Town team and clinics vs premier

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If the end game is playing HS varsity as a Junior, then your plan will work out fine. Town Travel supplemented by FSA indoor during the Winter and some occasional clinics will fill the bill. If your kid has loftier goals then that, I think you need to be 100% club just to get the exposure and connections to college coaches. There is no college recruiting out of travel/HS soccer.

It all depends where you want to end up down the road and I agree, many club coaches are garbage---certainly no better than a lot of travel coaches.

Stupid post. Talking about a 4th grade kid.

Keep your kid local and keep it fun.

Perhaps challenge with summer and winter clinics.

Don’t listen to these clowns!

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First I would invest in the Weight Watchers Program, then invest in the GED

Connecticut parents biggest @$$hole parents. Most be all that smog seeping into their brains. Feel bad your kids have you for role models.

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Connecticut parents biggest @$$hole parents. Most be all that smog seeping into their brains. Feel bad your kids have you for role models.

You’re painting with pretty broad brush strokes. Some absolutely are complete A-holes , but plenty are from other states as well including yours (I’ll guess MA?). Do yourself a favor, stick to the MA boards, it’s kind of weird that you’d be on a CT board with the topic of Town Team and Clinics vs Premier, not to mention taking the time to comment on it. Is there a lot of smog in CT? I hadn’t heard that was a thing.

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Connecticut parents biggest @$$hole parents. Most be all that smog seeping into their brains. Feel bad your kids have you for role models.

We have been lucky several times with a great coach at young years. Find that coach that cares and puts the time in and can teach the game. A coach that doesn't put the big kid up top or punt the ball down the field. A coach that instills a love for the game and plays kids all over the place. A coach that gets your kid out in the yard to work on their game. There are coaches out there like this. A coach that talks to you in the parking lot about improvements or what he/she sees. A coach that sends an email or offers encouragement. Find value. It exists all over CT. I see it too on other sidelines too. Don't let the negative in, ask around, I bet you get a handful of very good recommendations.

[Unregistered]

If the end game is playing HS varsity as a Junior, then your plan will work out fine. Town Travel supplemented by FSA indoor during the Winter and some occasional clinics will fill the bill. If your kid has loftier goals then that, I think you need to be 100% club just to get the exposure and connections to college coaches. There is no college recruiting out of travel/HS soccer.

It all depends where you want to end up down the road and I agree, many club coaches are garbage---certainly no better than a lot of travel coaches.

Dont listen to this fool. Do what you want. No one NEEDS club! My daughter's HS team is loaded with club team starters and has several kids that played travel only and other sports. The club kids mostly start and are relieved by the non club kids. They both get the same result on the field which is nothing special by any means!

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Dont listen to this fool. Do what you want. No one NEEDS club! My daughter's HS team is loaded with club team starters and has several kids that played travel only and other sports. The club kids mostly start and are relieved by the non club kids. They both get the same result on the field which is nothing special by any means!

All depends on the HS - it's tough to crack a roster at the bigger schools without the skills. Also depends on the player. Making the HS roster might be their goal or they may aspire to something much higher. But it's very difficult for a nine year old to know that. Parents need to assess what their kids want but may not realize/be able to know, not what the parent wants. If you have a kid who is in the car waiting to leave for practice, goes into the yard on their own for hours on end kicking the ball around? Club may be for them. If they're more excited about getting ice cream after a game than the game itself? Save your $.

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All depends on the HS - it's tough to crack a roster at the bigger schools without the skills. Also depends on the player. Making the HS roster might be their goal or they may aspire to something much higher. But it's very difficult for a nine year old to know that. Parents need to assess what their kids want but may not realize/be able to know, not what the parent wants. If you have a kid who is in the car waiting to leave for practice, goes into the yard on their own for hours on end kicking the ball around? Club may be for them. If they're more excited about getting ice cream after a game than the game itself? Save your $.

Yes, but the point is the kid loves it, really wants it, and has outgrown his current team (not in terms of speed and athletic ability or size!). He/she has shown far better than average technical skills, dedication, and knowledge of the game. If you aren't doing it because your kid has demonstrated a very solid aptitude and strong desire to do more, then you are doing it for the wrong reason(s). Don't take mediocre and less players who like travel and try to push them to the next level. It won't be good for you or them in all likelihood.

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Thanks for the input. Going to have to think on this before tryout time. Practices at home but not all the time. Many interests. Kid is only a 4th grader! Very good footskills and fast feet but could be more aggressive. May stay with current team if coaching is different. Little to no input from current coaches. One seems much more interested in older team that he also coaches. He will make negative comments but very little positive or suggestions for improvement. It’s not awful, but is disappointing and doesn’t seem to be a great fit. Kid does like teammates which complicates things. Know kids who played town and then tried out for FSA winter. That is a definite possibility.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the input. Going to have to think on this before tryout time. Practices at home but not all the time. Many interests. Kid is only a 4th grader! Very good footskills and fast feet but could be more aggressive. May stay with current team if coaching is different. Little to no input from current coaches. One seems much more interested in older team that he also coaches. He will make negative comments but very little positive or suggestions for improvement. It’s not awful, but is disappointing and doesn’t seem to be a great fit. Kid does like teammates which complicates things. Know kids who played town and then tried out for FSA winter. That is a definite possibility.

Winter practices at FSA is a good option to impart skills with the right coach. You pay a premium for it though.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the input. Going to have to think on this before tryout time. Practices at home but not all the time. Many interests. Kid is only a 4th grader! Very good footskills and fast feet but could be more aggressive. May stay with current team if coaching is different. Little to no input from current coaches. One seems much more interested in older team that he also coaches. He will make negative comments but very little positive or suggestions for improvement. It’s not awful, but is disappointing and doesn’t seem to be a great fit. Kid does like teammates which complicates things. Know kids who played town and then tried out for FSA winter. That is a definite possibility.

"One seems much more interested in older team that he also coaches"

Be careful, you get this exact same thing in club, sometimes even more so. (dealing with same situation now, except that a younger team is getting more coaching focus)