Soccer post (travel clubs, developing fandom, etc.)....

[My Bru]

Two part question:

1) Anybody here got experience with their kids in travel/select/club soccer? By that, I mean anything with tryouts that isn't rec ball. They start it at 9 years old now. Is this a good thing? Super expensive and time consuming? Can they play other sports? I have brought up travel/select baseball here in the past and while I have some issues with it, it doesn't seem to try and force people into 100% baseball like soccer does. Fall season, spring season, a ton of 'training' in between.....I can't tell sometimes seems more like a money maker than legit trying to develop soccer players for the purposes of winning. And I would imagine trying to play club soccer and tackle football at the same time is out?

2) Say a kid is good at soccer and wants to play - is there a particular way to develop interest? I know hardly anything about soccer except what I've read about MLS and EPL. I try to watch an EPL match now and again on Saturday mornings in the fall. I see where they are coming back, so hopefully MLS is too. But I don't even know where to start as far as being a fan and telling a kid what to watch. Don't even know what channel MLS comes out. I figure MLS would be easier to watch than EPL just because it's local, am I wrong?

Bottom line I want to give it a try.

 

[Maroonthirteen]

Depends on your kid if starting at 9 years old is good or bad. Is you kid playing rec ball and dominating or you looking for development? If you do start your kid at 9 and are serious about it......his ball skills will be well ahead of others. Ive seen kids be superstars at 9 and switch sports by 12. Ive seen mediocre kids play from 9 to college. Kids start at 12 and be superstars by high school Kids start club ball at 12 and be way behind in ball skills the entire time. It really all depends on the kids "want to" and the parents committment.

My club soccer experience was that you were highly encouraged to be committed to almost year around training. I am sure you could play just in fall or spring (whichever) but if you are playing serious club soccer....most of your teammates will be 100% soccer year around. Some kids/parents still did two sports......but i don't know how they managed/found the time.

We typically practiced 3 days a week, One game per week in addition to three tournaments in the fall and 3 in the spring season. We trained August to Dec 1ish. Spring season was late January to mid May. THe more hard core parents put together 3v3 over the summer or played in small sided summer leagues too.

As far as getting your kid interested..... it is all about the other kids. Does he have friends playing? If not....sign him up and see if he makes friends. if he has friends, he will enjoy the game. THe biggest thing my family took from club soccer was the friendships. We meet a lot of great people and made a lot of friends. It was a really really good experience for me. Even though my kids hung up the cleats after high school.

I knew nothing about soccer when my kids started. Two things I learned..... it is a running sport. It is a physical sport. Maybe not a 9.....but by 12 it is a running and physical sport. running and physical!!!

 

[The Peeper]

Mine started travel when she was 11 after starting Rec when she was 6 and I think that 11 was a little young to be honest. We have played soccer from Dallas, to Memphis to Atlanta to Pensacola, to Gulfport to New Orleans to Baton Rouge and Jackson. It is very time consuming (practiced 2 nights a week plus usually a "friendly" game or 2 or more on weekends. You can count on spending $500+/weekend by the time you eat out 6 meals in a weekend with the family, 2 nights hotel, gasoline, tournament fees, coaches meals and room, tournament t shirts and pictures, etc, etc. I was SOOOOO happy when after the last game of her U15 state tournament game she said "I don't think I want to play anymore!" We got our old life and friends back, everything but about $5 grand a year for 5 years. I could have applied that to college and been much better off than giving it to soccer.

 

[Walter White.sixpack]

imagine if you bought Apple or Amazon instead of Club Soccer.

 

[8dog]

Ive found club soccer to be far more accepting of club baseball than the other way around. Plus soccer takes up about 10 weekends a year. Baseball takes up about 20 for a lot of kids.

 

[johnson86-1]

Mine started travel when she was 11 after starting Rec when she was 6 and I think that 11 was a little young to be honest. We have played soccer from Dallas, to Memphis to Atlanta to Pensacola, to Gulfport to New Orleans to Baton Rouge and Jackson. It is very time consuming (practiced 2 nights a week plus usually a "friendly" game or 2 or more on weekends. You can count on spending $500+/weekend by the time you eat out 6 meals in a weekend with the family, 2 nights hotel, gasoline, tournament fees, coaches meals and room, tournament t shirts and pictures, etc, etc. I was SOOOOO happy when after the last game of her U15 state tournament game she said "I don't think I want to play anymore!" We got our old life and friends back, everything but about $5 grand a year for 5 years. I could have applied that to college and been much better off than giving it to soccer.

This is what kills me about all the travel ball is how pointless it is. At the end of the day, the vast majority of the kids aren't going to play past high school. If a kid eats drinks and breathes a sport, that's fine, but it's crazy how many people are spending money they don't have to put their 8 or 9 year old in travel sports when the kids themselves aren't just dying to play all the time. For the most part, the kids' experiences would be just as satisfying playing local rec league.

 

[My Bru]

This is what kills me about all the travel ball is how pointless it is. At the end of the day, the vast majority of the kids aren't going to play past high school. If a kid eats drinks and breathes a sport, that's fine, but it's crazy how many people are spending money they don't have to put their 8 or 9 year old in travel sports when the kids themselves aren't just dying to play all the time. For the most part, the kids' experiences would be just as satisfying playing local rec league.

I feel the same, but I kind of equate it to college football in that there's the way I want it to be, and the way it is. Best just make do with the system the way it currently operates. The problem is there's such a huge gulf between rec ball and travel ball, even at the young ages. Even the mediocre kids (and some not-so-good ones) play travel sports. I just happen to know much less about soccer than I do baseball, but from what I've seen so far, that trend still holds true in soccer. I'm just at the mercy of the others.

However, in soccer it does seem they have real coaches rather than dads. Not sure when that takes hold in travel baseball.

 

[tbaydog]

Two part question:

1) Anybody here got experience with their kids in travel/select/club soccer? By that, I mean anything with tryouts that isn't rec ball. They start it at 9 years old now. Is this a good thing? Super expensive and time consuming? Can they play other sports? I have brought up travel/select baseball here in the past and while I have some issues with it, it doesn't seem to try and force people into 100% baseball like soccer does. Fall season, spring season, a ton of 'training' in between.....I can't tell sometimes seems more like a money maker than legit trying to develop soccer players for the purposes of winning. And I would imagine trying to play club soccer and tackle football at the same time is out?

2) Say a kid is good at soccer and wants to play - is there a particular way to develop interest? I know hardly anything about soccer except what I've read about MLS and EPL. I try to watch an EPL match now and again on Saturday mornings in the fall. I see where they are coming back, so hopefully MLS is too. But I don't even know where to start as far as being a fan and telling a kid what to watch. Don't even know what channel MLS comes out. I figure MLS would be easier to watch than EPL just because it's local, am I wrong?

Bottom line I want to give it a try.

Son played Travel Hockey for years. First its a money Grab. Second, Could have paid 4 years of college at Harvard for what I have invested.

Yes, he finished Freshman year at D3 College in Connecticut on the Hockey Team.

It was fun, but was it worth it, I say NO!

 

[Maroonthirteen]

The problem is there's such a huge gulf between rec ball and travel ball, even at the young ages. Even the mediocre kids (and some not-so-good ones) play travel sports. I just happen to know much less about soccer than I do baseball, but from what I've seen so far, that trend still holds true in soccer. I'm just at the mercy of the others.

However, in soccer it does seem they have real coaches rather than dads. Not sure when that takes hold in travel baseball.

Yeah....mine started at 9.....looking back. THat was too young. However, the problem was everyone was jumping to club soccer at that age. THe rec leagues after 8 years old are void of talent. Also the parent involvement in rec soccer past 8 yo was next to nothing. I had kids show up for one practice and i would see them again at the games.

 

[Shamoan]

in the madison area, there are 3 levels....rec, "cadets", and travel. the cadets isnt as strong of a financial commitment, but they do have very well organized practices and work on skills. my oldest will be trying out for the travel team for the first time this year and i was told it was $2000 for the season. mine also played both soccer and tournament baseball, but its painfully clear that will no longer work. he is 9 yo and the juggling act is no longer plausible. he enjoys them both but this is likely the end of his baseball career unless he does city rec for fun.

cadets has been very instrumental in development for my son. its operated through Rush. they have a and b teams and are more competitive than rec.

https://www.rushsoccer.com/

 

[johnson86-1]

I feel the same, but I kind of equate it to college football in that there's the way I want it to be, and the way it is. Best just make do with the system the way it currently operates. The problem is there's such a huge gulf between rec ball and travel ball, even at the young ages. Even the mediocre kids (and some not-so-good ones) play travel sports. I just happen to know much less about soccer than I do baseball, but from what I've seen so far, that trend still holds true in soccer. I'm just at the mercy of the others.

However, in soccer it does seem they have real coaches rather than dads. Not sure when that takes hold in travel baseball.

Yea, I'm not criticizing any individual parent. It's a collective action problem and we will do it too when the time comes if that's what our kids want to do. I'm hoping I can get my kids into things they will keep doing past organized sports e.g., golf, fishing, tennis, water skiing or wake boarding, etc. I'm a big believer in being on team sports being helpful, and I also think the self discipline needed to stay competitive is helpful for later, but I'm just not sure if any of it is that helpful before Jr. High, which is I think the earliest point that most kids will actually be self driven enough to push themselves in practice and training and actually develop transferable skills.

 

[My Bru]

he is 9 yo and the juggling act is no longer plausible. he enjoys them both but this is likely the end of his baseball career unless he does city rec for fun.

That's borderline insane. I might just do rec for the principle of the deal.

 

[msualohadog]

My son started at 8, culiminating with a football kicking scholarship and a mini camp invite to the Jets, so I can give you my thoughts.

Pros:
1. Treated the tourney weekends as mini vacations. They were some of the best family memories we have. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

2. It taught my son how to work hard. He was on a Classic I team in Georgia and played ODP. Those kids are all extremely good. Kids who don't work hard get left behind. No excuses. College sports are much more intense than any HS or club, but at least he had an inkling.

3. We developed life long family friends. Nothing like hanging out in 90 degrees all weekend to share struggles and bond.

4. Soccer tourneys are WAY BETTER than baseball tourneys (haha). Two Saturday games, a Sunday game, and a final if you make it. Nights are free and the schedule is set. I empathized with my baseball buddies "if we win we play tonight at 9pm, if we lose its tomorrow at 8am". I went to the hotel bar while the team swam in the pool.

5. Life lessons, good and bad, from coaches, teammates, parents, and families. I never pushed my son. He saw some that did and it never ended well.

Cons:

1. Parents. Some get so invested it's truly insane. 99% of boys wont get a scholarship due to title 9. That doesn't stop parents from pushing, however. At the end of the day, look at college soccer rosters. It's a hodge-podge of people with one single theme - talent. Money and entitlement can't get a boy a soccer scholarship. Know this going in.

2. Phases of the game. 9-12 are the golden years. At about 13, the kids and parents start to show themselves. At 15, none of the parents care anymore. You'll be the weekend chauffeur for 6 teenagers who don't have money for dinner. At 17 drugs, alcohol and girls enter the picture... In short, being around and responsible for typical high schoolers.

3. Money. It costs a lot. You have to learn to say "no". Theres always a next camp, better coach, higher level league. It's a business. Be honest and objective about the desired outcome and the talent to get there.

I hope this helped. I wouldn't trade any of the memories with my oldest son and it ended up very well. I had a ten year break with my youngest son however, and we just did rec ball.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Two part question:

1) Anybody here got experience with their kids in travel/select/club soccer? By that, I mean anything with tryouts that isn't rec ball. They start it at 9 years old now. Is this a good thing? Super expensive and time consuming? Can they play other sports? I have brought up travel/select baseball here in the past and while I have some issues with it, it doesn't seem to try and force people into 100% baseball like soccer does. Fall season, spring season, a ton of 'training' in between.....I can't tell sometimes seems more like a money maker than legit trying to develop soccer players for the purposes of winning. And I would imagine trying to play club soccer and tackle football at the same time is out?

2) Say a kid is good at soccer and wants to play - is there a particular way to develop interest? I know hardly anything about soccer except what I've read about MLS and EPL. I try to watch an EPL match now and again on Saturday mornings in the fall. I see where they are coming back, so hopefully MLS is too. But I don't even know where to start as far as being a fan and telling a kid what to watch. Don't even know what channel MLS comes out. I figure MLS would be easier to watch than EPL just because it's local, am I wrong?

Bottom line I want to give it a try.

1) Don't stretch your finances to do it. The annual club fees are only a part of what it will actually cost you.

2) If your kid isn't loving it and wanting to do it, don't do it.

3) It can be a lot of fun, if it is all about developing/supporting the kids.

4) The worst thing about youth sports is the parents. Be prepared to be the good example. Encourage the kids, and let coach, coach.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

I would say that rec is your best bet if you find this untenable. Your kid may eventually self-select down to one sport and then you can focus.

 

[Col. Forbin]

My son started at 8, culiminating with a football kicking scholarship and a mini camp invite to the Jets, so I can give you my thoughts.

Pros:
1. Treated the tourney weekends as mini vacations. They were some of the best family memories we have. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

2. It taught my son how to work hard. He was on a Classic I team in Georgia and played ODP. Those kids are all extremely good. Kids who don't work hard get left behind. No excuses. College sports are much more intense than any HS or club, but at least he had an inkling.

3. We developed life long family friends. Nothing like hanging out in 90 degrees all weekend to share struggles and bond.

4. Soccer tourneys are WAY BETTER than baseball tourneys (haha). Two Saturday games, a Sunday game, and a final if you make it. Nights are free and the schedule is set. I empathized with my baseball buddies "if we win we play tonight at 9pm, if we lose its tomorrow at 8am". I went to the hotel bar while the team swam in the pool.

5. Life lessons, good and bad, from coaches, teammates, parents, and families. I never pushed my son. He saw some that did and it never ended well.

Cons:

1. Parents. Some get so invested it's truly insane. 99% of boys wont get a scholarship due to title 9. That doesn't stop parents from pushing, however. At the end of the day, look at college soccer rosters. It's a hodge-podge of people with one single theme - talent. Money and entitlement can't get a boy a soccer scholarship. Know this going in.

2. Phases of the game. 9-12 are the golden years. At about 13, the kids and parents start to show themselves. At 15, none of the parents care anymore. You'll be the weekend chauffeur for 6 teenagers who don't have money for dinner. At 17 drugs, alcohol and girls enter the picture... In short, being around and responsible for typical high schoolers.

3. Money. It costs a lot. You have to learn to say "no". Theres always a next camp, better coach, higher level league. It's a business. Be honest and objective about the desired outcome and the talent to get there.

I hope this helped. I wouldn't trade any of the memories with my oldest son and it ended up very well. I had a ten year break with my youngest son however, and we just did rec ball.

This is your best assessment right here. After going thru it as a player, sibling, and now parent its spot on. My oldest plays for rush at the u14 level and while time consuming it is not near that of baseball at this age. Our coach at 11 & 12 years old encouraged playing other sports thru the entire time and even thru the winter break to help develop different motor skills.

Now, U9 is too young to have a "developmental" team. The Rush cadet program or JFC recplus program is all you need at that age group. Work thru the process of development and don't be concerned at winning at the younger age groups. Size and speed will win, but once you get to the ages that matters the skills will begin to overshadow that. One club decided to start a team at that level(u9) and others followed suit worrying that the players would go to that club instead of staying one more year in rec.

 

[Irondawg]

Agree with most on here - I have a son that did D1 soccer for first time last year at U11 and that’s as early as I’d start him.

His sister starts U9 this year and is more talented but we won’t let her start D1 until probably same age. Madison Cadets is a good in between where we are.

Madison tried having a U9 D1 team last year but most parents I talked to wouldn’t have done it again.

I imagine it’s a different experience in each city though

 

[Palmettodog]

All these posts are right on the money. My daughter, age 12, started playing rec ball at 6. At the request of her coach, moved to club level at age 8-9. We have traveled all over SC, GA, FL, NC and TN playing tournaments. As someone mentioned, we treated each tourney weekend like a mini vacation and we had lots of fun and spent **** tons of money. Practiced 3 nights a week 10 months out of the year. As of last week, with the announcements of tryouts, my daughter who will be entering 7th grade came to me and said she wants to try something else.

Kids really gotta love it or the commitment will burn you and your kid out. She now wants to try Cross Country and some track which I'm looking forward to. For me as a father, all I want is for my kid to stay active and compete. There are so many life lessons that can be taken from competition. Setting goals, preparation, losing, winning just to name a few. Good luck if you chose to try it out as it can be a lot of fun.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

All these posts are right on the money. My daughter, age 12, started playing rec ball at 6. At the request of her coach, moved to club level at age 8-9. We have traveled all over SC, GA, FL, NC and TN playing tournaments. As someone mentioned, we treated each tourney weekend like a mini vacation and we had lots of fun and spent **** tons of money. Practiced 3 nights a week 10 months out of the year. As of last week, with the announcements of tryouts, my daughter who will be entering 7th grade came to me and said she wants to try something else.

Kids really gotta love it or the commitment will burn you and your kid out. She now wants to try Cross Country and some track which I'm looking forward to. For me as a father, all I want is for my kid to stay active and compete. There are so many life lessons that can be taken from competition. Setting goals, preparation, losing, winning just to name a few. Good luck if you chose to try it out as it can be a lot of fun.

My condolences.*** Track meets will have you longing for soccer games.(no sarcasterisks)

 

[Palmettodog]

Lovely.

 

[Shamoan]

pretty sure they are doing the D1 team U9 again this year. Tryouts are in June 15th - 24th. what are the parents saying about it?

 

[Col. Forbin]

There are no teams or coaches listed for the u9 age group for any MS Rush league(Jackson or Madison)

 

[horshack.sixpack]

Yep. What you see is parents competing with their $$$ to make sure little Timmy gets picked. In my experience baseball was the worst as there are seemingly an endless number of sanctioning leagues, so if you have the funds you can just go form a team under a different organization, even if it was worse than any rec team ever imagined. Amazing how some parents personalize their kids success on the sports field and don't use failure to teach good life lessons.

 

[sfnsfn]

I have 2 kids that play competitive soccer. My suggestion for the younger ages (12 and under) is to find a team that doesn't travel long distances. Unless your kid is the next Christian Pulisic, there's no reason to travel 2+ hours to play games...if you live in a big city, there's no reason to travel at all.

And there are teams out there that don't require a 10 month commitment. Those teams are not going to be the top level teams, but they will allow your kid to play other sports or take part in other activities.

Just be sure to call around to different clubs and ask a lot of questions to make sure it would be a good fit for you and your family.

 

[Shamoan]

Link i was sent says MS Rush United Brandon Futbol club....we did cadets only last year so im new to this aspect. is that the larger umbrella for this area?

 

[Col. Forbin]

So right now until u13 clubs are still locally based. Jackson Rush(JFC), Madison Rush(MFC), Brilla, and Brandon. At age 13 Madison and Jackson combine to make MS Rush. At u16 Brilla, Brandon, and MS Rush combine to make MS Rush United. All separate boards but still under the national Rush umbrella.

 

[johnson86-1]

All these posts are right on the money. My daughter, age 12, started playing rec ball at 6. At the request of her coach, moved to club level at age 8-9. We have traveled all over SC, GA, FL, NC and TN playing tournaments. As someone mentioned, we treated each tourney weekend like a mini vacation and we had lots of fun and spent **** tons of money. Practiced 3 nights a week 10 months out of the year. As of last week, with the announcements of tryouts, my daughter who will be entering 7th grade came to me and said she wants to try something else.

Kids really gotta love it or the commitment will burn you and your kid out. She now wants to try Cross Country and some track which I'm looking forward to. For me as a father, all I want is for my kid to stay active and compete. There are so many life lessons that can be taken from competition. Setting goals, preparation, losing, winning just to name a few. Good luck if you chose to try it out as it can be a lot of fun.

That made me throw up in my mouth. Taking kids to practice three times a week for 10 months before they're even in Jr. high seems miserable.

 

[My Bru]

That made me throw up in my mouth. Taking kids to practice three times a week for 10 months before they're even in Jr. high seems miserable.

Twice is probably a little much, if it does not include a game. I've always thought one practice per week and one game per week was about right for any kid sport at least through 6th grade. 2 practices per week in the preseason before games start, maybe, depending on the sport.

That's the main reason I'm curious about all this. I see no way my kid could play competitive soccer and still play tackle football, which also meets minimum twice a week, sometimes 3. It's ridiculous that you have to choose. Soccer is the main offender when it comes to this.

 

[Col. Forbin]

Twice is probably a little much, if it does not include a game. I've always thought one practice per week and one game per week was about right for any kid sport at least through 6th grade. 2 practices per week in the preseason before games start, maybe, depending on the sport.

That's the main reason I'm curious about all this. I see no way my kid could play competitive soccer and still play tackle football, which also meets minimum twice a week, sometimes 3. It's ridiculous that you have to choose. Soccer is the main offender when it comes to this.

But tackle football isn't, even though it meets more during the week? The majority of soccer teams around the area are practicing twice a week for about 1.5 hrs a time at most. Unless there is a game or tournament that's about it for the week. The season is August to Dec 1 and then late Jan until end of May. It may go into June if you u13 or above team wins state and goes to regionals.

 

[My Bru]

But tackle football isn't, even though it meets more during the week? The majority of soccer teams around the area are practicing twice a week for about 1.5 hrs a time at most. Unless there is a game or tournament that's about it for the week. The season is August to Dec 1 and then late Jan until end of May. It may go into June if you u13 or above team wins state and goes to regionals.

You misread my post. I wasn't taking up for tackle football.

 

[johnson86-1]

Twice is probably a little much, if it does not include a game. I've always thought one practice per week and one game per week was about right for any kid sport at least through 6th grade. 2 practices per week in the preseason before games start, maybe, depending on the sport.

That's the main reason I'm curious about all this. I see no way my kid could play competitive soccer and still play tackle football, which also meets minimum twice a week, sometimes 3. It's ridiculous that you have to choose. Soccer is the main offender when it comes to this.

Seems like tackle football is the main offender just by existing at that age. I get the arms race in baseball and soccer. Skills development can offset a lot of athleticism until you get to a level where everybody is skilled and athletic, and in many places will at least get your kid playing time on their high school team. But athleticism dominates football at every position except for QB, where it's still hugely important. If your kid is athletic, you can stick not let him play until high school and he'll still be good. If he's not athletic, having him out there in peewee football won't help.

 

[My Bru]

Seems like tackle football is the main offender just by existing at that age. I get the arms race in baseball and soccer. Skills development can offset a lot of athleticism until you get to a level where everybody is skilled and athletic, and in many places will at least get your kid playing time on their high school team. But athleticism dominates football at every position except for QB, where it's still hugely important. If your kid is athletic, you can stick not let him play until high school and he'll still be good. If he's not athletic, having him out there in peewee football won't help.

The season is only like 3 months. That's what I meant about being the biggest offender, the length of the season AND number of practices, and discouraging playing other sports. Kids should easily be able to play both of these sports.

Whether kid tackle football should exist is another argument, one that I've posed on here a few months ago.