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**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 02:07 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I know I will get bashed and get the obvious answers but the whole landscape of kids soccer has me baffled. I have lurked here for a while trying to figure things out but never posted. I played a ton of competitive sports my whole life but never played soccer at all. Now I have a daughter in u12 that seems to be very good at soccer at least at this age. She still plays town travel on a very good town travel team. I think 7 of her town travel girls also play with premier clubs. My daughter also plays premier for one of the big 3 girls clubs always mentioned on here. But the whole thing seems like a big money grab. Maybe every sport has gone this route with aau etc...but parents seem to be chasing the scholarship dream which is only going to be available to the top of the top.

My daughter is a clear starter on her premier club team but the whole thing seems like a job to these kids at 11 years old. All the parents on here seem to stress the whole club development, winning doesn't matter, coaches who try to win at this age are terrible coaches, town travel teams play kick ball, etc....I feel like the girls on the premier club team aren't having much fun. They are all from different towns and after the game or practice they simply go home and that's about the extent of the interaction. I know my daughter and most of the others on the town team if they were told they had to give up either town travel or premier all the girls would choose to keep their town travel team. That team actually has fun. and does a lot of non soccer things together. The premier stuff seems to be missing why most kids play sports. Fun. Trying to win is fun. And winning/losing teaches the kids a lot about life. If the kids aren't having fun are they going to even want to keep playing.

It seems like all the premier kids are in "training mode" for some mystical event down the road. And for 98% of those kids the mystical thing down the road isn't ever going to happen. Most premier kids will end up playing high school soccer or low level college soccer at best. Do you need to spend 2K a year to do that?

I am curious what percentage of the kids who played premier since young ages actually burn out an give up soccer. Anyone have any insight on that? It all seems crazy but I don't know how to avoid it. If you want to play against the better competition you almost have to do it.

The bottom line is a division one athlete is born not trained into a stud. If the kid has the desire and raw talent they can get better anywhere. Am I crazy to think that? The reason the US lags the world in soccer is simple. Our best athletes don't play soccer. Our best athletes play other sports and until that changes the US men will not be good at soccer. The clubs and parents who have drank the cool aid seem to think the US struggles because of bad training and all the ulittle coaches who don't know what they are doing etc...Is adding NPL, ENCL or DA really doing anything but giving a new acronym and charging more for the same thing. The bottom line is the best athletes aren't playing soccer and those kids being trained are generally limited to only the well off kids due to the cost. And the addition of more cost and more and more travel is just going to make it worse and more exclusive in the long run.

So I just am confused at the whole thing but on the flip side I don't know how to avoid it. You want to give your kid the best opportunity. I almost feel like most parents agree that it is all a big money grab but once you are caught up in it you just go with it because there aren't any other options.

You'll probably see half of your daughter's current friends drop out before HS starts. They either lose interest, they're not skilled enough, decide to play another sport etc. That's a pretty natural progression I think for many sports. But you correct that once you get on the hamster wheel it's hard to get off, and you will have spent a great deal of money. Never do it because you hope there will be some pay out at the end. Your player should drive the decisions. Does she love her premier team? Does she want to get better? Does she kick the ball around at all hours on her own? If so you may be in it for awhile. Or does she complain at times about the grind or going to practice, or worse a game (which is supposed to be fun)? Her interest might already be waining, or she could simply be burnt out doing two teams (most kids drop travel by U13 if they're doing premier).

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 02:26 PM

We don't look at the carrot at the end of the game, and any college $. Yes, I know some do...

I love the game, grew up playing it and still does. My daughter wanted to be like her father, so she's sit on my lap while I watched games. She'd go to games with me. I impart no pressure on her, and have told her often to do this for her, not me.

That being said...I love watching her play. I love watching her practicing on her own, mimicking players, pretending to announce a game while beating imaginary players. She loves it.

To me, to us, however, it's no different than getting into skiing. Costs less, travels less, and it's generally a lot warmer. We still ski when we can, but it's just another activity that takes up a lot of time; time that she loves to spend.

When it ends, it ends. I hope it doesn't, but that's her call. There is no ROI planned.

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 02:33 PM

It depends on your kid. Part of the problem with your analysis is just throwing "fun" around. For my kid, competing hard and performing against really good competition is "fun" but in a different way than I think you use the term. Same with practice. Or playing in the Summer.

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 02:51 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

The bottom line is a division one athlete is born not trained into a stud. If the kid has the desire and raw talent they can get better anywhere. Am I crazy to think that? The reason the US lags the world in soccer is simple. Our best athletes don't play soccer. Our best athletes play other sports and until that changes the US men will not be good at soccer.

I agree with much of what you wrote but this statement can be debated. The US team never lacks for athleticism and MLS is one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world, while offering up really (really) bad soccer The problem is not the athletics, its the inability to develop the mental components that makes us suck so badly.

As far as the fun question, I'd also agree that it all depends on what you think is fun. My daughter ceased enjoying playing with her friends after she noticed how much better it could be playing with other kids who were as motivated as her. She never misses anything, practices alone, plays fifa, watches her favorite teams, watches youtube videos for drills or just highlights. So pushing her limits and playing premier, or playing vs boys, or playing older kids is what makes soccer fun for her. For other kids it may be more fun to dominate the group. She prefers to struggle vs the best kids she can play. In the ned who knows what helps you develop more. Most likely whatever it is that keeps you interested and playing.

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 03:14 PM

To the op the op- take it year by year. In middle school a lot changes in terms of their interests, their physical abilities (puberty isn't always kind to girls) and other things. I had one player really step it up in middle school while the other stayed at the state level while focusing more on other activities. Both play in high school but made V at different points. One will play in college next year; the other has one more year but will not - but that was never their goal. They're both very different people and we gave them great latitude to make their own choices and follow their own paths.

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 03:32 PM

1). Enough with the best athletes don't play soccer. We have plenty of US athletes who can thrive at soccer.

2). Soccer players aren't born genetically gifted to kick a soccer ball. They need to perfect their craft. Yes having physical gifts are important but soccer is unique in that it requires much more technical skills than other US sports.

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 04:51 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

1). Enough with the best athletes don't play soccer. We have plenty of US athletes who can thrive at soccer.

2). Soccer players aren't born genetically gifted to kick a soccer ball. They need to perfect their craft. Yes having physical gifts are important but soccer is unique in that it requires much more technical skills than other US sports.

(1) they don't, they could, some do ,but the best don't

(2) you were born with everything you need to play soccer ,feet.
try hitting a baseball- most technical /difficult thing to do in sports, shooting a 3 is probably harder to do than anything in soccer tech wise

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 05:25 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

1). Enough with the best athletes don't play soccer. We have plenty of US athletes who can thrive at soccer.

2). Soccer players aren't born genetically gifted to kick a soccer ball. They need to perfect their craft. Yes having physical gifts are important but soccer is unique in that it requires much more technical skills than other US sports.

Your perception that soccer is unique and the only sport to require training to be a too player is typical of soccer elite *****s. Kids aren't born skating, skiing, doing flips in gymnastics, hitting fastballs are throwing curves, blocking or evading 300 lb monsters, draining 3s all day long with a 6'7" guy in your face, hitting a drive 320 yards or consistently draining 15 yard putts with a small bend ..... Its unique when you have only have 3 hours a week to train our countries 2nd, 3rd, or 4th rate athletes to do it.

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 05:45 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Your perception that soccer is unique and the only sport to require training to be a too player is typical of soccer elite *****s. Kids aren't born skating, skiing, doing flips in gymnastics, hitting fastballs are throwing curves, blocking or evading 300 lb monsters, draining 3s all day long with a 6'7" guy in your face, hitting a drive 320 yards or consistently draining 15 yard putts with a small bend ..... Its unique when you have only have 3 hours a week to train our countries 2nd, 3rd, or 4th rate athletes to do it.

I'll name to of the best in their sport... OBJ and Kobe have both said that soccer was way more difficult to play than their sport they dominated in... I'm sure there is a baseball great that couldn't master it also.. Just give it props anti soccer guy

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 06:34 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

I'll name to of the best in their sport... OBJ and Kobe have both said that soccer was way more difficult to play than their sport they dominated in... I'm sure there is a baseball great that couldn't master it also.. Just give it props anti soccer guy

2 super athletes as your examples? Both are simply too big to play soccer. It is not a sport that is great for muscular or tall athletes save an occasional player outside of keeper and some centerbacks. If you have a very fast kid in soccer in America that kid is on the team. Not true for basketball baseball hockey tennis gymnastics golf ...... Football could also find a spot for that player. It's definitely the easiest sport (again maybe except for football) to find a spot for a very fast player with no skills. Look at HS college and ecnl team's for more examples of this.

**Unregistered** · 05-10-2017, 07:55 PM

Originally posted by Unregistered View Post

Your perception that soccer is unique and the only sport to require training to be a too player is typical of soccer elite *****s. Kids aren't born skating, skiing, doing flips in gymnastics, hitting fastballs are throwing curves, blocking or evading 300 lb monsters, draining 3s all day long with a 6'7" guy in your face, hitting a drive 320 yards or consistently draining 15 yard putts with a small bend ..... Its unique when you have only have 3 hours a week to train our countries 2nd, 3rd, or 4th rate athletes to do it.

Never said soccer was unique. However it's skilled based unlike being tall or fat like basketball or football players

**Unregistered** · 05-11-2017, 08:02 AM

Really

That is insane. Basketball isn't skill based? Being tall makes you good at basketball? Have you ever watched a game because you obviously have never played ? Basketball may be the most athletic sport in existence. Do you think Steph curry or Michael Jordan are tall stiffs? They just may have been good at other sports if they chose something else early on.

**Unregistered** · 05-11-2017, 08:18 AM

enough with the so called expert opinions on what makes a great soccer player. op is just looking for viewpoints on the soccer crazy train

**Unregistered** · 05-11-2017, 08:21 AM

Ever see a fat professional soccer player?

See 'em in basketball? Rarely, but yes.

See 'em in football? Gawd, yes.

Baseball? Puleeze.

Hockey? Notsomuch

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