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Realities of club soccer, would you do something different?

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    I would skip joining a club at the youth age and just go to a training center. Club coaches don't train. They are all just trying to win games. Take away games and all that is left is learning skill.

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      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
      I would skip joining a club at the youth age and just go to a training center. Club coaches don't train. They are all just trying to win games. Take away games and all that is left is learning skill.
      That's ok. College coaches don't either. They also just want to win games. That's why if you want to go pro you don't go to college.

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        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        I would skip joining a club at the youth age and just go to a training center. Club coaches don't train. They are all just trying to win games. Take away games and all that is left is learning skill.
        Somebody start a league like this: 2 months soccer, 2 months flag football, 2 months basketball. You play with the same players for each sport for the season. 5 teams in each area. You play each team twice per sport. 3 weeks of practice followed by 5 weeks of games.

        Kids get diversity. Parents get them out of the house. And there are no money grabbing adults talking about becoming a pro player.

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          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
          Somebody start a league like this: 2 months soccer, 2 months flag football, 2 months basketball. You play with the same players for each sport for the season. 5 teams in each area. You play each team twice per sport. 3 weeks of practice followed by 5 weeks of games.

          Kids get diversity. Parents get them out of the house. And there are no money grabbing adults talking about becoming a pro player.
          That already exists. It's called the YMCA.

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            There is something to getting the footskills early. Kids who have had parents who played can often get early free technical training. If the training was affordable, I could see kids doing more early clinical training and holding off on travel league play until much older.

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              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              I saw a earlier post on this page and thought I would put a twist on the question...

              Parents, who have kids who are all done playing club (or near done) now that you have the advantage of hind site, what would you do different?

              Asking for a friend.
              I wouldn’t have changed a thing but it wasn’t by design. For our son, he competed early on but was cut in his early teen years and relegated to the 2nd competitive team. At the time it was really disheartening for him but in the end it was the best thing that could’ve happened.

              As the years passed he still enjoyed playing soccer but with the extra time he was able to enjoy other things too. He took up additional hobbies and really excelled at them. Additionally, our family enjoyed spending almost every school break and holiday doing some amazing things. As a parent, I feel proud when I look back at the pictures Also, I feel his extra time helped with his academics too (4.4 GPA/1470 SAT). Now he’s set for college and we were able to save enough money to pay for it all. He’s really looking forward to it.

              In contrast, although he’s not on the team, I still converse with his old teammates parents and get to watch them at their High School soccer games. Watching these parents is like seeing a social experiment. They do their best to be sociably accepted within the HS team (all the players are from the top teams in the local club; 9th-12th graders). Choosing the right place to sit and with who. Always cheering on the players they know from their current club team all the while staring intently on one person, their son. The conversations are consistently about one thing, soccer and only soccer. And many times it isn’t a positive conversation either. You can see it on their face, many of them are unhappy but they just cant let it go. Heck, I was surprised the only people at the games ARE the parents. They’ve invested so much into this. Sadly, for many of them, reality is sinking in; no athletic scholarship, all the money spent on the club is gone, and all the missed holidays and breaks. The toughest part is seeing their kid benched for the first time and sometimes it’s by a freshmen. The private conversations with those parents are uncomfortable. All I can do is listen, empathize, and in the back of my head all I can hear is me repeating “we were so lucky”.

              Comment


                Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                I wouldn’t have changed a thing but it wasn’t by design. For our son, he competed early on but was cut in his early teen years and relegated to the 2nd competitive team. At the time it was really disheartening for him but in the end it was the best thing that could’ve happened.

                As the years passed he still enjoyed playing soccer but with the extra time he was able to enjoy other things too. He took up additional hobbies and really excelled at them. Additionally, our family enjoyed spending almost every school break and holiday doing some amazing things. As a parent, I feel proud when I look back at the pictures Also, I feel his extra time helped with his academics too (4.4 GPA/1470 SAT). Now he’s set for college and we were able to save enough money to pay for it all. He’s really looking forward to it.

                In contrast, although he’s not on the team, I still converse with his old teammates parents and get to watch them at their High School soccer games. Watching these parents is like seeing a social experiment. They do their best to be sociably accepted within the HS team (all the players are from the top teams in the local club; 9th-12th graders). Choosing the right place to sit and with who. Always cheering on the players they know from their current club team all the while staring intently on one person, their son. The conversations are consistently about one thing, soccer and only soccer. And many times it isn’t a positive conversation either. You can see it on their face, many of them are unhappy but they just cant let it go. Heck, I was surprised the only people at the games ARE the parents. They’ve invested so much into this. Sadly, for many of them, reality is sinking in; no athletic scholarship, all the money spent on the club is gone, and all the missed holidays and breaks. The toughest part is seeing their kid benched for the first time and sometimes it’s by a freshmen. The private conversations with those parents are uncomfortable. All I can do is listen, empathize, and in the back of my head all I can hear is me repeating “we were so lucky”.
                I was feeling very happy for you and your family - until you hit hard return and started the paragraph “In contrast” in which you use 7-8 sentences to gloat that you made the right “choice” after your kid was cut. Our daughter was not relegated and went on to juggle academic success and a full social life while playing for a high level league and securing a D1 scholarship to a prestigious college. Having said that, I don’t feel the need to start a paragraph “In contrast....”

                I’ve head a great Mexican meal at Chipotle for $9 that I felt lucky to have and I’ve had some of the finest Mexican food in San Diego for $200. The trick is to feel lucky after the choice you made.

                Comment


                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  I was feeling very happy for you and your family - until you hit hard return and started the paragraph “In contrast” in which you use 7-8 sentences to gloat that you made the right “choice” after your kid was cut. Our daughter was not relegated and went on to juggle academic success and a full social life while playing for a high level league and securing a D1 scholarship to a prestigious college. Having said that, I don’t feel the need to start a paragraph “In contrast....”

                  I’ve head a great Mexican meal at Chipotle for $9 that I felt lucky to have and I’ve had some of the finest Mexican food in San Diego for $200. The trick is to feel lucky after the choice you made.
                  Thank you for feeling initially happy for me and my family. Sorry you misread or don't understand the point of my post. First, my sons plight wasn't a "choice", it just happened. Next time you use quotes be sure to check if the fricken word was used. Second, congrats to your daughter. It's great to see kids excel at everything they do. Lastly, my 7-8 additional sentences was my observation and belief that's exactly where my family would of been too and I truly empathized with those parents and their kids. I was talking about people I care a lot about. It's a small number who move on to the next level. Glad you were able to find a way to talk about your daughter. Ironic, you said I was gloating, hypocrite. The moral of the story is everyone will hang up the cleats at some time but it's not the end of the world. It may hurt at the time but there's more to enjoy as you live your life. Also, chipotle isn't real Mexican dumb***** and if anyone buys a $200 burrito and admits is an absolute retard. Kudos, you win the prize!

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Thank you for feeling initially happy for me and my family. Sorry you misread or don't understand the point of my post. First, my sons plight wasn't a "choice", it just happened. Next time you use quotes be sure to check if the fricken word was used. Second, congrats to your daughter. It's great to see kids excel at everything they do. Lastly, my 7-8 additional sentences was my observation and belief that's exactly where my family would of been too and I truly empathized with those parents and their kids. I was talking about people I care a lot about. It's a small number who move on to the next level. Glad you were able to find a way to talk about your daughter. Ironic, you said I was gloating, hypocrite. The moral of the story is everyone will hang up the cleats at some time but it's not the end of the world. It may hurt at the time but there's more to enjoy as you live your life. Also, chipotle isn't real Mexican dumb***** and if anyone buys a $200 burrito and admits is an absolute retard. Kudos, you win the prize!
                    Everyone will hang up the cleats at some time. And yes, Chipotle isn't real Mexican. But to state the GPA and test scores of your kid that got kid -and- went on to greatness is bush league.

                    All of our kids are overcoming hardships....

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      Thank you for feeling initially happy for me and my family. Sorry you misread or don't understand the point of my post. First, my sons plight wasn't a "choice", it just happened. Next time you use quotes be sure to check if the fricken word was used. Second, congrats to your daughter. It's great to see kids excel at everything they do. Lastly, my 7-8 additional sentences was my observation and belief that's exactly where my family would of been too and I truly empathized with those parents and their kids. I was talking about people I care a lot about. It's a small number who move on to the next level. Glad you were able to find a way to talk about your daughter. Ironic, you said I was gloating, hypocrite. The moral of the story is everyone will hang up the cleats at some time but it's not the end of the world. It may hurt at the time but there's more to enjoy as you live your life. Also, chipotle isn't real Mexican dumb***** and if anyone buys a $200 burrito and admits is an absolute retard. Kudos, you win the prize!
                      Without using the words you used, I think th OP was trying to point ot that you could feel "just as lucky" with a lower cost alternative.

                      Comment


                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Everyone will hang up the cleats at some time. And yes, Chipotle isn't real Mexican. But to state the GPA and test scores of your kid that got kid -and- went on to greatness is bush league.

                        All of our kids are overcoming hardships....
                        Stating a fact isn't bush league. His schedule was less demanding than his more competitive soccer peers. Thats all that means and I never said anything about going "on to greatness". His odds of going on to greatness is the same as everyone else. The only thing he's gained by having good scores is the ability to be accepted at some good colleges. Still doesn't mean he's going on to greatness. This might be hard to understand but the point of posting his scores, specifically his GPA, was to show the benefit of having an easier schedule. As you know, competitive club soccer is very demanding. That doesn't mean his peers didn't get the same GPA/SAT scores too but with a more demanding schedule its harder.

                        Do yourself a favor and stop critiquing everything. My son did the best he could under the situation and I'm very proud of him and so did yours; be happy. At the same time recognize and have some compassion for those parents and players who are just now realizing their journey is coming to an end. As I've said, not everyone moves on to the next level. They've put a lot into it and their expectations were high. I feel its harder on them at this point rather than a preteen getting cut from his team. Happy holidays

                        Comment


                          know your major, know yourself

                          I will say that having your kid at least "think" about what they want to study should be discussed starting their sophomore year. You may find, as did we; that may greatly influence where your kid wants or should go to school.

                          Comment


                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            I will say that having your kid at least "think" about what they want to study should be discussed starting their sophomore year. You may find, as did we; that may greatly influence where your kid wants or should go to school.
                            Absolutely. Some majors aren't offered at every school and some schools are better than others for certain areas of study. A lot of kids will change their majors, but not all will. And they won't know for sure if they like an area without being exposed to it.

                            We also had good advice to start looking at a few schools early on, before really ramping up the process. They didn't have to be schools necessarily where they wanted to go but to at least expose them to different types of school (big, small, rural, urban) and get them thinking about what they liked or didn't like. So we'd squeezed a few in on school breaks or when traveling for vacations or sports. That way when it came to focus in and target, my kids had a much better sense of what mattered to them vs what they could compromise on. Once it all starts it's a time pressure cooker to squeeze in visits, SAT tests, school plus soccer.

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