Expert Responses
We received four expert responses from Youth Coach Advisory Group members Lula Bauer, Tom Turner, Danielle Fagan and Cat Ruesch.
HERE IS ONE:
The first thing I would look at is the philosophy of the club your son is playing for. Every club approaches team formation a little differently, and that really drives the answer to your question.
If your son’s club truly operates with a player development philosophy, then the coaching staff should understand that a 14-year-old is in a major growth and development stage. Players mature physically and mentally at very different times during these years. In that type of environment, players are not judged solely on where they are today, but on their potential and their development path.
If that is the case at your son’s club, my recommendation would be to stay and have a conversation with his coach. Let the coach know your concerns about playing time and your apprehension going into tryouts. A development-focused coach should be willing to talk openly about where your son currently fits, what areas he needs to work on, and how they see his progression – even if that’s on a different team at the club.
On the other hand, if your son’s club runs tryouts each year with the approach of simply selecting the strongest players available for the top teams, then roster spots can be less predictable from year to year. In that situation, I would still recommend having that same conversation with the coach, but I would also encourage your son to try out for other clubs as well. That way you create options and avoid the risk of being left without a place to play.
In either case, communication with the coach is really the key step. A respectful conversation can provide clarity and often reduces a lot of the uncertainty families feel heading into tryout season.
At this age, development is rarely linear, and the right environment is the one where your son can continue to grow, stay confident, and really enjoy the game.
Find Lula’s response useful?
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