Why travel past NY/NJ/PA?

[Unregistered]

My sideline must be different than yours. And if this forum is any indication....

Everyone seems to be talking about DAP, ECNL, NPL. Best teams. Best players.

The reality is that most kids, even strong players, will do fine and be happy on a region A team.

Very few players want to put in the work, time, travel, commitment to play at the higher levels.

My kid is 12 and teammates parents were going crazy getting their kid to the next level for next year. One kid said his favorite sport is baseball but that he had to quit for soccer.

Now these kids will be traveling 1.5 hours to and from practice multiple times a week. They will be giving up more weekends to travel for soccer.

I'm curious to see where they are 3 years from now.

These kids should be allowed to be kids.

If the kids favorite is baseball, that's what he should be doing.

My daughter brought us down this road, but it was her fav - no regrets. But for those who have passion for something else and are forced = inevitable bad ending.

[Unregistered]

Please tell us what team. Is there a team out there dominating across the board and undefeated in a few years? That being said, I'm all for the occasional drive to NJ, MD, VA for a big tourney, or a National Championship somewhere. But please no need to leave NE for a league game.

The answer and solution are simple. Keep you kid home. I am sure that if you told your coach that you are not leaving NE for a league game, they would find someone else who will. The other parents will be happy since their kids will get more play time.

[Unregistered]

This isn't a new thing, nor just with soccer. 35 years ago I went to Indiana, Michigan, Seattle, and Ohio for hockey tournaments over the course of a few years.

[Unregistered]

The answer and solution are simple. Keep you kid home. I am sure that if you told your coach that you are not leaving NE for a league game, they would find someone else who will. The other parents will be happy since their kids will get more play time.

Don't need your answer. Our child plays New England NPL and the League travel is already in Bew England only and starts all games. Fine with that. My original question however was to the person who claims there is no good competition in New England and has to travel far and wide for good competition. Wondering which team their kid plays for, because the last I checked there were no teams that were dominating all of their New England counterparts that much.

[Unregistered]

Don't need your answer. Our child plays New England NPL and the League travel is already in Bew England only and starts all games. Fine with that. My original question however was to the person who claims there is no good competition in New England and has to travel far and wide for good competition. Wondering which team their kid plays for, because the last I checked there were no teams that were dominating all of their New England counterparts that much.

DA teams need to travel.

[Unregistered]

Parents drinking the koolaid, chasing the dream, living vicariously through their kids. You name it.

Kids just want to play. And play for fun.

Most parents are ruining their kids childhood and love for soccer.

Say they make it to D1. What comes after? A job. Just like everyone else.

Sounds like you hate soccer? Maybe you are on the wrong forum?

[Unregistered]

Sounds like you hate soccer? Maybe you are on the wrong forum?

Yours is such an immature comment. Everything he/she said is legit, and, if anything, indicates a LOVE for soccer. Idiot...

[Unregistered]

Yours is such an immature comment. Everything he/she said is legit, and, if anything, indicates a LOVE for soccer. Idiot...

Thanks. Actually a mom and love watching my kid play.

But sad to watch his teammates get scolded, yelled at, berated by their parents game after game.

Do some kids want to play at a higher level? Absolutely.

But most want to play soccer for fun and still be kids.

[Unregistered]

Don't need your answer. Our child plays New England NPL and the League travel is already in Bew England only and starts all games. Fine with that. My original question however was to the person who claims there is no good competition in New England and has to travel far and wide for good competition. Wondering which team their kid plays for, because the last I checked there were no teams that were dominating all of their New England counterparts that much.

No one asked if you 'need [an] answer'. If you don't want to hear anyone else's opinion or comment then don't post, and if what you read seems to trouble you then don't read. Aside from that, TS is a forum that allows all to opine and respond.
I guess the solution and answer to your disgruntlement over hearing others opine is that you should not post and not read.

That said, even realizing that competition is good in the region, benefits of traveling are the following:
1. To avoid playing ONLY the same teams over and over again
2. To recognize the difficulties of traveling distances beyond 2.5 hours and then having to perform on the field.....perhaps even to develop the ability to do so.
3. To get exposure to other coaches from other regions. To qualify this one, if you are not playing in the top division then it might not be worthwhile since coaches are less likely to visit those games
4. New England is not really the hotbed of American soccer. Actually aside from hockey, skating and skiing, it is not the hotbed of most sports at all. Arguably, competition is likely to be better outside this region.

[Unregistered]

Thanks. Actually a mom and love watching my kid play.

But sad to watch his teammates get scolded, yelled at, berated by their parents game after game.

Do some kids want to play at a higher level? Absolutely.

But most want to play soccer for fun and still be kids.

My son has fun when competing at the highest possible level. He's not in it to make friends.

[Unregistered]

My son has fun when competing at the highest possible level. He's not in it to make friends.

There's a happy medium. My son wants to do both. He's on a big club's A team, AND he's friends with his teammates.

That other stuff OP mentions -- parents berating kids after games -- is horrible, and more common at younger ages. By the older ages, those parents have wised up, or have destroyed their child's love of the game and so they have quit.

[Unregistered]

Everyone has made valid points and this is not a conversation that can be won by either side. The reality is that OP is correct - There is zero evidence that ANY new england area team needs to travel outside the northeast for quality competition, or even for exposure to the colleges to which the player is statistically most likely to matriculate (as soccer players or just students).

The contradicting reality is that staying local is not what the market wants. Most parents ENJOY these trips. It is fun to go a little further, we want to play teams from other areas and validate that our kids are keeping up. We are intoxicated by the fantasy of college coaches on the sideline, and will do everything possible to ensure our kids are given the most opportunity and the broadest range of choices. We are thrilled when they CHOOSE to stay local for college, and comforted that that choice was not born of ignorance.

Is it true that youth sports is now an "Industry". Don't blame the "For Profits", everyone is in the industry to make money, especially the NFPs that don't pay taxes. Look in the mirror, do what's best for your family. If you are comfortable with your choices, you won't feel the need to belittle others. If you are making fun of other's choices, I suggest you reflect on your own ask why you are not comfortable

[Unregistered]

Everyone has made valid points and this is not a conversation that can be won by either side. The reality is that OP is correct - There is zero evidence that ANY new england area team needs to travel outside the northeast for quality competition, or even for exposure to the colleges to which the player is statistically most likely to matriculate (as soccer players or just students).

The contradicting reality is that staying local is not what the market wants. Most parents ENJOY these trips. It is fun to go a little further, we want to play teams from other areas and validate that our kids are keeping up. We are intoxicated by the fantasy of college coaches on the sideline, and will do everything possible to ensure our kids are given the most opportunity and the broadest range of choices. We are thrilled when they CHOOSE to stay local for college, and comforted that that choice was not born of ignorance.

Is it true that youth sports is now an "Industry". Don't blame the "For Profits", everyone is in the industry to make money, especially the NFPs that don't pay taxes. Look in the mirror, do what's best for your family. If you are comfortable with your choices, you won't feel the need to belittle others. If you are making fun of other's choices, I suggest you reflect on your own ask why you are not comfortable

Regarding the first paragraph, does the spread of colleges that the DAP players are attending suggest any benefit of traveling outside the area?

[Unregistered]

Everyone has made valid points and this is not a conversation that can be won by either side. The reality is that OP is correct - There is zero evidence that ANY new england area team needs to travel outside the northeast for quality competition, or even for exposure to the colleges to which the player is statistically most likely to matriculate (as soccer players or just students).

The contradicting reality is that staying local is not what the market wants. Most parents ENJOY these trips. It is fun to go a little further, we want to play teams from other areas and validate that our kids are keeping up. We are intoxicated by the fantasy of college coaches on the sideline, and will do everything possible to ensure our kids are given the most opportunity and the broadest range of choices. We are thrilled when they CHOOSE to stay local for college, and comforted that that choice was not born of ignorance.

Is it true that youth sports is now an "Industry". Don't blame the "For Profits", everyone is in the industry to make money, especially the NFPs that don't pay taxes. Look in the mirror, do what's best for your family. If you are comfortable with your choices, you won't feel the need to belittle others. If you are making fun of other's choices, I suggest you reflect on your own ask why you are not comfortable

And this my friends, is the business of model of the mega clubs. Love it or hate it, that is the industry today. If you got the time and money, there is nothing to worry about. For the other 75%, grin and bear it...or seek other avenues.

I never understood how the out of state tournaments improved my kids development....unless they dominated their league play and needed to find better competition. But that only happened once in 6 years. IMO, development is about training during the week and then showing the fruits of your labor on Sunday. Playing 3-4 games over a 2 day period doesn't improve development, might even restrict it due to potential overuse injury and for the girls, emotional roller coaster ride. I see the benefit for HS kids to see college coaches during the tournaments, but most of those can be head in New England, NY, or NJ.

[Unregistered]

And this my friends, is the business of model of the mega clubs. Love it or hate it, that is the industry today. If you got the time and money, there is nothing to worry about. For the other 75%, grin and bear it...or seek other avenues.

I never understood how the out of state tournaments improved my kids development....unless they dominated their league play and needed to find better competition. But that only happened once in 6 years. IMO, development is about training during the week and then showing the fruits of your labor on Sunday. Playing 3-4 games over a 2 day period doesn't improve development, might even restrict it due to potential overuse injury and for the girls, emotional roller coaster ride. I see the benefit for HS kids to see college coaches during the tournaments, but most of those can be head in New England, NY, or NJ.

Completely agree.

For those who think traveling = better competition and development, read "Coaching Outside the Box".

You'll learn that the model in European countries is completely different. There is a reason we are so far behind in the US.