Alternative to club soccer?

[Guest]

ok, join something like NCE and/or Red Bulls RDS - they do tournament teams so she would get some small sided and full field games in, in competitive environments without being on a club team. Do their trainings and try to find a futsal group or go to a trainer like that A Game guy for skills. YOu can easily make up a schedule that does not depend on a club team at her age.

Redbulls has RDS almost year round about $350 for 8 week session once a week. This is good until 12/13 past that I wouldn't do it unless you know the group is good. Waldwick usually had good coaches.

[Guest]

At a point where we are kinda over the whole environment of club soccer for our D. The condescending & dishonest coaches, lunatic parents, constant jockeying for position, exorbitant sums of money 6 months in advance of seeing a final roster or coach assignment. I mean, come on, do any of you actually endorse this nonsense? Issue is, D loves to play competitive soccer. Has anyone ever taken a "year off" club & focused on private and small-group training instead? Pros, cons, personal experience, or other suggestions welcome.

We took our D out of travel all-togther and went rec for the Fall and then looked at "ID events". It was one of the best decisions we made. We saved $, save travel time, our D was the focal point of the team and she got to practice new skill moves without the threats of losing PT or the wrath of an anti-mistake coach.

[Guest]

The idea that your d needs to play at these clubs in order to compete at a high level is off the mark. It's not boys soccer where players would be left behind due to the ever increasing speed-of-play and competitiveness.

Have your D run track and become the fastest player on the field in order to chase down the never ending loose balls. Maybe even add a private trainer to work on lobbing 30 yrd shots over short goalies. That's the girls' soccer way.

[Guest]

Redbulls has RDS almost year round about $350 for 8 week session once a week. This is good until 12/13 past that I wouldn't do it unless you know the group is good. Waldwick usually had good coaches.

Have done the RDS sessions, and the training is good. I think the missing element for her enjoyment-wise is just the general lack of females in red bulls programs. That social aspect is certainly important for young girls. Then again, we never signed on to a showcase team because it interfered too much with club activities that were already paid for. So it's a good thought.

[Guest]

The idea that your d needs to play at these clubs in order to compete at a high level is off the mark. It's not boys soccer where players would be left behind due to the ever increasing speed-of-play and competitiveness.

Have your D run track and become the fastest player on the field in order to chase down the never ending loose balls. Maybe even add a private trainer to work on lobbing 30 yrd shots over short goalies. That's the girls' soccer way.

on a website filled with dumb ideas, here's one in the top 5

[Guest]

on a website filled with dumb ideas, here's one in the top 5

agreed. this person must not have a female soccer player if they believe the speed of play and competitiveness does not increase constantly on the girls side. the only place the were right is using a sport like track to increase speed and explosiveness. especially at the age of the OP's player, right on the verge of expanding field size.

[Guest]

The idea that your d needs to play at these clubs in order to compete at a high level is off the mark. It's not boys soccer where players would be left behind due to the ever increasing speed-of-play and competitiveness.

Have your D run track and become the fastest player on the field in order to chase down the never ending loose balls. Maybe even add a private trainer to work on lobbing 30 yrd shots over short goalies. That's the girls' soccer way.

Please don't anyone listen to this idiot. Yes you could take a season off and come back but depending at what level you want to compete you need to keep up with training on your own. Just running is not going to cut it since the type of running you do in a game is different thank your track running. Yes she is going to fall behind but depending on the level she should be able to catch up as long as she's doing some type of training. Dribble, first touch, pass accuracy. It's insulting to hear assh0les like this downplay the level of skill and soccer IQ these girls have now.

[Guest]

At a point where we are kinda over the whole environment of club soccer for our D. The condescending & dishonest coaches, lunatic parents, constant jockeying for position, exorbitant sums of money 6 months in advance of seeing a final roster or coach assignment. I mean, come on, do any of you actually endorse this nonsense? Issue is, D loves to play competitive soccer. Has anyone ever taken a "year off" club & focused on private and small-group training instead? Pros, cons, personal experience, or other suggestions welcome.

This is a question that will be asked more and more. Club soccer is just not worth it for 99% of the players anymore. Too much money, too much travel. And let's face it, it's far better to be the favorite player than the best.

If there is one, single piece of advice i can give you if you continue with the club soccer meat grinder is to NEVER allow your D to play on the defensive side of the ball. She just won't be allowed to develop the way offense players are allowed.

[Guest]

This is a question that will be asked more and more. Club soccer is just not worth it for 99% of the players anymore. Too much money, too much travel. And let's face it, it's far better to be the favorite player than the best.

If there is one, single piece of advice i can give you if you continue with the club soccer meat grinder is to NEVER allow your D to play on the defensive side of the ball. She just won't be allowed to develop the way offense players are allowed.

Lol. Another “my kid doesn’t play outfield” parent. All field positions are equal or they wouldn’t exist. You are a moron

[Guest]

D is young, still in small-sided 9v9 age. It's the structure and operations of academy soccer for these young 8-12yo kids that is at issue for me, not the competitiveness. My thought process was to get her good training outside of the club environment, and if she continues to enjoy and love the game, re-enter it in another 12 months or so when the game moves full side and the "pathway" becomes important. Hey, if there was actually a culture where street soccer was a thing in this country for our kids, this wouldn't be an issue. But it's not, and we are stuck with the clubs running the show.

To be clear, the following example is only one and not meant to say this applies to everyone. That being said…

My d had a teammate that while she loved the game, her dad was the poster child for the parent who just doesn’t get it. She worked hard, had good skills, but had zero concept on how to play. Dad just reinforced it - in his mind it was all about goals. He took her to a couple different clubs, always the coaches fault for not seeing the gem he had. Finally went to a personal trainer who made marketed her on social media and her skills and yadda yadda. Dad’s bragging about it.

Kid gets to HS after making JV first two years she finally makes varsity her junior year. Barely plays. I run into him and he’s still ranting. Can’t understand why she doesn’t play and same stuff. Kid was never taught anything team related. Ends up quitting the game outright before season even ends.

Dad still doesn’t know why.

Never mind reaching lofty goals, poor kid couldn’t even excel is HS

[Guest]

Lol. Another “my kid doesn’t play outfield” parent. All field positions are equal or they wouldn’t exist. You are a moron

You clearly have never gone through the recruiting process if you think that.

I was never that parent, but if I had to do it again, I would be.

[Guest]

OP here...young, U11, multisport athlete, so "end-goal" is really TBD at this point. MY goal as a parent is to provide the opportunities, so that when she does narrow her focus, she is prepared. Finding it to be increasingly difficult however to avoid specialization at this young age, with the amount of time and training required to play at a high level (in any sport, not soccer-specific). It's a shame, and not what's best for kids. I read somewhere recently, I think an NCSA article, that college coaches actually prefer multi-sport athletes over single sport athletes of equal skill. For obvious reasons I suppose when it comes to injury prevention and general athleticism. But who has the time?

There’s a club called Ironbound in Newark. Has a terrific female coach and normal kids and lovely parents. Sounds like you are at the wrong club - but when you find the right fit your kid will be happy.

[Guest]

You clearly have never gone through the recruiting process if you think that.

I was never that parent, but if I had to do it again, I would be.

Do you how dumb you sound? I want my kid to be a very well rounded soccer player. I do not care about the recruiting process? I want my kid to enjoy her experience. My kid is a very good student and aims to get an advanced degree. Soccer will not get her anywhere in life. You are the problem with youth soccer SIR. Taking it way more seriously than necessary.

[Guest]

Let your kid play competitive soccer before your boneheaded moves extinguish her fire.

[Guest]

Let your kid play competitive soccer before your boneheaded moves extinguish her fire.

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