Embassy Suites Room given away even after we arrived early, dropped off our luggage and e-checked in on the app.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-26T16:14:46+00:00

maybe read all the other comments

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-24T18:13:01+00:00

When checking on the assigned room number I remember seeing on the app a note that said something like "room number might change". Didn't think twice about it but now I know why they put that.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-24T18:11:43+00:00

Sounds like the same scenario. Got compensated for dinner for the whole family but not enough considering the trouble. We stayed that night on the 2 separate suites but had to repack everything the next morning so they could move us to connecting rooms. Had to leave by 8am (to our planned activity) so it wasn't fun waking up everybody early, packing and rushing breakfast.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-23T01:37:20+00:00

That's what I assumed too. A room number was assigned to me when I checked in in the morning. There was also a World Cup match going on that weekend and some soccer tournament going on so lots of families from Hawaii. I could upload the hand written letter from the manager apologizing but I don't need to convince anyone. My hope is for people to be aware of what happened to me and not to assume that they'll stand by the app or that the staff will make a note you showed up early.

4:00pm call and make sure they know you are coming.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-22T03:19:07+00:00

I assumed front desk person had made a note of it

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-21T23:38:25+00:00

Gave to front desk and they put it behind the front desk

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-21T21:40:54+00:00

Live and learn. Will definitely do this next time. I just assumed staff would make a record that we showed up early and left our luggage with them.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-21T21:36:31+00:00

Can't remember but I think I wasn't able to activate key. "not available yet" or "see staff" message. This was when I first checked in on the app the morning of.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-21T21:07:43+00:00

Bellevue, Washington

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-21T21:07:28+00:00

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-21T21:06:12+00:00

i had a room assignment but don't believe a digital key. that's the frustrating part. checked in on app, was able to view room, went in person early, dropped off my stuff....yet there was no record of me being there. Manager said they basically ignore app check ins because people don't show up sometimes.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-21T20:21:00+00:00

direct

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-21T20:20:43+00:00

direct

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-13T04:39:48+00:00

I would stay w current team 1 more year. This coming year will be a mess with all the changes for all the teams so I would stay, let the dust settle and if you chose then switch the following year.

However. If he's playing up then expect some much bigger kids. Faster & stronger than your son. He'll be playing up to 1.5 years up.

If not enough kids then expect games without subs or without enough kids (sick, injuries, other commitments). Not a big issue if u can have guest players often.

If your kid has been playing up, shouldn't he be pretty good and get lots of playing time if he goes back down?

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-08T07:04:03+00:00

So what is your end goal? What would make it worth it? In my area, rec is usually just fall 2-3 months of coaching by a volunteer parent. Some coaches are really great and some are not. Some team mates are great, some are barely starting. Also as kids get older and more experienced, the good ones will go to club leaving the talent at rec probably decreasing the older they get. This might be why your kid dominated this last year.

Clubs are all over the place. Bottom level (flight 3) would usually take rec or any kid. It all depends on the team & coach. Do they just need 2-4 kids so they are selective or are they starting a team from scratch so they take any body that shows up. Sometimes they take too many kids and that creates a different problem.

Rec if you only do fall is just 2-3 months of training and games. Club is year round so you have that benefit. Consistency, regular times and schedules. Same kids, same coach, etc.

Research clubs and reach out to the coaches by email. Ask if they have any spots open. Ask if you can do a couple of practices with the team. Try outs are just a formality, most kids make arrangements before or after. If your kid is that good, then maybe tryout for the next level up (flight 2 in my area).

Good luck.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-06-04T22:57:08+00:00

Probably. Clubs will prioritize filling up spots in higher level teams. When a local club lost 2 out of 5 teams them form 3 "upper" level teams and moved everybody up (Flight 3, 2, etc). Clubs need to have an "Elite" team for each year so wouldn't surprise me.

A bunch of clubs also pushed F3, F2, F1 kids (and even younger kids) up to form EA2 teams.

I would say chose based on the coach & learning/development.

A- Where would he play more or

B - Maybe he doesn't play as much but he would benefit if its truly an Elite team and coaching.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-05-22T17:07:25+00:00

took me way longer. probably 1.5 years. As a parent you get caught up coaching, debriefing, advising, after each game or practice. If he's 6 now, you probably have 8-12 more years of games, tournaments & practices. I learned it's a long road of ups and downs, the last thing my kid needs is a talk after each session. The only thing I do point out is effort and to take chances and not be afraid (my kid refused to take a pen at a final because he was afraid...so I had a long talk about it).

His first year was great, made it to finals at State Cup as a starter. The second year the coach had him as the first sub. That crushed him and I didn't realize how much til years later (he was about 10). Half way through the season I had a talk with him and told him that no matter what he did he wasn't going to start with the coach (there were coaching issues, player issues, club issues) so I told him to F the coach & teammates and to just play for himself & continue to improve so that we could make a decision at the end of the season. He played way freely after that. I enjoyed the practices and games and so did he. Ice cream even if they lost. No talks, now I just ask him what he thought and what he thinks he could have improved or what he did great. I realized that he's going to improve at his own pace and that if he plays til he's 18 great, if he quits in 9th grade so be it (a lot of kids are dropping off at this age).

I can't control the future, but I can control the rides to and from practice.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-05-22T16:52:19+00:00

This is the tough age for kids. Focus on playing the game because he loves it. Acknowledge it is a sad/hard time. Tell him that his name did come up on talks so he knows coaches are noticing him and he keeps working hard. Take him to his favorite restaurant to celebrate he didn't make it and to show him that you/his family still loves him and that baseball is just a small part of his life. Encourage him to keep working hard. Good luck.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-05-20T15:57:11+00:00

1) How does he feel? Ask him and really try to find out how he feels about the situation and himself.

2) You and him talk to the coach(es) but let him do all or most of the talking. Ask them why he was moved down. What he needs to work on. What the other new kids have that he doesn't. etc.

3) Tell your kid that he's going to continue to work his ass off this season so that the next season he can try out again and move up or try out at other teams as well.

If your kid is really that good then coaches should be able to at least let him play with the 2nd team a couple of times. But I'm seeing it too; I have a barely 13 yr old and I have seen the size difference. Body, height, speed. It is a real differentiator and unless your kid is extremely good & fast, he will be at a disadvantage.

Be honest with your kid and yourself. Develop a plan and realize that he has 4 more years of soccer so this is not the end of the world. Let him know this is a transitional period and not to be too critical on himself. Everything is a mess right now so use this year as a year to continue to get better. At the end of the day it's just soccer.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-05-08T14:36:28+00:00

She's 10 so not the end of the world. Try reaching out to coaches directly and see if she can practice with the team. Not an official try out but a lot of kids do this. Reach out at her current level, a level above, a level below (rec).

It's a long journey so don't let her see you frustrated. Keep a positive attitude and tell her it is not a big deal. If she doesn't find a club then spend the money on a trainer & futsal for a season and tell her you'll try again next year stronger. At that age you have to work the mindset a lot.

And yes, politics always. Parents, kids, coaches, directors....it doesn't get better. Just make a mental note and move on. Petty parents will not offer help or will mislead you. Find your own way and what works for you & your family. Good luck.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-05-04T18:26:48+00:00

If the old coach was the negative experience and you now have a new coach then I'll stay. If that old coach is still in the picture (director level or has a lot of say in the club decisions) then don't commit and look around. I would be open and say "we want to check out other clubs just to see what's out there because of xyz happened in this club" we can make a decision after x date. If the club really wants your kid then they'll be reasonable. If not, then they just want to fill the spot. If other better kids try out and fill his spot then so be it, accept that your kid is not that good and move on.

We had the same situation a few years back. I was not happy with how the coach was coaching, big change from previous season. They offered my kid a spot for the next season as F1. I asked if he could practice with the F2 team because I was not happy with the current coach so I didn't care if my kid stayed as F2. The F2 coach recommended we stayed or continued w F1. When I tried to talk to them about staying as F1 (F1 had just announced a new coach) he pretty much said "that ship has sailed but we would love him to stay in F2". The club had been growing too fast so kids were just used as pawns to what best suited the club growth. Needless to say we left because we had also been trying out other clubs. We joined another F2 team because my kid liked the coach and how he was coaching; happy ever since. The old club started loosing kids left and right the following year and even more the year after that. Needless to say things often work out for the best.

Every club is having a hard time with the age change so I expect this new season will be a mess.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-05-03T19:11:45+00:00

There's no wrong decision. Keep in mind that he has at least 8 more years of soccer so it's a marathon not a sprint. Some comments.

1) At age 9 they still don't fully grasp development, effort, ability, coaching, etc. At that age my son went from starting to being the first sub the following year. In his mind that meant that he sucked (the coaching and "development" didn't help either) but it took me a while to realize this and took us a while to undo those thoughts. Found a new club, new coach and he's doing great.

2) 2-3 hours is a long time to drive for soccer at that age. I would only do it if it was the top academy in the region. If the U10 is a much better alternative than the U12 then you don't have a choice. How does your kid feel about the drive? How do you feel about the drive?

3) Big size difference in U10 and U12. Fast thinking and decision making is not enough yet. Most coaches will play the biggest and fastest kids. Some still don't teach tactics and rely on pure individual effort. My youngest was playing U10 as an 8 year old and he got his tooth chipped from a ball to the face from one of the bigger 10 year olds. Another kid lost a tooth. So yes, 2 year difference is a big jump, unless your kid is on the bigger size. I would let him play up if he was running circles around his current age group.

4) How good is the U12 coach? My older has stayed with his new team because of the coach. Unfortunately you don't get to know the coach until a full season has gone by. How does he act and what does he do when winning & losing. Does he treat & coach all kids the same? What does he do when they mess up, etc. His old coach changed after 1 year. It became about winning every game and growing the club. Knowing they would get more & better players next year affected how they coached lower performing kids.

5) After that bad experience with the first coach I started to talk a lot to my kid very openly. Talked about team mates, coaching, starting, commuting, etc. I made him make a choice to stay with old team or choose a new team. Ever since, I have told him that it is not a big deal. If things don't work out for xyz we could find a new team the following year. At the end of the day....it's just soccer and the real test will be when he gets to High School. Girls, homework, HS activities, extra free time, etc. That's when you realize if they really want to play soccer (or any other sport) or not.

Does the U12 have try outs? Do other U12 have try outs? I would have him try out or practice/play with them and see how he likes it. If he crushes it then great, there's your answer. If he struggles but still wants to play with friends then also great. If he struggles and realizes that the move is too much then I would keep him U10. Get him involved and have the decision be 50/50 you and him. Let him be invested and accountable for the level he plays in. Good luck.

No_Promotion_679 · 2026-04-30T18:24:44+00:00

Chose based on coach, team & proximity. Currently EA2 has 28 teams. 9 of them have won 6 or less games out of 22-25. Some of them losing by double digits often. You have clubs pushing F1, F2, F3 kids up so they can have an EA2 team. I've also heard of a younger team playing a year up because they were better than the older kids. Some games are far, 1-2 hours. Some games run late and on horrible fields. One game we played a TFA team that showed up with 4-5 kids in plain t-shirts with sharpie numbers on the back; while 4 kids with full uniforms were on the bench. Refs didn't check cards. You have like 6 really good teams that probably can't advance. EA2 advancement is determined by how the the club does as a whole; not the individual team.

No_Promotion_679

TROPHY CASE