD of your child and his or her ability???? or should you be proud that you know the right people?!

[Nova]

Same old, same old
If your child is good enough, he will get recognised eventually!
If you're really that desperate, make some friends if you think that's how it works

[Black Hawk]

I agree with Nova.

If you or your son is in the best 8-9 he will get in after that it gets very even and is very subjective with many influences. Being a talent identification program, if you are not in the best 8-9 from your zone you are a long way from the best 20 in the State anyway at this point.

The best encouraging point is that the Senior Super league has far more players that didnt make the state junior squads than did.

[James]

Players selection is all in the eye the zone coach.

We sent kids out to trial.
One kid in particular wasnt selected to trial because in my opinion he wasnt skillfull enough (he is a very aggrssive / hard nut defender).
The zone coach came to one of our league games and asked him to attend trials. (obviously the zone coach wanted a particular type of player in his squad)

As for picking mates kids. Zone coaches are on review at STIC. If a kid is selected that is not good enough this will show out during the STIC, and will be a reflection on the coaches ability to identify talent.

How many coaches will pick their mates kids over success at the STIC and risk being labelled incompetent?

Finally, when i was a youth player a certain Mark Yates used to make the final 20 man state squad each year (u13-15) and then got dropped every time from the travelling party of 16.
Yatesy ended up playing 100 odd NSL games for Adelaide City. Mark held no sour grapes, only a drive to prove the state coach wrong.

[Nova]

Players selection is all in the eye the zone coach.

We sent kids out to trial.
One kid in particular wasnt selected to trial because in my opinion he wasnt skillfull enough (he is a very aggrssive / hard nut defender).
The zone coach came to one of our league games and asked him to attend trials. (obviously the zone coach wanted a particular type of player in his squad)

As for picking mates kids. Zone coaches are on review at STIC. If a kid is selected that is not good enough this will show out during the STIC, and will be a reflection on the coaches ability to identify talent.

How many coaches will pick their mates kids over success at the STIC and risk being labelled incompetent?

Finally, when i was a youth player a certain Mark Yates used to make the final 20 man state squad each year (u13-15) and then got dropped every time from the travelling party of 16.
Yatesy ended up playing 100 odd NSL games for Adelaide City. Mark held no sour grapes, only a drive to prove the state coach wrong.

These are the qualities coaches and clubs look for and parents are responsible for teaching this sort of attitude
It's far more PROACTIVE than complaining of being hard done by and believe it or not, a negative outlook is normally handed down the generations

[IH8POLITICSinsport]

Yes! there are many high grade players who never made the Zone, STIC or whatever other micky mouse, money raising competitions and events we can come up with. That is exactly my point! because there are so many players being selected for all kinds of different reasons but where is the talent?... Playing their hearts out week in week out for their chosen teams and good on them for that! Keep it up kids!!!! And Yes anyone with talent will be noticed eventually, but lets not call this talent identification then, call it a Zone Competitions.

Until the system itself is changed it will always be a competition for egos rather than for the kids! Lets stop pretending otherwise. In all this lets not forget about the KIDS

[James]

Upon review of the northern STIC coaches it showed that 3 out of the 4 coaches do not coach a club side in the age group they have been allocated at the STIC. As not many of the kids will be known to the coaches, everyone has a chance.

Looks like the FFSA endevoured to avoid this issue.

[Sign Him]

zone trials is not a waiste of time because if ur child is in the team.. they should look forward to scouts watching them

[simon says]

the zone trails are they a waste of time for our kids or not.
have the teams already been picked before they start.
i think its a good expirence for the kids but are they wasting their time

Three simple answers to your dumb question:

NO NO AND NO

[Sign Him]

AGREED

[Drusetta]

If you or your son is in the best 8-9 he will get in after that it gets very even and is very subjective with many influences. Being a talent identification program, if you are not in the best 8-9 from your zone you are a long way from the best 20 in the State anyway at this point.

The best encouraging point is that the Senior Super league has far more players that didnt make the state junior squads than did.

Agreed.