Post by zizou on Apr 2, 2014 12:30:56 GMT -5
This was actually placed in the "It's Official" thread, in response to a suggestion that there was little or nothing Georgia Soccer can do to help smaller clubs compete in the face of the giant clubs being created by mergers like the recent UFA/NSA deal. It seemed to deserve it's own thread.
I disagree. There is plenty Georgia Soccer can do. They can start with what they have as a carrot. They have ODP. I agree that the way evaluations are handled is not great. Chances are slim they will miss the top 5-10 kids in each age range (this may be all Jacob Daniel is really interested in anyway, although I doubt it), but they are pretty hit and miss on filling out the rest of the roster. The evaluation process benefits kids from bigger clubs who are simply used to playing with these same kids over and over again and who are placed in highly competitive environments regularly. But it is quite clear that within the club team setup, when you see some of the kids playing who make the ODP roster, you wonder how that happened. I am not saying they should not have made the squad based on evaluations, I am saying the evaluation system could be improved to optimize the number of hits.
Here are some of my suggestions. Would love to hear counterpoints and see modifications and additions:
1. They simply cannot allow team gear to be worn at the evaluations. They say this but never ever enforce it. The Tophat girls all wear their socks and shorts, same with GSA girls. Have the evaluators never heard of Halo effects? These cognitive biases are real phenomena. They influence judgements. They lead to bad decisions. Everyone thinks they are immune, but they are not. Indeed, the people that think they are immune are the ones most likely to commit the judgement errors.
2. There needs to be a limit on the number of players that can be taken from any one club. You cannot have 10 players from a singe squad among the 32 field players selected. The limit could be based on the 10% rule which Jacob Daniel is (rightfully) so fond of referencing. Any club can have no more than 10% of their players selected based on overall players per age group of that gender in the club's select system. And this does not extend to something like the SSA behemoth where there are something like 500 girls across all locations. The home club in the alliance (e.g., Cobb FC) that houses that team has a certain number of players in their select program. That number sets the limit. For instance, if Cobb FC have 50 U13G registered, then they can have no more than 5 players eligible for that age group's ODP program (based on birth year of course). Every club, however, is allowed to have at least 1 kid eligible per age group regardless of registrations (this helps the smaller clubs).
3. Evaluations should be extended through the whole summer. They could run regular camps in every section of the state. Every club is allowed to select a certain number of players per age group to participate in these camps (again, based on number of registered select players in the club). These technique and team tactics training camps could be the basis of more extensive evaluations. They could even add a state regional competition format at the end of the summer (teams formed from players in each section of state could compete against each other at a pre-fall-season jubilee). This would necessarily give smaller and more rural clubs the chance to include their players and have them get exposed to higher level coaching, and be seen by people who could facilitate their development. Some of the kids have never had that opportunity and some parents do not know the difference. This would be illuminating for multiple people on multiple fronts.
4. They should eliminate the two night tryout process. It is antiquated. This does not ensure that they are getting the best 35-40 players per age range. Again, I am sure they are getting the best 5-10, but that is a pretty limited target if that is their only interest.
5. They should not limit an age group to 35-40 players. they should at least double that for training purposes. How do you know who is going to develop if they are given elite level coaching and exposure? They can stick to the 35-40 for a first team group (the ones that end up going to region camp) and have 35-40 for a second team group. With the possibility of kids moving up and down.
6. They should increase the time commitment. They should place ODP at the pinnacle of soccer training in the state. It should be marketed like the national team. There should be periods built into the year where ODP trumps club team activities. It should be clear that if a kid is called into ODP camp they go. Club soccer should be seen as a vehicle for getting the best kids in the most competitive environment with the greatest opportunity for advancement.
Okay. I have more to say on this topic, but I will stop and let others comment if they so choose, even if it is just telling me I am out of my mind.
I disagree. There is plenty Georgia Soccer can do. They can start with what they have as a carrot. They have ODP. I agree that the way evaluations are handled is not great. Chances are slim they will miss the top 5-10 kids in each age range (this may be all Jacob Daniel is really interested in anyway, although I doubt it), but they are pretty hit and miss on filling out the rest of the roster. The evaluation process benefits kids from bigger clubs who are simply used to playing with these same kids over and over again and who are placed in highly competitive environments regularly. But it is quite clear that within the club team setup, when you see some of the kids playing who make the ODP roster, you wonder how that happened. I am not saying they should not have made the squad based on evaluations, I am saying the evaluation system could be improved to optimize the number of hits.
Here are some of my suggestions. Would love to hear counterpoints and see modifications and additions:
1. They simply cannot allow team gear to be worn at the evaluations. They say this but never ever enforce it. The Tophat girls all wear their socks and shorts, same with GSA girls. Have the evaluators never heard of Halo effects? These cognitive biases are real phenomena. They influence judgements. They lead to bad decisions. Everyone thinks they are immune, but they are not. Indeed, the people that think they are immune are the ones most likely to commit the judgement errors.
2. There needs to be a limit on the number of players that can be taken from any one club. You cannot have 10 players from a singe squad among the 32 field players selected. The limit could be based on the 10% rule which Jacob Daniel is (rightfully) so fond of referencing. Any club can have no more than 10% of their players selected based on overall players per age group of that gender in the club's select system. And this does not extend to something like the SSA behemoth where there are something like 500 girls across all locations. The home club in the alliance (e.g., Cobb FC) that houses that team has a certain number of players in their select program. That number sets the limit. For instance, if Cobb FC have 50 U13G registered, then they can have no more than 5 players eligible for that age group's ODP program (based on birth year of course). Every club, however, is allowed to have at least 1 kid eligible per age group regardless of registrations (this helps the smaller clubs).
3. Evaluations should be extended through the whole summer. They could run regular camps in every section of the state. Every club is allowed to select a certain number of players per age group to participate in these camps (again, based on number of registered select players in the club). These technique and team tactics training camps could be the basis of more extensive evaluations. They could even add a state regional competition format at the end of the summer (teams formed from players in each section of state could compete against each other at a pre-fall-season jubilee). This would necessarily give smaller and more rural clubs the chance to include their players and have them get exposed to higher level coaching, and be seen by people who could facilitate their development. Some of the kids have never had that opportunity and some parents do not know the difference. This would be illuminating for multiple people on multiple fronts.
4. They should eliminate the two night tryout process. It is antiquated. This does not ensure that they are getting the best 35-40 players per age range. Again, I am sure they are getting the best 5-10, but that is a pretty limited target if that is their only interest.
5. They should not limit an age group to 35-40 players. they should at least double that for training purposes. How do you know who is going to develop if they are given elite level coaching and exposure? They can stick to the 35-40 for a first team group (the ones that end up going to region camp) and have 35-40 for a second team group. With the possibility of kids moving up and down.
6. They should increase the time commitment. They should place ODP at the pinnacle of soccer training in the state. It should be marketed like the national team. There should be periods built into the year where ODP trumps club team activities. It should be clear that if a kid is called into ODP camp they go. Club soccer should be seen as a vehicle for getting the best kids in the most competitive environment with the greatest opportunity for advancement.
Okay. I have more to say on this topic, but I will stop and let others comment if they so choose, even if it is just telling me I am out of my mind.
