Do you need to play club to make 2'nd or 3'rd Div school

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Many kids can't get onto their varsity high school soccer team without having the skills of a club player, as someone else mentioned. Just because your high school doesn't have a lot of club players now, doesn't mean they won't in 3-4 more years, as club is becoming more and more popular. For a bubble ECNL 12 year old, who probably has fairly decent skills, I wouldn't drop club now and make the bet that there will be spots for non-club players once she gets to Junior and Senior years.

[Unregistered]

Yes that in a nutshell. Find a dozen schools the kid likes via unannounced road trips after first figuring cost and location. If the kid can hold their own after watching a few of those teams play then approach the coaches. Role players are a less glamorous but needed aspect of every team. Do a couple ID camps the school offers because pay to play is alive and well.

[Unregistered]

Yes that in a nutshell. Find a dozen schools the kid likes via unannounced road trips after first figuring cost and location. If the kid can hold their own after watching a few of those teams play then approach the coaches. Role players are a less glamorous but needed aspect of every team. Do a couple ID camps the school offers because pay to play is alive and well.

OP here. Thank you for this advise.
Please be assured that this is a legit question I asked. Not looking to start trouble. My D has picked up some lazy traits that seem to be lingering so I'm not sure she will be eager enough to play at the highest level. My question is very real and I'm questioning myself now ' Why spend $40k in tuition if she has not shown me (the parent) the will to get to next level '

I do not intend for this topic to go off track. I do believe many B to A level parents have had this cross their mind at one time or another. Those are the parents that I would love to hear out.

[Unregistered]

OP here. Thank you for this advise.
Please be assured that this is a legit question I asked. Not looking to start trouble. My D has picked up some lazy traits that seem to be lingering so I'm not sure she will be eager enough to play at the highest level. My question is very real and I'm questioning myself now ' Why spend $40k in tuition if she has not shown me (the parent) the will to get to next level '

I do not intend for this topic to go off track. I do believe many B to A level parents have had this cross their mind at one time or another. Those are the parents that I would love to hear out.

You can help legitimize your own thread by answering the reasonable questions posed to you, like what type of colleges you see in your kid's future. What are you hoping will happen if you stick with it, or have you already decided it is D1 or bust?

[Unregistered]

OP here. Thank you for this advise.
Please be assured that this is a legit question I asked. Not looking to start trouble. My D has picked up some lazy traits that seem to be lingering so I'm not sure she will be eager enough to play at the highest level. My question is very real and I'm questioning myself now ' Why spend $40k in tuition if she has not shown me (the parent) the will to get to next level '

I do not intend for this topic to go off track. I do believe many B to A level parents have had this cross their mind at one time or another. Those are the parents that I would love to hear out.

So to summarize we never even played club until 15 after it was suggested to us from a local college coach. Once my kid decided to be all in the search became frantic but fruitful. Different college but our bottom financial commitment would have been the same with or without soccer so the debt is one we anticipated all along either way.

[Unregistered]

OP here. Thank you for this advise.
Please be assured that this is a legit question I asked. Not looking to start trouble. My D has picked up some lazy traits that seem to be lingering so I'm not sure she will be eager enough to play at the highest level. My question is very real and I'm questioning myself now ' Why spend $40k in tuition if she has not shown me (the parent) the will to get to next level '

I do not intend for this topic to go off track. I do believe many B to A level parents have had this cross their mind at one time or another. Those are the parents that I would love to hear out.

If she's 12/13 and puberty is kicking in, a lot can change in the next year or so not only physically but mentally. The laziness could just be a result of going through some life changes especially on the social side of the ledger which for a parent is tough to gauge since unless you have so done you know at her school you don't really know what is going on. I'd keep her in, but on a very short leach before you spend a boat load of cash. I've seen kids that weren't all that into it or had other interests drop down at 15 or 16 but by then much has been invested. Bottom line is 12 is early to make a decision but it sounds like you have a good handle on it. Best of luck.

[Unregistered]

OP here. Thank you for this advise.
Please be assured that this is a legit question I asked. Not looking to start trouble. My D has picked up some lazy traits that seem to be lingering so I'm not sure she will be eager enough to play at the highest level. My question is very real and I'm questioning myself now ' Why spend $40k in tuition if she has not shown me (the parent) the will to get to next level '

I do not intend for this topic to go off track. I do believe many B to A level parents have had this cross their mind at one time or another. Those are the parents that I would love to hear out.

Giving up on club altogether might not be the best track if she 1)enjoys the game 2) wants to play in HS 3) has even a glimmer of hope that she might want to play in college one day. You don't have to do ECNL to do #3 but you will need to keep playing club, preferably a higher level like NPL. As many have said #2 is a pre-requisite for many HS teams, or at least to get decent playing time. #1 should always be the first priority. It won't be fun if she's in over her head (eg ECNL but perhaps shouldn't be) or a very big fish in a small pond - if you're a good play you'll get frustrated if none of your teammates are.

It's tryout time - take her to some better clubs and see where she fits in and what she wants. Also her current coach might not be the right fit and could explain some of the lack of motivation. That said, in middle school lots of kids who have been playing pretty intensely for awhile begin to scale back to pursue other things, some dropping out altogether. If you stick with some kind of club soccer you'll still have expenses. It will be better than ECNL but it will still cost you

[Unregistered]

If she's 12/13 and puberty is kicking in, a lot can change in the next year or so not only physically but mentally. The laziness could just be a result of going through some life changes especially on the social side of the ledger which for a parent is tough to gauge since unless you have so done you know at her school you don't really know what is going on. I'd keep her in, but on a very short leach before you spend a boat load of cash. I've seen kids that weren't all that into it or had other interests drop down at 15 or 16 but by then much has been invested. Bottom line is 12 is early to make a decision but it sounds like you have a good handle on it. Best of luck.

Spell check on phone - should have said "unless you know someone at her school..."

[Unregistered]

Spell check on phone - should have said "unless you know someone at her school..."

Regardless that's great advice. Thank you for posting.
OP

[Unregistered]

If she's 12/13 and puberty is kicking in, a lot can change in the next year or so not only physically but mentally. The laziness could just be a result of going through some life changes especially on the social side of the ledger which for a parent is tough to gauge since unless you have so done you know at her school you don't really know what is going on. I'd keep her in, but on a very short leach before you spend a boat load of cash. I've seen kids that weren't all that into it or had other interests drop down at 15 or 16 but by then much has been invested. Bottom line is 12 is early to make a decision but it sounds like you have a good handle on it. Best of luck.

Thanks, BTDT.

[Unregistered]

Regardless that's great advice. Thank you for posting.
OP

Thanks, BTDT. You failed the legitimacy test....in spades. You sure are obsessed with starting these kinds of threads.

[Unregistered]

I still don't understand why the OP couched his question in terms of D1 athletics, though, when his question is : should I spend money on club when my kid isn't driving the decision.

In my opinion, the answer to the real (not d1) question is No. Club soccer requires a certain level of drive on the kid's part and if she isn't really motivated and the one really wanting it is think you'll end up having a hard time getting her to want to attend practiceschool or to miss a great sleepover because she's got a tournament. Would end up a waste of money.

[Unregistered]

If she's 12/13 and puberty is kicking in, a lot can change in the next year or so not only physically but mentally. The laziness could just be a result of going through some life changes especially on the social side of the ledger which for a parent is tough to gauge since unless you have so done you know at her school you don't really know what is going on. I'd keep her in, but on a very short leach before you spend a boat load of cash. I've seen kids that weren't all that into it or had other interests drop down at 15 or 16 but by then much has been invested. Bottom line is 12 is early to make a decision but it sounds like you have a good handle on it. Best of luck.

Btw, keeping your daughter on a short leash (yes, phone spell check failed you there as well) was a really nice touch. Telling, really.

[Unregistered]

Giving up on club altogether might not be the best track if she 1)enjoys the game 2) wants to play in HS 3) has even a glimmer of hope that she might want to play in college one day. You don't have to do ECNL to do #3 but you will need to keep playing club, preferably a higher level like NPL. As many have said #2 is a pre-requisite for many HS teams, or at least to get decent playing time. #1 should always be the first priority. It won't be fun if she's in over her head (eg ECNL but perhaps shouldn't be) or a very big fish in a small pond - if you're a good play you'll get frustrated if none of your teammates are.

It's tryout time - take her to some better clubs and see where she fits in and what she wants. Also her current coach might not be the right fit and could explain some of the lack of motivation. That said, in middle school lots of kids who have been playing pretty intensely for awhile begin to scale back to pursue other things, some dropping out altogether. If you stick with some kind of club soccer you'll still have expenses. It will be better than ECNL but it will still cost you

Thank you for taking the time to compose this. It's all great points.
OP

[Unregistered]

Thanks, BTDT. You failed the legitimacy test....in spades. You sure are obsessed with starting these kinds of threads.

Be assured btdt did not write that. I would like to hear from many sides. His opinion would be welcome as well. Why can't we just be civil here?
OP