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QUESTION: I've
paid the club fees and team fees and my child shows up at practice,
why don't they get more playing time?
ANSWER: Club
and team fees pay for training and coaching. Playing time is earned
through hard work. TKO Premier does not guarantee players who show
up at tryouts a slot on a team. We also do not guarantee that once
a player is selected, they will get playing time. What we do try to
deliver is the best training and development program for Premier level
youth soccer players in SW Michigan. Your views on how we can
improve that are very important. Let us know how we are doing. Evaluate
the coaches. Send the Board members a letter. Believe it or not, we
do read and discuss any correspondence received.
QUESTION: Is
playing in the Michigan State Cup really important?
ANSWER: Yes
and no. TKO Premier has competed well at State Cup in the past. If
a team is looking for a high level of competition, they can usually
find it at State Cup. Winning State Cup (and playing in the finals)
gets a team points towards Regional and National rankings. TKO Premier
Soccer Club tries to have all of it's teams participate in State Cup
every year.
QUESTION: Another
club promised me a college scholarship if I played for them instead
of TKO. Will TKO get me a college scholarship?
ANSWER: Everyone
dreams of a college scholarship at a Division 1 school (at least most
parents...). Most youth soccer coaches know this and some (unethically)
use it as a recruiting tactic. TKO can't promise players scholarships.
However, there are several things a youth soccer player (with the support
of their parents) can do to improve their chances.
1)
We've all heard the saying "practice makes perfect". While it might
not make you perfect, frequent practice and a good work ethic will
definitely improve your skills and the consistency with which you apply
those skills in game situations. A training program which includes
complete physical fitness, skills training, proper rest and nutrition,
and positive coaching is a must. It's pretty obvious to college coaches
and scouts who is doing the work and who isn't.
2)
Compete in front of a VARIETY of college coaches and/or scouts. TKO
hosts a major College Showcase tournament every summer. The Kalamazoo
Invitational Soccer Showcase (KISS) tournament is an opportunity for
youth soccer players from ages 13 through 18 to compete in front of
college coaches and scouts. The
tournament produces a comprehensive book of team and individual player
stats for the college coaches and scouts. There are typically between
50 and 90 college coaches and scouts that attend this tournament.
3)
Play for a club that forms teams of players with consistent skill levels.
Watch out for teams formed with a core of players whose skills are
at the Premier level and filled in with players whose skill level is
sometimes much lower in order to field a team. Players seeking to play
college soccer excel when playing on teams with like minded and like
skilled players. TKO tries to select teams at tryouts whose players
have similar skills and who are like minded.
4)
Play for a club/team which plays at a level of competition appropriate
for their skills. This does not mean that clubs/teams should not be
challenged to move to the next level. Some clubs/teams have been entered
into leagues that are clearly beyond their level of competition as
a way for the club to gain entrance into the current "wave of the future" league. Teams
in these clubs are usually beaten often and by wide margins. Players
who have played in such situations have labeled the experience as "degrading".
TKO plays in the Michigan State Premier Soccer League (MSPSL) which
although not perfect, usually places teams into apropriate levels of
competition. It's our belief that this improves players and allows
them to showcase their talents. We try to evaluate all of the new leagues
that come along. When we find a league that is appropriate for our
players skill levels and provides a better opportunity for our players
to compete and showcase their talents than our currrent league, then
we'll consider moving.
5)
Compete in higher level tournaments. TKO plays in several tournaments
each year. We have begun to enter tournaments as a club rather than
as individual teams. This gets the club name out and allows TKO to
showcase our talented youth soccer players. A couple of tournaments
to note are Best of the Midwest and Michigan State Cup. College coaches
and scouts go to tournaments to watch for potential players.
QUESTION: If
I played for another club last year will I be able to play for TKO
this year?
ANSWER: The
short answer is yes. Assuming you attend tryouts and impress the coaches
enough to be selected to the team, that is.
There
have been many rumors circulated that have implied that players who
left TKO for other clubs last year would not be able to get a spot
on a TKO team when they return for tryouts. Nothing could be further
from the truth. TKO continues to enjoy improving numbers of players
at tryouts and awesome team performances during the season. Because
of this TKO is again expecting a record turnout at tryouts. In evaluating
that expected response, TKO will field more than one team in age groups
where we have enough QUALIFIED (Premier level) players to support that.
Also, while players who have played with a coach and a team certainly
have an advantage during team selection, no player is guaranteed a
slot on a team.
All
players attending tryouts (including players returning from other clubs)
will be evaluated in a fair and equitable manner.
The
goal of TKO is to make available the best training and development
options for youth soccer players at the Premier level.
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