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    Junior Academy Worth It?

    Are there any Club run "Junior Academy" programs that are actually worth the price these clubs are asking? Or am I better off letting my U9 player play cheap rec soccer and do extra training on the side? $800 up to $2300 seems excessive to spend for a year of soccer for a 8 year old! From what i am finding, those prices don't even include tournaments or anything extra!

    #2
    Seriously, if my kid was that young I would sign them up with the RCF development academy. It's way better at that age to be playing futsal. Now there is that option. There will be outdoor snobs who come on here and poo poo futsal, but at that age they get 200 please more touches.

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      #3
      ...percent more touches.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
        Are there any Club run "Junior Academy" programs that are actually worth the price these clubs are asking? Or am I better off letting my U9 player play cheap rec soccer and do extra training on the side? $800 up to $2300 seems excessive to spend for a year of soccer for a 8 year old! From what i am finding, those prices don't even include tournaments or anything extra!
        Depends on the club and the program.

        At U10 and below, Westside (for instances) runs essentially two programs, and many other clubs have the same structure:

        1) A "development" program (WDP) targeted to kids in rec soccer, who are interested in something stronger than rec. One can do this simultaneously with rec, you sign up for a season at a time (summer/fall/winter). Not a bad way to see if classic is intended a good fit for your kid. If your kid does have talent, opportunities for promotion to classic are plentiful. During fall and spring, play in Delta Park league or similar.

        2) A "classic" program (called "premier development") which is essentially classic for U10 and below. At this age group, no travel. Cheaper than classic at U11 and up. Full year commitment, no playing rec on the side.

        I cannot comment on the offerings at other clubs, but many have a similar structure.

        It all depends on how much your kid likes soccer, really, and his or her ability. Rec is inexpensive, and it's fun, but it's only during fall and spring. And really good players (and there are plenty in rec) can get bored with it; the gap between rec and a classic club's C team generally isn't that great (the main advantage of classic there is the kids who don't want to be there and aren't interested but Mom wants them to get off the couch and get some exercise, are generally weeded out; the players in classic generally all like soccer. Occasionally some tiger mom will force a kid into a program that hates every bit of it, but I've only met one such family in my time at WT...)

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          #5
          And I will heartily agree with whoever said that RCF, or other futsal leagues/clubs, is a fine option. Especially if you're not doing classic and need something for your kid to do in the winter.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
            And I will heartily agree with whoever said that RCF, or other futsal leagues/clubs, is a fine option. Especially if you're not doing classic and need something for your kid to do in the winter.
            Where they will have the most fun and play the most.

            Legitametly run from the places that have people or coaches talking non stop at that age.

            If you took a bunch of kids and played them in a free play small sided game for an hour 3x a week, your kid will be better than most ja programs that over coach and under play.

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              #7
              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
              Seriously, if my kid was that young I would sign them up with the RCF development academy. It's way better at that age to be playing futsal. Now there is that option. There will be outdoor snobs who come on here and poo poo futsal, but at that age they get 200 please more touches.
              RCF is amazing but the cost for the select teams there are $2295. Or is there a less expensive option they dont advertise?

              Comment


                #8
                Junior Academy at any club is mainly a money maker for the club. Most have a group of talented kids that make up the "A" team, but those kids were probably all good before they joined club soccer. They just happen to be the best of the bunch. You will get more development from futsal or skills training for less money than most of these clubs will soak you for. of course if your kid isn't very good and you want someone to tell you about all of his/her potential and how great they are, then the academy is the way to go. They will feed your delusion for as long as you want to keep paying!

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                  Junior Academy at any club is mainly a money maker for the club. Most have a group of talented kids that make up the "A" team, but those kids were probably all good before they joined club soccer. They just happen to be the best of the bunch. You will get more development from futsal or skills training for less money than most of these clubs will soak you for. of course if your kid isn't very good and you want someone to tell you about all of his/her potential and how great they are, then the academy is the way to go. They will feed your delusion for as long as you want to keep paying!
                  Futsal/personal training are less than junior academy fees? Not even close when break it on a hourly basis. The main difference in price is that for club experiences, you are paying for a longer period of time - training you are usually paying per hour, RCF is 6-8 week basis for classes.

                  RCF classes:
                  I didn't think the price was ridiculous.
                  The coaches were positive.
                  Ratios low.
                  Not really excited about the option when the weather is good though - rather my kids were outside.
                  Even though the vibe was positive in those classes, my kids didn't really want to go back season after season.

                  Personal Training:
                  By far the most expensive option per hour.
                  Not sure if it is worth at the younger ages (is kicking in the back yard more effective at those ages).
                  Some good ones out there.
                  Can be disconnected from what you regular team is doing and have sometimes wonder if this one of 1x per week experience leads to something that sticks with the kids.

                  Club Programs:
                  Better organized for the younger one than when older when through it (although the older had an excellent coach for a part of it, the club was less organized then).
                  Kids have wanted to return practice after practice, season after season. Becomes a huge social piece (in our case, a whole rec team moved simultaneously, so a good group of friends moved to the program together).
                  Sometimes you get stuck with the fresh out of college coach; some of them don't know how to handle kids (same problem at RCF by the way, just depends on the coach you get).

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                    Futsal/personal training are less than junior academy fees? Not even close when break it on a hourly basis. The main difference in price is that for club experiences, you are paying for a longer period of time - training you are usually paying per hour, RCF is 6-8 week basis for classes.

                    RCF classes:
                    rice was ridiculous.
                    The coaches were positive getting paid to teach something they know nothing about.
                    Ratio of intelligent parents is low.
                    Not really excited about the option when the weather is good though - rather my kids were outside.
                    Even though the vibe was positive in those classes, my kids didn't really want to go back season after season, You think.

                    Personal Training:
                    By far the most expensive option per hour given this is their only income.
                    Not sure if it is worth at the younger ages (is kicking in the back yard more effective at those ages).
                    Some good ones out there but what's the point?
                    Can be disconnected from what you regular team is doing and have sometimes wonder if this one of 1x per week experience leads to something that sticks with the kids.

                    Club Programs:
                    Better organized for the younger one than when older when through it (although the older had an excellent coach for a part of it, the club was less organized then).
                    Kids have wanted to return practice after practice, season after season. Becomes a huge social piece (in our case, a whole rec team moved simultaneously, so a good group of friends moved to the program together).
                    Sometimes you get stuck with the fresh out of college coach; some of them don't know how to handle kids (same problem at RCF by the way, just depends on the coach you get).

                    Do what the modern day pros have done for decades as a youth.

                    Grab a ball, find a make shift court-blacktop, hardwood, grass or artificial turf even. Create some goals if necessary, out of whatever you can and just play! Then repeat (you do need so friends of buddies of course). When not playing in a mini game work with the ball in effort to gain some mastery.

                    Or spend thousands on useless organized scrimmages with soccer bums trying to get paid for something that should be organic and free.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                      RCF is amazing but the cost for the select teams there are $2295. Or is there a less expensive option they dont advertise?
                      RCF has done an amazing job of ripping monies from the pockets of stupid Oregon parents.

                      FUTSAL is street soccer the world over you morons.

                      Only in America.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                        Seriously, if my kid was that young I would sign them up with the RCF development academy. It's way better at that age to be playing futsal. Now there is that option. There will be outdoor snobs who come on here and poo poo futsal, but at that age they get 200 please more touches.
                        You get as many touches as you want for free. Are you really this stupid in person?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                          Do what the modern day pros have done for decades as a youth.

                          Grab a ball, find a make shift court-blacktop, hardwood, grass or artificial turf even. Create some goals if necessary, out of whatever you can and just play! Then repeat (you do need so friends of buddies of course). When not playing in a mini game work with the ball in effort to gain some mastery.

                          Or spend thousands on useless organized scrimmages with soccer bums trying to get paid for something that should be organic and free.
                          I don't actually disagree with this, just in real life merica found it easier to pay for a program than arrange pickup games for my kids. Wish the culture was there for them find their own pickup games; however, depending on gender, where they live, few and far between.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                            And I will heartily agree with whoever said that RCF, or other futsal leagues/clubs, is a fine option. Especially if you're not doing classic and need something for your kid to do in the winter.
                            I agree if you're not in a year round club that offers you 3 to 5 times a week of playing and training. You can elect to go to the closet Indoor or community Facilities that offer additional independent league play and if you want more, consider their P.E.class model structure they have setup as an option to during the freezing months.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Wrong

                              Originally posted by Unregistered View Post
                              Junior Academy at any club is mainly a money maker for the club. Most have a group of talented kids that make up the "A" team, but those kids were probably all good before they joined club soccer. They just happen to be the best of the bunch. You will get more development from futsal or skills training for less money than most of these clubs will soak you for. of course if your kid isn't very good and you want someone to tell you about all of his/her potential and how great they are, then the academy is the way to go. They will feed your delusion for as long as you want to keep paying!
                              You have it completely backward actually. Most clubs run their youth development programs to break even or a loss using the registration fees from the older teams to help supplement the cost. The idea is to make it affordable to get these players into the club and keep them going forward as their cost increases.

                              I can't speak to RCF, but any good program worth their salt should be making sure the players this age are getting 1000+ touches each session and playing in lots of game-based training.

                              As far as "skills" training goes. Any coach who has worked with players this age knows full well how bored they get doing technical work even after 10-15 minutes. They are there to play soccer. Let them love the game first!

                              Comment

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