La Roca Futbol Club

★Samuel Antonio Ramirez Licona

Extremely disappointed with La Roca FC. We brought our son to tryouts because he has real talent, a strong passion for the game, and consistently stands out everywhere he plays. We joined this club expecting coaches who could recognize potential and help young players develop. Instead, we experienced the exact opposite. The decision to reject him showed a complete lack of vision and player development mentality. At 10 years old, the job of a coach is not just to identify the most developed players, but to recognize talent, potential, and the ability to grow. Unfortunately, La Roca failed to do that. What frustrates me the most is that we came looking for better coaching and development, only to discover that this club seems more interested in selecting finished products than developing future players. As a parent, I am convinced they made a major mistake. Time will tell whether they overlooked a player with real potential, but for now, this experience left us with very little confidence in their ability to identify and develop talent. If you are looking for a club that truly believes in developing young players, I would strongly recommend exploring other options before choosing La Roca FC.

★Kendall McKinlay

I genuinely wanted to have a positive experience with La Roca. After speaking with several families whose children had played there for years and hearing how much they loved the club, I was excited for my son to be part of it. Unfortunately, the experience started off on the wrong foot almost immediately after tryouts. When the rosters were posted, my son’s number was nowhere to be found—only a note saying that if your tryout number wasn’t listed, to call a provided number. I called repeatedly over the course of two days, sent emails, and texted, simply trying to understand what happened and hoping to get feedback so we could help my son improve if he hadn’t made a team. After multiple attempts, I finally received a response saying, essentially, “Sorry, we missed your child—if it’s okay with you, we’ll place him on this team.” While I appreciated the eventual solution, it was concerning that something so significant appeared to have been overlooked, and the response felt more reactive than intentional. Thankfully, the coach and team my son ended up with have been absolutely incredible. We’ve seen tremendous growth in him—not just as a player, but as a young person. That has been the one truly positive part of this experience. Unfortunately, the organizational issues did not stop there. Practices were double-booked, forcing our team to squeeze into small corners of a large training facility just to get practice time. On other occasions, the boys were made to practice or play outside in freezing temperatures and even hail while the indoor facility sat open and empty. Communication from management has been consistently poor, and unexpected fees appeared without clear explanation. It has also become apparent that recognition within the club is selective. Unless you’re among the favored coaches, your team’s achievements—such as tournament wins that bring visibility to the club—seem to go unacknowledged. The most disappointing moment came when the owner, Ariel, attended our team’s final game—not to celebrate the boys’ accomplishment, but to publicly criticize the coach in front of parents, air personal grievances, and bring up individual player payment issues in a completely inappropriate group setting. None of that was necessary, professional, or respectful to the players, families, or coach. When concerns were raised afterward about how inappropriate that behavior was, the response was condescending rather than reflective. We have invested thousands of dollars and a significant amount of time into this club, so it’s incredibly disappointing to have this be our experience with leadership and management. While we were fortunate to have a fantastic coach who made a meaningful difference for our son, the broader organizational experience has been frustrating and unprofessional. I sincerely hope La Roca takes feedback like this seriously and reflects on how they communicate with and treat their coaches, players, and families moving forward. There are too many other clubs where families can invest their time and money and feel genuinely valued.

★Saige Martinez

Our experience with La Roca Soccer Club has been extremely disappointing, and unfortunately the only positive thing that came from our time there was our coach, who genuinely cared about the kids and did everything he could for them. Outside of that, we dealt with countless issues throughout the season. The club charges more than most other soccer clubs, yet still requires families to volunteer or pay an additional $100 fee each year. For the amount families pay, the level of organization has been unacceptable. There were several games where there were no nets, no referees, and no communication from operations. Calls and messages went unanswered, leaving games canceled or forcing coaches to referee themselves. That should never happen at a club of this size. Another frustrating moment was during a snowstorm when the boys were still required to play outside. While we were willing to support the team and continue the game, it was shocking to walk inside the facility and find it completely empty while the players were left outside in cold conditions. It makes you question why families are paying for access to such a large facility if it is not going to be utilized for the players. We drive nearly 40 minutes to be part of this club because we believed in it and wanted to support our son’s team. The only reason we stayed as long as we did was because of how much we respected and appreciated our coach. This past Saturday was the final straw. The club director, Ariel, attended our last game after learning our coach would be leaving La Roca. Instead of congratulating the boys on their win, he immediately pulled parents aside away from the coach and spent roughly 15 minutes criticizing him. He also publicly brought up a roster/payment issue involving a child at an out-of-state tournament, which the entire team could easily identify. That conversation was completely inappropriate and unnecessary, especially in front of parents immediately after the kids had just won their game. It was disappointing, unprofessional, and honestly heartbreaking to see adults handle things that way around youth players and families. The disorganization, lack of communication, and poor leadership ultimately outweighed the positive experience our coach tried so hard to create for the boys. I truly hope the club takes a hard look at how families, players, and coaches are being treated moving forward.

★McKenna Christensen

Extremely disappointed with the way La Roca Soccer Club treats its coaches, players, and parents. Concerns are ignored, favoritism is obvious, and leadership seems more interested in protecting certain people than actually addressing problems fairly and professionally. Families and coaches invest so much time, money, and commitment into this club, and they deserve transparency, respect, and accountability. Instead, many people feel unheard and pushed aside while the same favorites continue to get protected no matter the situation. As a coaches wife and assistant coach, so disappointing and so happy we are leaving this club.

★James

Player selection shouldn’t be based on favoritism or who already has connections with LaRoca. I’ve tried out three times and played for three different clubs last year, yet it’s clear that players with prior ties are consistently favored over new talent. Experience elsewhere should matter, not who you already like. If you want real competition and growth, do better. I expect to see this change by the next tryout. Players deserve a fair evaluation based on performance, not favoritism. If nothing changes, then it says a lot about the process. Stop the money grabbing and bring in new players.. be a REAL good club.. not based off favoritism for players.