Select dates and deadlines

Thanks, 10sDad, here are some more questions. I know July 1 is "signing day" and I also know it's the earliest you CAN sign a contract (but you can also sign later if a team is still looking). If teams do not sign up their max roster (which is....16 for 04 or?) or hold spots "open" then what is the last date they must have someone contracted?

And who has answers for the following dates?

Date LHGL QT tournament registration due:
Number of "signed" rostered players required to do QT: 14, I think?
Max roster for LHGL? 16, right?

PPL
Is there a roster minimum for registering for the PPL placement tourney?

I am also curious about what people mean by saying a team didn't "make"? I'm assuming they did not have the required min roster of 14 or whatever but what is that "magic date" for LHGCL and PPL? Because I have often heard about teams that don't get all the players they think they will come signing day (surprise!) and I'm curious what happens then.

LHGCL minimum roster size is 14, maximum is 16 for U11/12. (max goes to 18 after that)

Most coaches will offer 14 contracts on July 1. That will leave them with their "bubble" players unsigned. Why? Because as you referenced, sometimes teams blow up at the last second, and there are some good players scrambling for a team after July 1 that are better than your bubble players. If no unexpected studs show up, the coach will generally sign only 1 more before the end of contract week. Many times, they will leave that one spot open, just in case there is some stud player from FL/SoCal/etc. whose family is relocated to NTX during the school year, or just before school starts. There is no deadline to sign players.

If you are planning to enter the LHGCL QT:

1) The deadline for registering for the QT is usually around 7/9 or 7/10 (it was 7/9 last year, LHGCL hasn't posted the dates for 2014 yet).  By this date, you need to have your registration completed, tournament fee paid, and a preliminary NTSSA competitive roster submitted.  I do not believe there is a minimum roster # required at this point.

2)  By the mandatory QT manager/coach meeting, which is usually sometime around 7/15-7/17 (last year it was on 7/16), you will need to have an official NTSSA competitive roster, signed by your local association registrar, with a minimum of 14 players (maximum of 16 at U11).

PPL:

1) If your team is skipping LHGCL QT and going straight to PPL, the deadline to register will likely be Friday, 7/25 (it was Friday, 7/26 last year)

2) If your team plays in the LHGCL QT, but fails to qualify for LHGCL, your deadline to register for PPL will likely be Tuesday, 8/5 (it was Tuesday, 8/6 last year).

3) PPL roster minimum is 12.  Roster max is 18 for U11.


So... if you want to play in LHGCL, you will need to sign a minimum of 14 players by ~7/15.  If you want to go straight to PPL, you will need to sign a minimum of 12 players by ~7/25.

Otherwise, if you have available slots on your roster without exceeding the league maximum (16 for LHGCL, 18 for PPL), you can sign additional players any time after July 1.  I don't think there is any stated deadline for how late in the soccer year that you can officially add a player to a roster, so technically, I think you could do it all the way up until June 30, 2015.

A team that doesn't "make" means that a team did not get it's required minimum roster numbers.

Whew, I knew you guys were the experts, thanks. That's pretty quick for signing up for QT after signing day. Plus, you have all those tourneys after 7/1 and before QT so I guess Team Managers are BUSY!

Before you anwser these next questions...keep these concerns in mind:

(a.)  Your team is teetering on the verge of not making a roster size of 14 (LHGCL)
(b.)  Your team is pretty much carried by 2-3 DD's (& your DD is not one of those  )

1.  Do parents get to know who and how many have signed with the team...before they sign thier DD?
2.  Do parents "hold out" in signing contracts till the very last moment.....to see if better contracts come in?
3.  I hope coaches/clubs are not trying to keep parents in the dark?  Would they????
4.  What happens if after the dust settles and parents figure out that you just signed with a team that doesnt make its roster size? (what happens then?)

nightmare situation, SocDad.  Let me start with your questions first:
1.  Generally teams will have a signing party, and you will know at that time.  (aka who shows up to the signing party)
2.  some do, but its very rare.  To get offered a contract requires that the player attend some practices/guest play etc.  So it won't be a total surprise on those that you suspect of holding out.
3.  Generally no.  They tend to be a bit over optimistic though in an effort to make sure they keep what they have while trying desperately to find those last couple of pieces.
4.  If a team doesn't make, it doesn't make.  If you are a couple players short at the signing party, you may be able to overcome it with a couple of players from a team that had to cut.

Now - your situation:  If I were you, I would seek out a backup plan.  If your team is short, and you rely on 2-3 girls to be able to compete, you are at the mercy of those 2 studs.  They will get offers to play at a higher-division team.  
Sometimes, these studs leave - in your case the best thing to do is assume that happens.  When that happens, you have to figure out if its worth staying with the team or not...that brings it down to coaching, pure and simple.
Next time you go to practice, play a game with yourself.  Pretend that this is the very first practice that you came to with your dd, and watch.  Would you be exited to come to the next practice?  Read your dd's face...would she be excited to come back?  Did she get challenged to improve?  Was she exhausted but grinning from ear to ear after practice?  Why do this?  Because this will tell you if your team has recruiting potential or not.  If your team can't impress a player that is already on the team, you won't be picking up any new ones.
Next, ask yourself...would you follow your coach to PPL2?  If the studs leave, and you fail to qualify for LH, and then have a rough PPL QT, would you still be happy?  Would the quality of training overcome the desire to win/qualify higher?
Lastly, consider the team 1 year ago.  Do you win more or less?  Did you play at a higher or lower level?  Have you lost other studs?  Have you been able to replace them if you lost them?  Have you replace quality players with an influx of "warm bodies" that need work?  If so, has the coach been able to improve those players while still keeping your remaining studs challenged enough to stay?

I have seen great developmental coaches do wonders with PPL teams.  These coaches develop stud players that leave for LHGCL...and the truly great coaches are happy about it, and stay in contact with the players for years to come.

If I were a betting man, and reading your caveats (a) and (b) above, I would bet your team will be one of the many, many victims heading into June. Not to be a pessimist, but the next few weeks (end of academy season) will tell as to whether or not you will be able to build a roster to go into QT with. A player showing up to an open practice will "fit" about 25% of the time...so if you need 4 players, you need to see 16 new faces at your practices over the next month or so.

When are the qualifying games?

FCsoccer1 wrote:When are the qualifying games?

LHGCL QT Round 1 starts 7/22, although most games will be on the weekend of 7/26-7/27. Round 2 is 8/2-8/3.

10sDad.....thanks for the info....

Can you expand on some things you mentioned:
4.  If a team doesn't make, it doesn't make.  If you are a couple players short at the signing party, you may be able to overcome it with a couple of players from a team that had to cut.
  ---Lets say it only makes a roster size of 11.....not enough to play PPL or LHGCL...do I get my money back...There still is a team right?  Just not enough to play at the moment???  Or does the club still operate the team and pray it finds players along the way?  Or does the team implode altogether and everyone goes thier seperate ways?
  ----Do you think there is enough time to find out if a team will make before all the signing slots are filled up?  I dont want to wait until July to figure out that the team does not make and then my DD/We are left scrambling to get on a team.  And what type of team will that be???????

You can find a home, after signing day if your team doesn't make but I wouldn't worry too much about that. Now if your team doesn't make and you end up not signing anywhere, that's not always a bad thing. There are still ways to play in games (tournaments) and then you get to practice with whomever you want.

Even after the season there's always movement and there's almost always slots that open up.

If you play on a team currently in the Top 20 of the FBR, you are probably going to be just fine. Heck even in the Top 40 you will still probably be ok.

Your concerns are why I always tell folks to always take opportunities to practice with other teams and guest play when you get a chance. It doesn't mean you are leaving but you owe it to yourself to expose your child and yourself to as many different coaches as possible.

Waiting until now to start looking puts you in a tough spot unless you kid is a bona fide stud.

SocDad wrote:10sDad.....thanks for the info....

Can you expand on some things you mentioned:
4.  If a team doesn't make, it doesn't make.  If you are a couple players short at the signing party, you may be able to overcome it with a couple of players from a team that had to cut.
  ---Lets say it only makes a roster size of 11.....not enough to play PPL or LHGCL...do I get my money back...There still is a team right?  Just not enough to play at the moment???  Or does the club still operate the team and pray it finds players along the way?  Or does the team implode altogether and everyone goes thier seperate ways?
  ----Do you think there is enough time to find out if a team will make before all the signing slots are filled up?  I dont want to wait until July to figure out that the team does not make and then my DD/We are left scrambling to get on a team.  And what type of team will that be???????

If you have 11 committed, you will probably make. you can usually find a couple warm bodies to make up a couple spots. The way teams blow up on signing day is when you have a fractured team, and half the team moves on. If you have 11, you will have a team.
If for some reason, the team implodes...yes, you will be scrambling. At that point, find a team with a coach you like, regardless of where they play, focus on development and use this year to seek out the perfect opportunity for your family. There is tons of movement between U-11 and U-12, so its not the end of the world. Let your DD take the reins, because nothing you can do politically can make her happy.

Im putting together a team full of Super Bona Fide Studs.   Few qualifications.

1.) Must have a high soccer Intelligence Quotient (IQ), not ... I'm Questioning (IQ) how you play.

2.) Can run the 40 dash in at least 5.0 sec or less.  If 350lb linemen can do it, you can too!  You're bigger and faster than all others already.

3.) Highly, highly, highly "Skilled" players please attend, wait ....... Never mind, just need athletes.  Need to get by #2 above to continue on to #4.

4.) Can see the play develop before its happens, you know, like Spiderman.  Sixth Sense players are highly encourage to attend.

5.) Can "Mean Mug" other players before a goal.. Not a prerequisite, its a MUST.  Since you have #4 above, you know goals about to happen..

6.) 105 degree outside and I say to you "Need a water break?" You reply with "Water, water!! .. C'mon Coach, we talking about water here! That's for boys"!!  Must have this mentality.

7.) Winning, WHAT!! It's about Development!! But under your breath, its about Winning.. Sssshhh!!

8.) No Cocky players, but confident players that know this azz kicking is about to happen type attitude.  But shakes the opposition Coach hand before the game with this face.  

9.) Can play all positions even Keeper with one arm.

10.) Having #1 thru #8 is attainable.  Being able to do #9…. Priceless

All travel expenses & dues for remainder of soccer career taken care of, if all qualifications are met.  No questioned asked.  PM, if interested.


Thanks Guys for this good info..

Son_ofa_Pitch wrote:Im putting together a team full of Super Bona Fide Studs.   Few qualifications.

1.) Must have a high soccer Intelligence Quotient (IQ), not ... I'm Questioning (IQ) how you play.

2.) Can run the 40 dash in at least 5.0 sec or less.  If 350lb linemen can do it, you can too!  You're bigger and faster than all others already.

3.) Highly, highly, highly "Skilled" players please attend, wait ....... Never mind, just need athletes.  Need to get by #2 above to continue on to #4.

4.) Can see the play develop before its happens, you know, like Spiderman.  Sixth Sense players are highly encourage to attend.

5.) Can "Mean Mug" other players before a goal.. Not a prerequisite, its a MUST.  Since you have #4 above, you know goals about to happen..

6.) 105 degree outside and I say to you "Need a water break?" You reply with "Water, water!! .. C'mon Coach, we talking about water here! That's for boys"!!  Must have this mentality.

7.) Winning, WHAT!! It's about Development!! But under your breath, its about Winning.. Sssshhh!!

8.) No Cocky players, but confident players that know this azz kicking is about to happen type attitude.  But shakes the opposition Coach hand before the game with this face.  

9.) Can play all positions even Keeper with one arm.

10.) Having #1 thru #8 is attainable.  Being able to do #9…. Priceless

All travel expenses & dues for remainder of soccer career taken care of, if all qualifications are met.  No questioned asked.  PM, if interested.


Thanks Guys for this good info..

LP RASE already exists sir