Quote Originally Posted by Hunter403 View Post
And that's the koolaid they swallow. There are good and bad coaches at each level. I've seen some great coaches in lower levels working their butts off improving kids and doing as much or more than those coaching at the top.
I'd argue that overall, there is sweet f a difference between what a kid at a group a club gets over a kid at group c in terms of effort, commitment and coaching knowledge. Great PR work and the parental dream that their kid will play first grade NPL if they play their youth football at that club.

Tell 'em they're dreamin'
Having done both and played in Sydney it can be vastly different. You also have to deal with the attitudes of the other young people your kid is playing with, and that commitment varies wildly which does impact both games and training. It doesn't matter how hard you train if the team you are with can't string together three passes in a row at training under pressure from team mates who aren't out to try and take your head off like I've seen at some youth games lately.

Have a chat with a player that's been at the bottom of NPL in Newcastle, to the top, then to Sydney and then been overseas with players who play in NPL (div 1) in Sydney and then again against those players in Europe who are being paid to play under 17s football - yes they are paid to go to those tournaments we pay to send kids to. The ball speed and movement from the bottom of NPL in Newcastle to the better players in Sydney to those in Europe is a solar system apart, and failing to acknowledge that does nothing to improve the game in Newcastle.