NEMS 2024 is a perfect example of kids and parents thinking that a strong 5th, 6th grade, and 7th grade team will persist into the years that matter. A former #1 team falling outside the top 10 when it matters while somehow inferior teams surpass them.

Even worse, the 24 NEMS coach will only look out for her daughter who is only the strongest player because she helped direct the supporting cast to get her the ball all the time. It will get worse as more clipboards appear on the fields.

Lots of similarities to the same conversations about 28 teams. Being blinded by t-shirts and wins are short sighted and miss the big picture. As parents, these are nuances your daughters don’t understand and it is your role to help them see the big picture. Thinking “but (fill in the club) has a shot to win the NGLL next year” is the wrong mentality.