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    How much does it cost?

    Hi, a newbie here with two small under 7 yo kids, trying to figure out if I can afford premier club in the future for one of them. I read most of the recent topics and many if not all mentioned something about money like money grab, waste of money, too expensive, cashing checks by fsa or cfc...etc, so how much is it? For a season or per tournament, by age, gender? Round numbers are fine and thank you!

    #2
    Fortunately you have time. They don't need to move into premier for awhile yet. They may lose interest (so many kids change sports and more than once) or they may be obviously terrible lol. Stick with you local travel team for a bit, maybe try a camp or school break clinic many of the clubs run. Once you get involved its going to be at least 1500 in fees for the lowest level/youngest teams, then it moves to the 3K range higher up. Top levels in high school will run you at least 6K with travel.

    Let you kids guide the ship. If they're not that interested don't push it.

    Comment


      #3
      Originally posted by Guest View Post
      Fortunately you have time. They don't need to move into premier for awhile yet. They may lose interest (so many kids change sports and more than once) or they may be obviously terrible lol. Stick with you local travel team for a bit, maybe try a camp or school break clinic many of the clubs run. Once you get involved its going to be at least 1500 in fees for the lowest level/youngest teams, then it moves to the 3K range higher up. Top levels in high school will run you at least 6K with travel.

      Let you kids guide the ship. If they're not that interested don't push it.
      Thank you!

      3-6K....okay, travel team it is. Why would HS age would be so much more? Do they train more?

      Comment


        #4
        That poster has no idea what they are talking about. Once you get to 13+ an ECNL team will run you about $3500 for the season, plus travel expenses. Unless your kid is absolutely fantastic at soccer (99% aren’t), save your money for college and stick with travel soccer. Do a few camps/clinics in the travel off seasons. I wish my son never got into club soccer, it’s a huge money pit with very little
        reward or return. Stay away!!! (unless your kid is amazing)

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by Guest View Post

          Thank you!

          3-6K....okay, travel team it is. Why would HS age would be so much more? Do they train more?
          OP doesn’t need to worry about upper levels or their expense yet. U8 is about $1k fall, winter, and spring. U9 is when premiere really starts. Practice 3x per week fall/spring and 2x during winter. U9 is costing me ~$1800 per kid (10 months of games, tournaments, practices, bag, uniform, warm-up).

          We played town U8 in the fall and tried premiere with intent for U8 winter only and stuck with it. It was better than my kid scoring 10 goals a game in town rec program and kids/parents getting agitated. If you play winter U8 premiere you will have a strong sense if your kid will make U9 based on teammate skill and competition.

          Comment


            #6
            Many towns don’t start travel until U9. If your town has paid travel coaches, stay with travel as long as you can. If you live in a “soccer town” with decent travel program, stay with it as long as you can. If you live in the sticks or somewhere with crappy travel…. Stick with travel as long as you can and supplement with camps and random programs in your area.

            club at u8-u12 are no better than top travel. Arguably worse in many cases. Im being serious. It’s stupid how many kids are put in these programs who simply suck.

            if you kid is good, they’ll be noticed around U10. Clubs will seek you out. Stick with travel and keep improving. They want YOU now, not the other way around. If your kids is really good at u11/12, you can start training with clubs for free because they want your kid. Much more fun that way and you get your pick of clubs based on coaching and fit.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by Guest View Post
              Hi, a newbie here with two small under 7 yo kids, trying to figure out if I can afford premier club in the future for one of them. I read most of the recent topics and many if not all mentioned something about money like money grab, waste of money, too expensive, cashing checks by fsa or cfc...etc, so how much is it? For a season or per tournament, by age, gender? Round numbers are fine and thank you!
              Been through the cycle with two boys, and glad it's done. In retrospect it's a relative waste of money and I'd tread carefully. Your kid is definitely too young and you're setting money on fire at that age. When my older started it was about 1800/yr plus travel. My younger was about 2300/yr plus travel. The whole thing is a money-making sham.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by Guest View Post
                That poster has no idea what they are talking about. Once you get to 13+ an ECNL team will run you about $3500 for the season, plus travel expenses. Unless your kid is absolutely fantastic at soccer (99% aren’t), save your money for college and stick with travel soccer. Do a few camps/clinics in the travel off seasons. I wish my son never got into club soccer, it’s a huge money pit with very little
                reward or return. Stay away!!! (unless your kid is amazing)
                Okay, thank you. It is helpful.

                So why not quit it if little reward or return? Is it a tough conversation with the kid?

                Also, in your opinion how many kids are fantastic at soccer at 13+ ECNL level? One, none?

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Guest View Post

                  Been through the cycle with two boys, and glad it's done. In retrospect it's a relative waste of money and I'd tread carefully. Your kid is definitely too young and you're setting money on fire at that age. When my older started it was about 1800/yr plus travel. My younger was about 2300/yr plus travel. The whole thing is a money-making sham.
                  Got it. Thanks for sharing.

                  It seems expensive, but what about all of the benefits of getting stronger/healthier, team spirit, life time hobby and possible close friends. Still not worth it? I mean other sports are expensive too, hockey is likely even more money, for example or YMCA family membership plus swimming classes for kids are about the same price.

                  Also, are these prices relatively similar between top clubs in CT?

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Guest View Post

                    Okay, thank you. It is helpful.

                    So why not quit it if little reward or return? Is it a tough conversation with the kid?

                    Also, in your opinion how many kids are fantastic at soccer at 13+ ECNL level? One, none?
                    If your kid loves playing it’s tough to tell them no after they have done it a couple of years. I would say none of the kids that play ECNL are fantastic. Those kids end up leaving for free programs like the Rev Academy. Everything else is just a money grab. The best outcome for an ECNL kid is college, and not all ECNL kids will play in college. Stick with travel and have fun,

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Guest View Post

                      Got it. Thanks for sharing.

                      It seems expensive, but what about all of the benefits of getting stronger/healthier, team spirit, life time hobby and possible close friends. Still not worth it? I mean other sports are expensive too, hockey is likely even more money, for example or YMCA family membership plus swimming classes for kids are about the same price.

                      Also, are these prices relatively similar between top clubs in CT?
                      You get all those benefits from a decent town travel team. At the club level there is high turnover so they don’t develop great friendships like they would with town travel. Save your money!!!!!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Guest View Post

                        You get all those benefits from a decent town travel team. At the club level there is high turnover so they don’t develop great friendships like they would with town travel. Save your money!!!!!
                        Good to know! Thx.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Guest View Post

                          If your kid loves playing it’s tough to tell them no after they have done it a couple of years. I would say none of the kids that play ECNL are fantastic. Those kids end up leaving for free programs like the Rev Academy. Everything else is just a money grab. The best outcome for an ECNL kid is college, and not all ECNL kids will play in college. Stick with travel and have fun,
                          If the kid loves it, why would you say no benefits/rewards?

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Agree with most. If your town has decent travel stick with that as long as possible. My daughter has okayed club for years and loves her team. They are not Ecnl but one of the next teams in the pecking order. It is def a money grab but her team has been traveling together and playing together for a long time and they have a great time. So do it if your kid has fun playing club and you can afford it. Don’t do it thinking there is some kind of return down the road.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Originally posted by Guest View Post
                              Many towns don’t start travel until U9. If your town has paid travel coaches, stay with travel as long as you can. If you live in a “soccer town” with decent travel program, stay with it as long as you can. If you live in the sticks or somewhere with crappy travel…. Stick with travel as long as you can and supplement with camps and random programs in your area.

                              club at u8-u12 are no better than top travel. Arguably worse in many cases. Im being serious. It’s stupid how many kids are put in these programs who simply suck.

                              if you kid is good, they’ll be noticed around U10. Clubs will seek you out. Stick with travel and keep improving. They want YOU now, not the other way around. If your kids is really good at u11/12, you can start training with clubs for free because they want your kid. Much more fun that way and you get your pick of clubs based on coaching and fit.
                              I get it that it's stupid to put the kid in the club when he/she is not ready or does not want it. But if the kid is well developed physically and want to play, stay late, stay after and watch, is it still not worth it? I get the money part, but I would do something else anyway, so I would spend it on something else, possibly less, but only marginally.

                              Is it real that the best kids could play for free at the clubs like FSA or CFC?

                              Comment

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