We signed up our 13 year old as he had a passion for the sport and desperately wanted to play on…read morethe club level, not just Middle School.
After paying over $2,500 in registration fees + $600 for uniforms, you'd think that would be it, but no. Since it is a club that travels to other cities, we have to cover the travel expenses for the coach to include gas, food, and lodging, plus any tournament entry fees.
When you arrive at GVTC in Bulverde, you'll be shocked by the field conditions, parking conditions, and utter lack of restrooms (Port-O-Pots), and no refreshment stand. I don't even think they have water fountains. There is little to on shade and zero seating, so bring an umbrella, folding chairs, and a cooler for snack and drinks. You may also want to drive a lunar rover as negotiating the traffic loop around the fields should be training for astronauts. That's enough for the facilities.
As for my son's coach, Laurence O'Toole. I don't know if he read the job description before applying for the position, or not. I think he missed the fact that he'd be "teaching," "coaching," young teenagers and not an international FIFA World Cup team. He demeans, belittles, and insults the players. When the kids don't perform up to his outrageously high expectations, during a game or tourney, he gesticulates wildly, screams at his players, and basically throws a tantrum the likes of which we haven't seen from our son in a decade. I've always thought the parents had the potential to be the worst on gameday, O'Toole has proven otherwise.
Our son is struggling to keep motivated about soccer. He dreads practice and on occasion has cried on the way home from the verbal and mental abuse. In the past, we have told him to never quit because the first time you do will make quitting the next time, easier. In this instance, I have told him if he wanted to throw in the towel, I'd understand and support him. But he refuses to quit, which makes me proud of him, but intensifies the hurt I feel seeing him go though this. No young teen/kid/child should have to endure mental anguish, just to play a sport they love.
If you find yourself with O'Toole as your child's coach, I wish you the best of luck. I honestly believe this coach would find a way to verbally abuse some of the greatest soccer players of all time. If I could go back, knowing what I know now, we would have taken a hard pass on SA United.
We're still mystified about how the $2,500 in fees were spent!